Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky

Date

1821–1881

Description

City of birth: Moscow
Country of birth: Russia
Field of activity: Culture — literature

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Quotes

‘I am a ridiculous person. Now they call me a madman. That would be a promotion if it were not that I remain as ridiculous in their eyes as before. But now I do not resent it, they are all dear to me now, even when they laugh at me — and, indeed, it is just then that they are particularly dear to me. I could join in their laughter — not exactly at myself, but through affection for them, if I did not feel so sad as I look at them. Sad because they do not know the truth and I do know it. Oh, how hard it is to be the only one who knows the truth! But they won't understand that. No, they won't understand it.’

Author

Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky

Speaker

Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky

Title of the publication

The Dream of a Ridiculous Man

Other contributors

n/a

Publisher (or journal name with vol. and number)

Northwestern University

City of publication

Chicago

Country of publication (modern nation-state equivalent)

United States of America

Publication date

1994

Location [pp. or web]

Volume Two (1877–1881), p. 942

Original language

Russian

Genre

Book

Context

'The Dream of a Ridiculous Man' is a short story by Fyodor Dostoevsky published in 1877 as Son smeshnogo cheloveka. It addresses questions of original sin, human perfectibility, and the striving toward an ideal society. It was published in A Writer's Diary, a collection of non-fiction and fictional writings by Dostoyevsky taken from pieces written for a periodical which he founded and produced. The collection is normally published in two volumes: the first covering those published between 1873 and 1876, the second from 1877 and 1881.

‘I want to say to you, about myself, that I am a child of this age, a child of unfaith and skepticism, and probably (indeed I know it) shall remain so to the end of my life. How dreadfully has it tormented me (and torments me even now) this longing for faith, which is all the stronger for the proofs I have against it. And yet God gives me sometimes moments of perfect peace; in such moments I love and believe that I am loved; in such moments I have formulated my creed, wherein all is clear and holy to me. This creed is extremely simple; here it is: I believe that there is nothing lovelier, deeper, more sympathetic, more rational, more manly, and more perfect than the Saviour; I say to myself with jealous love that not only is there no one else like Him, but that there could be no one. I would even say more: If anyone could prove to me that Christ is outside the truth and if the truth really did exclude Christ, I should prefer to stay with Christ and not with truth.'

Author

Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky

Speaker

Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky

Title of the publication

Letters of Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky to his Family and Friends

Other contributors

Ethel Golburn Mayne, translator

Publisher (or journal name with vol. and number)

Macmillan

City of publication

New York

Country of publication (modern nation-state equivalent)

United States of America

Publication date

1917

Location [pp. or web]

Letter XXI, p. 71

Original language

Russian

Genre

Correspondence

Context

A letter written in 1854 to Mme. N.D. Fonvisin, wife of the Decembrist M.A. Fonvism, who Dostoevsky met in 1850 and corresponded with during his time in captivity.