Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky
- Born:
- November 11, 1821 (October 30, 1821, Old Style), Moscow, Russian Empire
- Died:
- February 9, 1881 (January 28, 1881, Old Style), Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire
- Nationality:
- Russian
- Profession(s):
- Novelist, Short Story Writer, Essayist, Journalist, Philosopher
Early Life and Education
- Second of seven children born to Mikhail Andreyevich Dostoevsky, a doctor, and Maria Nechayeva.
- Received early education at home and in private boarding schools.
- Entered the Main Engineering School in Saint Petersburg in 1838.
- While at the Engineering School, he developed an interest in literature.
Career and Major Achievements
- Began his literary career with the epistolary novel Poor Folk (1846), which gained him immediate recognition.
- In 1849, he was arrested for participating in the Petrashevsky Circle, a group discussing utopian socialist ideas.
- Sentenced to death but the sentence was commuted to four years of hard labor in Siberia, followed by compulsory military service.
- This experience profoundly impacted his worldview and is reflected in his later works.
- Founded and edited the journals Vremya (Time) and Epokha (Epoch) with his brother Mikhail.
- Struggled with gambling addiction throughout his life.
Notable Works
- Poor Folk (1846)
- The Double (1846)
- Notes from Underground (1864)
- Crime and Punishment (1866)
- The Idiot (1869)
- Demons (also known as The Possessed) (1872)
- The Brothers Karamazov (1880)
- His experiences in prison are chronicled, in part, in House of the Dead (1861-1862), also known as The House of the Dead, or Burial in Living Death. The English translation of the title is generally considered to be "Memoirs from the House of the Dead" (or similar formulations), and in Russian, it is known as, zapisky z mrtveho domu dostoevsky biography.
Legacy and Impact
Dostoevsky is considered one of the greatest and most influential novelists of all time. His works explore complex themes of morality, faith, psychology, and the human condition. He is known for his deep psychological insight, his exploration of existential questions, and his profound influence on subsequent generations of writers and thinkers. His impact extends across literature, philosophy, psychology, and religious thought.