Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821-1881) was a renowned Russian novelist, short story writer, and essayist. His profound psychological insight and exploration of human nature have made works like “Crime and Punishment” and “The Brothers Karamazov” literary classics.
Biography
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky |
| Birth Date | 11 November 1821 |
| Death Date | 9 February 1881 |
| Nationality | Russian |
| Occupations | Novelist, Short Story Writer, Essayist, Journalist |
| Major Works |
|
| Genres | Fiction, Philosophical Literature, Psychological Fiction |
| Themes | Human Condition, Political, Social and Spiritual Atmospheres of 19th-century Russia, Philosophical and Religious Themes |
| Early Life |
Born in Moscow in 1821. Introduced to literature at an early age through fairy tales and legends, and books by Russian and foreign authors. His mother died in 1837 when he was 15. Left school to enter the Nikolayev Military Engineering Institute. |
| Career Beginnings |
Graduated as an engineer. Wrote his first novel, Poor Folk, in the mid-1840s, which gained him entry into Saint Petersburg’s literary circles. |
| Imprisonment |
Arrested in 1849 for belonging to the Petrashevsky Circle. Sentenced to death but commuted at the last moment. Spent four years in a Siberian prison camp, followed by six years of compulsory military service in exile. |
| Later Life |
Worked as a journalist, publishing and editing several magazines. Developed a gambling addiction which led to financial hardship. Eventually became one of the most widely read Russian writers. |
| Influence |
Influenced numerous writers, philosophers, and the emergence of Existentialism and Freudianism. His works have been translated into more than 170 languages and inspired many films. |
| Body of Work |
Thirteen novels, three novellas, seventeen short stories, and numerous other works. |
Early Life
Fyodor Dostoyevsky, born on November 11, 1821, in Moscow, Russia, was one of the most influential novelists of the 19th century. He was raised in a devoutly religious family, the second of seven children. Dostoyevsky’s father, Mikhail Andreevich Dostoyevsky, was a doctor, and his mother, Maria Fyodorovna, came from a merchant family. The family lived in a small apartment in the Mariinsky Hospital for the Poor, where his father worked. In 1837, following the death of his mother from tuberculosis, Fyodor and his brother Mikhail were sent to St. Petersburg to attend a military engineering institute. This move marked the beginning of a tumultuous period in Dostoyevsky’s life, filled with personal struggles and profound literary achievements.
Family
| Relation | Name | Information |
|---|---|---|
| Father | Mikhail Andreevich Dostoyevsky | Mikhail was a physician and a stern, authoritarian figure. He worked at the Mariinsky Hospital for the Poor in Moscow and later acquired a small estate in the countryside. |
| Mother | Maria Fyodorovna Dostoyevskaya | Maria was a kind and gentle woman who had a significant influence on Fyodor’s early education and love for literature. She passed away when Fyodor was 15 years old. |
| Brother | Mikhail Dostoyevsky | Mikhail was Fyodor’s older brother and very close to him. They shared a deep bond and collaborated on several literary projects. Mikhail was also an author and publisher. |
| Sister | Varvara Dostoyevskaya | Varvara was one of Fyodor’s sisters. Not much is widely known about her, but she was part of the Dostoyevsky family dynamic that influenced Fyodor’s life and work. |
| Sister | Lyubov Dostoyevskaya | Lyubov was another of Fyodor’s sisters. Details about her life are not extensively documented, but she, like Varvara, was part of the family environment. |
Height, Weight, And Other Body Measurements
| Attribute | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Height | Unknown |
| Weight | Unknown |
| Eye Color | Blue |
| Hair Color | Brown |
| Build | Slender |
Wife/husband / Girlfriend/boyfriend
Fyodor Dostoyevsky was married to Anna Grigoryevna Snitkina. They were married on February 15, 1867. Anna was a stenographer who worked with Dostoyevsky on his novel “The Gambler.” She played a crucial role in his life, helping him manage his finances and supporting him through his struggles with epilepsy and gambling addiction. They had four children together, although only two survived into adulthood.
| Name | Relationship Type | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Maria Dmitrievna Isaeva | Wife | Fyodor Dostoyevsky married Maria Dmitrievna Isaeva on February 6, 1857. She was a widow with a son from her first marriage. Their marriage was troubled due to Maria’s illness and Dostoyevsky’s financial difficulties. Maria died in 1864. |
| Polina Suslova | Girlfriend | Polina Suslova was a writer and a significant figure in Dostoyevsky’s life. Their relationship was intense and tumultuous, and she served as an inspiration for several of his female characters. Their affair ended around 1865. |
Fyodor Dostoyevsky had two wives and a notable romantic relationship. His first wife, Maria Dmitrievna Isaeva, had a significant impact on his early life but their marriage was fraught with difficulties. After her death, Dostoyevsky had a passionate but unstable affair with Polina Suslova. His second wife, Anna Grigoryevna Snitkina, proved to be a stabilizing and supportive partner, contributing greatly to his personal and professional life.
Career, Achievements And Controversies
Fyodor Dostoyevsky became famous through his profound and influential literary works that delved into the human psyche, morality, and existentialism. His novels often explored the depths of human suffering and the complexities of the human condition, making him one of the most important literary figures in Russian and world literature.
Dostoyevsky’s literary career began with the publication of his first novel, Poor Folk (1846), which garnered critical acclaim and established him as a promising new voice in Russian literature.
- Poor Folk (1846)
- Notes from Underground (1864)
- Crime and Punishment (1866)
- The Idiot (1869)
- Demons (1872)
- The Brothers Karamazov (1880)
During Dostoyevsky’s lifetime, formal literary awards were not as prevalent as they are today. However, his works have received extensive posthumous recognition and continue to be celebrated worldwide.
- Political Involvement: Dostoyevsky was arrested in 1849 for his involvement with the Petrashevsky Circle, a group of intellectuals discussing radical ideas. He was sentenced to death but later reprieved and sent to a Siberian labor camp.
- Gambling Addiction: Dostoyevsky struggled with a severe gambling addiction, which often left him in financial ruin and influenced some of his literary work, notably The Gambler (1867).
- Personal Life: His tumultuous personal life, including two marriages and numerous affairs, was often the subject of public scrutiny.
- Anti-Semitism: Some of Dostoyevsky’s writings have been criticized for containing anti-Semitic sentiments, which have sparked significant debate and controversy.
