Dostoevsky in Context

An overview of the social, political, economic, religious, journalistic and literary contexts that informed Dostoevsky's life and works.

Deborah A. Martinsen (Edited by), Olga Maiorova (Edited by)

9781107028760, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 5 January 2016

354 pages, 3 b/w illus. 1 map 1 table
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.1 cm, 0.71 kg

This volume explores the Russia where the great writer, Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821–81), was born and lived. It focuses not only on the Russia depicted in Dostoevsky's works, but also on the Russian life that he and his contemporaries experienced: on social practices and historical developments, political and cultural institutions, religious beliefs, ideological trends, artistic conventions and literary genres. Chapters by leading scholars illuminate this broad context, offer insights into Dostoevsky's reflections on his age, and examine the expression of those reflections in his writing. Each chapter investigates a specific context and suggests how we might understand Dostoevsky in relation to it. Since Russia took so much from Western Europe throughout the imperial period, the volume also locates the Russian experience within the context of Western thought and practices, thereby offering a multidimensional view of the unfolding drama of Russia versus the West in the nineteenth century.

Chronology
1. Introduction: the many worlds of Dostoevsky Olga Maiorova and Deborah A. Martinsen
Part I. Social, Historical, and Cultural Contexts: Section 1. Changing Political, Economic, and Social Landscape: 2. The great reforms and the new courts Richard Wortman
3. The abolition of serfdom Nathaniel Knight
4. Punishment and crime Anna Schur
5. Socialism, utopia, and myth James P. Scanlan
6. Nihilism and terrorism Derek Offord
7. The 'woman question', women's work, women's options Barbara Engel
8. The economy and the print market Jonathan Paine
Section 2. Political, Social, and Cultural Institutions: 9. Russian monarchy and the people Richard Wortman
10. Empire Olga Maiorova
11. Service ranks Irina Reyfman
12. Education Inessa Medzhibovskaya
13. Science, technology, and medicine Michael D. Gordin
14. Jews, race, and biology Harriet Murav
15. Suicide Susan Morrissey
16. Children Robin Feuer Miller
17. Gambling Richard J. Rosenthal
Section 3. Space and Place: 18. Symbolic geography Anne Lounsbery
19. St Petersburg Robert Belknap
20. The Crystal Palace Sarah J. Young
Section 4. Religion and Modernity: 21. Orthodox spirituality Nel Grillaert
22. Religious dissent Irina Paert
23. Roman Catholicism Mikhail Dolbilov
24. Islam Robert Geraci
Part II. Literature, Journalism, and Languages: 25. Modern print culture Konstantine Klioutchkine
26. Realism Liza Knapp
27. Dostoevsky: translator and translated Carol Apollonio
28. Travel and travel writing Susan Layton
29. Folklore Linda Ivanits
30. Foreign languages Karin Beck
31. Theater Maude Meisel
32. Dostoevsky's journalism and fiction Ellen Chances
33. Dostoevsky's journalism in the 1860s Sarah Hudspith
34. Dostoevsky's journalism in the 1870s Kate Holland
35. Censorship Irene Zohrab
Glossary
Further reading.

Subject Areas: Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900 [HBLL], European history [HBJD], Literary companions, book reviews & guides [DSRC], Literary studies: c 1800 to c 1900 [DSBF]