Letters from the Underworld (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: Fyodor Dostoevsky
- First Published: 1864
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Impressionistic realism
- Time of Work: Mid-nineteenth century
- Setting: St. Petersburg, Russia
- Genres: Long fiction, Impressionistic literature
- Subjects: Philosophy or philosophers, Nineteenth century, Prostitution or prostitutes, Antiheroes, Letter writing, Life, philosophy of, Students or student life, Russia or Russian people, Parties
- Locales: St. Petersburg, Russia
Characters Discussed
The narrator, the “I” of the treatise, a man convinced of his own depravity. A theorist addressing imaginary listeners, his readers, he declares that he will tell only the truth. Ugly in face and misshapen in body, though with an intelligent, even practiced alertness, he was for many years morbidly shy and grotesque in his vices. A government clerk of a mean and vindictive disposition, he declares that he would devote his life to idleness and the creation of beauty could he live again. As it is, he will continue in the same vein, acutely conscious of...
[The entire page is 790 words long]
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