The life and work of Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky. Brief biography of Dostoevsky. F M Dostoevsky biography, interesting facts. Dostoevsky Fyodor Mikhailovich: biography, family, creativity, interesting facts from life The situation in the family of the future writer

In this article we will describe the life and work of Dostoevsky: we will briefly tell you about the most important events. Fyodor Mikhailovich was born on October 30 (old style - 11) 1821. An essay on Dostoevsky's work will introduce you to the main works and achievements of this man in the literary field. But we will start from the very beginning - with the origin of the future writer, with his biography.

The problems of Dostoevsky's creativity can be deeply understood only by becoming acquainted with the life of this man. After all, fiction always in one way or another reflects the characteristics of the biography of the creator of the works. In the case of Dostoevsky this is especially noticeable.

Origin of Dostoevsky

Fyodor Mikhailovich's father was from the Rtishchev branch, descendants of Daniil Ivanovich Rtishchev, defender of the Orthodox faith in Southwestern Rus'. For his special successes, he was given the village of Dostoevo, located in the Podolsk province. The Dostoevsky surname originates from there.

However, by the beginning of the 19th century, the Dostoevsky family became impoverished. Andrei Mikhailovich, the writer’s grandfather, served in the Podolsk province, in the town of Bratslav, as an archpriest. Mikhail Andreevich, the father of the author we are interested in, at one time graduated from the Medical-Surgical Academy. During the Patriotic War, in 1812, he fought with others against the French, after which, in 1819, he married Maria Fedorovna Nechaeva, the daughter of a merchant from Moscow. Mikhail Andreevich, having retired, received a position as a doctor in an office open to poor people, which was popularly nicknamed Bozhedomka.

Where was Fedor Mikhailovich born?

The apartment of the future writer's family was located in the right wing of this hospital. In it, set aside as a government apartment for a doctor, Fyodor Mikhailovich was born in 1821. His mother, as we have already mentioned, came from a family of merchants. Pictures of premature deaths, poverty, illness, disorder - the boy’s first impressions, under the influence of which the future writer’s very unusual view of the world took shape. Dostoevsky's work reflects this.

The situation in the family of the future writer

The family, which grew over time to 9 people, was forced to huddle in only two rooms. Mikhail Andreevich was a suspicious and hot-tempered person.

Maria Feodorovna was of a completely different type: economical, cheerful, kind. The relationship between the boy's parents was based on submission to the whims and will of the father. The nanny and mother of the future writer honored the sacred religious traditions of the country, raising the future generation to respect the faith of their fathers. Maria Feodorovna died early - at the age of 36. She was buried at the Lazarevskoye cemetery.

First acquaintance with literature

The Dostoevsky family devoted a lot of time to education and science. At an early age, Fyodor Mikhailovich discovered the joy of communicating with a book. The very first works with which he became acquainted were the folk tales of Arina Arkhipovna, the nanny. After that there were Pushkin and Zhukovsky - Maria Fedorovna’s favorite writers.

Fyodor Mikhailovich at an early age became acquainted with the main classics of foreign literature: Hugo, Cervantes and Homer. In the evenings, his father arranged for the family to read N. M. Karamzin’s work “History of the Russian State.” All this instilled in the future writer an early interest in literature. The life and work of F. Dostoevsky were largely influenced by the environment from which this writer came.

Mikhail Andreevich seeks hereditary nobility

In 1827, Mikhail Andreevich was awarded the Order of the 3rd degree for his diligent and excellent service, and a year later he was also awarded the rank of collegiate assessor, which at that time gave a person the right to hereditary nobility. The father of the future writer well understood the value of higher education and therefore sought to seriously prepare his children for admission to educational institutions.

Tragedy from Dostoevsky's childhood

The future writer experienced a tragedy in his youth that left an indelible mark on his soul for the rest of his life. He fell in love with the cook's daughter, a nine-year-old girl, with a sincere childish feeling. One summer day a cry was heard in the garden. Fyodor ran out into the street and noticed her lying in a white tattered dress on the ground. The women bent over the girl. From their conversation, Fyodor realized that the culprit of the tragedy was a drunken tramp. After that, they went for their father, but his help was not needed, since the girl had already died.

Writer's education

Fyodor Mikhailovich received his initial education at a private boarding school in Moscow. In 1838 he entered the Main Engineering School located in St. Petersburg. He graduated in 1843, becoming a military engineer.

In those years, this school was considered one of the best educational institutions in the country. It is no coincidence that many famous people came from there. Among Dostoevsky's comrades at the school there were many talents who later turned into famous personalities. These are Dmitry Grigorovich (writer), Konstantin Trutovsky (artist), Ilya Sechenov (physiologist), Eduard Totleben (organizer of the defense of Sevastopol), Fyodor Radetsky (hero of Shipka). Both humanitarian and special disciplines were taught here. For example, world and domestic history, Russian literature, drawing and civil architecture.

The tragedy of the "little man"

Dostoevsky preferred solitude to the noisy society of students. Reading was his favorite pastime. The future writer’s erudition amazed his comrades. But the desire for loneliness and solitude in his character was not an innate trait. At the school, Fyodor Mikhailovich had to endure the tragedy of the soul of the so-called “little man”. Indeed, in this educational institution, the students were mainly children of the bureaucratic and military bureaucracy. Their parents gave gifts to their teachers, sparing no expense. In this environment, Dostoevsky looked like a stranger and was often subjected to insults and ridicule. During these years, a feeling of wounded pride flared up in his soul, which later reflected the work of Dostoevsky.

But, despite these difficulties, Fyodor Mikhailovich managed to achieve recognition from both his comrades and teachers. Over time, everyone became convinced that this was a man of extraordinary intelligence and outstanding abilities.

Father's death

In 1839, Fyodor Mikhailovich’s father suddenly died from an apoplexy. There were rumors that it was not a natural death - he was killed by men for his tough character. This news shocked Dostoevsky, and for the first time he had a seizure, a harbinger of future epilepsy, from which Fyodor Mikhailovich suffered all his life.

Service as an engineer, first works

Dostoevsky in 1843, having completed the course, was enrolled in the engineering corps to serve with the engineering team of St. Petersburg, but did not serve there for long. A year later, he decided to engage in literary creativity, a passion for which he had long felt. At first he began to translate classics, such as Balzac. After some time, the idea for a novel arose in letters called “Poor People.” This was the first independent work from which Dostoevsky’s work began. Then came the stories and stories: “Mr. Prokharchin”, “The Double”, “Netochka Nezvanova”, “White Nights”.

Rapprochement with the Petrashevites circle, tragic consequences

The year 1847 was marked by a rapprochement with Butashevich-Petrashevsky, who held the famous “Fridays”. He was a propagandist and admirer of Fourier. At these evenings, the writer met the poets Alexei Pleshcheev, Alexander Palm, Sergei Durov, as well as the prose writer Saltykov and scientists Vladimir Milyutin and Nikolai Mordvinov. At meetings of Petrashevites, socialist teachings and plans for revolutionary coups were discussed. Dostoevsky was a supporter of the immediate abolition of serfdom in Russia.

However, the government learned about the circle, and in 1849, 37 participants, including Dostoevsky, were imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress. They were sentenced to death, but the emperor commuted the sentence, and the writer was exiled to hard labor in Siberia.

In Tobolsk, at hard labor

He went to Tobolsk in the terrible frost on an open sleigh. Here Annenkova and Fonvizina visited the Petrashevites. The whole country admired the feat of these women. They gave each condemned person a Gospel in which money was invested. The fact is that the prisoners were not allowed to have their own savings, so this softened the harsh living conditions for some time.

While in hard labor, the writer realized how far the rationalistic, speculative ideas of the “new Christianity” were from the feeling of Christ, whose bearer is the people. Fyodor Mikhailovich brought out a new one from here. Its basis is the folk type of Christianity. Subsequently, this reflected the further work of Dostoevsky, which we will tell you about a little later.

Military service in Omsk

For the writer, four years of hard labor was replaced after some time by military service. He was escorted from Omsk under escort to the city of Semipalatinsk. Here Dostoevsky's life and work continued. The writer served as a private, then receiving the rank of officer. He returned to St. Petersburg only at the end of 1859.

Magazine publishing

At this time, Fyodor Mikhailovich’s spiritual search began, which in the 60s ended with the formation of the writer’s pochvennik beliefs. The biography and work of Dostoevsky at this time were marked by the following events. Since 1861, the writer, together with Mikhail, his brother, began publishing a magazine called "Time", and after it was banned - "Epoch". Working on new books and magazines, Fyodor Mikhailovich developed his own view of the tasks of a public figure and writer in our country - Russian, a unique version of Christian socialism.

The writer's first works after hard labor

Dostoevsky's life and work changed greatly after Tobolsk. In 1861, the first novel of this writer appeared, which he created after hard labor. This work (“Humiliated and Insulted”) reflects Fyodor Mikhailovich’s sympathy for the “little people” who are subjected to incessant humiliation by the powers that be. “Notes from the House of the Dead” (years of creation: 1861-1863), which the writer began while still in hard labor, also acquired great social significance. In the magazine "Time" in 1863, "Winter Notes on Summer Impressions" appeared. In them, Fyodor Mikhailovich criticized the systems of Western European political beliefs. In 1864, Notes from Underground was published. This is a kind of confession of Fyodor Mikhailovich. In the work he renounced his previous ideals.

Further work of Dostoevsky

Let us briefly describe other works of this writer. In 1866, a novel entitled “Crime and Punishment” appeared, which is considered one of the most significant in his work. In 1868, The Idiot was published, a novel in which an attempt was made to create a positive hero who confronts a predatory, cruel world. In the 70s, the work of F.M. Dostoevsky continues. Novels such as “Demons” (published in 1871) and “The Teenager,” which appeared in 1879, became widely known. "The Brothers Karamazov" is a novel that became the last work. He summed up Dostoevsky's work. The years of publication of the novel are 1879-1880. In this work, the main character, Alyosha Karamazov, helping others in trouble and alleviating suffering, is convinced that the most important thing in our life is a feeling of forgiveness and love. In 1881, on February 9, Dostoevsky Fyodor Mikhailovich died in St. Petersburg.

The life and work of Dostoevsky were briefly described in our article. It cannot be said that the writer was always interested in the problem of man above all others. Let's write briefly about this important feature that Dostoevsky's work had.

Man in creative writing

Throughout his entire creative career, Fyodor Mikhailovich reflected on the main problem of humanity - how to overcome pride, which is the main source of separation between people. Of course, there are other themes in Dostoevsky’s work, but it is largely based on this one. The writer believed that any of us has the ability to create. And he must do this while he lives; it is necessary to express himself. The writer devoted his entire life to the topic of Man. The biography and work of Dostoevsky confirm this.

Dostoevsky Fyodor Mikhailovich (1821 1881) Dostoevsky F.M. Biography Russian writer. Fyodor Mikhailovich, the second son in the family, was born on November 11 (October 30, old style) 1821 in Moscow, in the building of the Mariinsky Hospital for the Poor, where his father... ... Consolidated encyclopedia of aphorisms

Dostoevsky, Fyodor Mikhailovich, famous writer. Born on October 30, 1821 in Moscow in the building of the Mariinsky Hospital, where his father served as a staff physician. He grew up in a rather harsh environment, over which hovered the gloomy spirit of the father of a nervous man,... ... Biographical Dictionary

FEDOR MIKHAILOVICH DOSTOEVSKY (portrait by V.G. Perov, 1872). (1821 1881), Russian writer. Born on November 11, 1821 in Moscow. A graduate of one of the best Moscow boarding schools, he entered the Main Engineering School in St. Petersburg. Painful... ... Collier's Encyclopedia

Fedor Mikhailovich, Russian. writer, thinker, publicist. Starting in the 40s. lit. path in line with the “natural school” as a successor to Gogol and an admirer of Belinsky, D. at the same time absorbed in... ... Philosophical Encyclopedia

- (1821 1881) Russian writer, publicist. Religious, ethical and metaphysical problems of human existence are deeply reflected in D.'s work; his works contain images and philosophy. ideas that clearly express the essence of man, characteristics... ... Philosophical Encyclopedia

DOSTOEVSKY Fyodor Mikhailovich- Fyodor Mikhailovich (October 30, 1821, Moscow; January 28, 1881, St. Petersburg), writer. D.'s father, Mikhail Andreevich, came from a large family of a priest in Podolsk province, studied at the DS under Shargorodsky in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker mon re, then in... ... Orthodox Encyclopedia

- (1821 81), Russian. writer. D.’s first and especially strong impressions from reading the works. L. date back to 1840. Remembering this time, D. wrote: “We also had demons, real demons; there were two of them and how we loved them...” Of these “two demons” L. and N.V.... ... Lermontov Encyclopedia

Fyodor Mikhailovich (1821 81), Russian writer, corresponding member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences (1877). In the story Poor People (1846), White Nights (1848), Netochka Nezvanova (1849, unfinished) and others, he posed the problem of the moral dignity of a little man ... Russian history

Dostoevsky F. M. DOSTOEVSKY Fyodor Mikhailovich (1821 1881) a brilliant representative of the literary style created by the urban philistinism in the conditions of the destruction of the class feudal system and the emergence of capitalism. R. in Moscow in the family of a doctor, ... ... Literary encyclopedia

Dostoevsky Fyodor Mikhailovich, Russian writer. Born into the family of a doctor at the Mariinsky Hospital for the Poor. Having graduated from the St. Petersburg Military Engineering School in 1843, he was enlisted in... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

Books

• Fedor Dostoevsky. Collected works. Crime and Punishment (gift set of 2 books), Fyodor Dostoevsky. Stylishly designed gift edition, which is a set of 2 books in a hard, embossed gold cover, with a three-sided gold edge and a silk ribbon. The publication was printed in…
• Fedor Dostoevsky. Complete collection of novels. In 2 volumes. Volume 1, Fyodor Dostoevsky. From Yakaboo: Collected works of a literary classic and a subtle connoisseur of human souls. Dostoevsky wrote the work “The Gambler”, included in the first volume, based on his own experience...

Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky was born on November 11, 1821 in Moscow. His father Mikhail Andreevich came from the family of nobles Dostoevsky of the Radvan coat of arms. He received a medical education and worked in the Borodino Infantry Regiment, the Moscow Military Hospital, and also in the Mariinsky Hospital for the poor. The mother of the future famous writer, Nechaeva Maria Fedorovna, was the daughter of a capital merchant.

Fedor's parents were not rich people, but they worked tirelessly to provide for their family and give their children a good education. Subsequently, Dostoevsky admitted more than once that he was immensely grateful to his father and mother for their excellent upbringing and education, which cost them hard work.

The boy was taught to read by his mother; she used the book “104 Sacred Stories of the Old and New Testaments” for this purpose. This is partly why in Dostoevsky’s famous book “The Brothers Karamazov” the character Zosima says in one of the dialogues that in childhood he learned to read from this book.

Young Fyodor mastered his reading skills from the biblical Book of Job, which was also reflected in his subsequent works: the writer used his thoughts about this book when creating the famous novel “The Teenager.” The father also contributed to his son's education, teaching him Latin.

A total of seven children were born into the Dostoevsky family. So, Fyodor had an older brother, Mikhail, with whom he was especially close, and an older sister. In addition, he had younger brothers Andrei and Nikolai, as well as younger sisters Vera and Alexandra.

In their youth, Mikhail and Fedor were taught at home by N.I. Drashusov, teacher at the Alexander and Catherine schools. With his help, the eldest sons of the Dostoevskys studied French, and the sons of the teacher, A.N. Drashusov and V.N. Drashusov, taught the boys mathematics and literature, respectively. In the period from 1834 to 1837, Fedor and Mikhail continued their studies at the capital's boarding school L.I. Chermak, which was then a very prestigious educational institution.

In 1837, a terrible thing happened: Maria Feodorovna Dostoevskaya died of consumption. Fedor was only 16 years old at the time of his mother’s death. Left without a wife, Dostoevsky Sr. decided to send Fyodor and Mikhail to St. Petersburg, to the boarding house of K.F. Kostomarova. The father wanted the boys to subsequently enter the Main Engineering School. It is interesting that both of Dostoevsky’s eldest sons at that time were fond of literature and wanted to devote their lives to it, but their father did not take their hobby seriously.

The boys did not dare to contradict their father’s will. Fyodor Mikhailovich successfully completed his studies at the boarding school, entered the school and graduated from it, but he devoted all his free time to reading. , Hoffmann, Byron, Goethe, Schiller, Racine - he devoured the works of all these famous authors, instead of enthusiastically comprehending the basics of engineering science.

In 1838, Dostoevsky and his friends even organized their own literary circle at the Main Engineering School, which, in addition to Fyodor Mikhailovich, included Grigorovich, Beketov, Vitkovsky, Berezhetsky. Even then, the writer began to create his first works, but still did not dare to finally take the path of a writer. Having completed his studies in 1843, he even received the position of engineer-second lieutenant in the St. Petersburg engineering team, but did not last long in the service. In 1844, he decided to focus exclusively on literature and resigned.

The beginning of a creative journey

Although the family did not approve of young Fedor’s decisions, he diligently began to pore over the works he had begun earlier and develop ideas for new ones. The year 1944 was marked for the aspiring writer with the release of his first book, “Poor People.” The success of the work exceeded all the author's expectations. Critics and writers highly appreciated Dostoevsky's novel; the themes raised in the book found a response in the hearts of many readers. Fyodor Mikhailovich was accepted into the so-called “Belinsky circle”, they began to call him “the new Gogol”.

The success did not last long. About a year later, Dostoevsky presented the book “The Double” to the public, but it turned out to be incomprehensible to most admirers of the talent of the young genius. The writer's delight and praise gave way to criticism, dissatisfaction, disappointment and sarcasm. Subsequently, writers appreciated the innovation of this work, its difference from the novels of those years, but at the time of the book’s publication almost no one felt this.

Soon Dostoevsky quarreled with and was expelled from the “Belinsky circle”, and also quarreled with N.A. Nekrasov, editor of Sovremennik. However, the publication “Domestic Notes”, edited by Andrei Kraevsky, immediately agreed to publish his works.

Nevertheless, the phenomenal popularity that his first publication brought to Fyodor Mikhailovich allowed him to make a number of interesting and useful acquaintances in the literary circles of St. Petersburg. Many of his new acquaintances partly became prototypes for various characters in the author’s subsequent works.

Arrest and hard labor

Fateful for the writer was his acquaintance with M.V. Petrashevsky in 1846. Petrashevsky organized so-called “Fridays,” during which the abolition of serfdom, freedom of printing, progressive changes in the judicial system and other similar issues were discussed.

During meetings, one way or another connected with the Petrashevites, Dostoevsky also met the communist Speshnev. In 1848, he organized a secret society of 8 people (including himself and Fyodor Mikhailovich), which advocated a coup in the country and the creation of an illegal printing house. At meetings of the society, Dostoevsky repeatedly read “Belinsky’s Letter to Gogol,” which was then prohibited.

In the same year, 1848, Fyodor Mikhailovich’s novel “White Nights” was published, but, alas, he did not manage to enjoy the well-deserved fame. Those same connections with radical youth played against the writer, and on April 23, 1849, he was arrested, like many other Petrashevites. Dostoevsky denied his guilt, but Belinsky’s “criminal” letter was also remembered, and on November 13, 1849, the writer was sentenced to death. Before that, he languished in prison for eight months in the Peter and Paul Fortress.

Fortunately for Russian literature, the cruel sentence for Fyodor Mikhailovich was not carried out. On November 19, the Auditor General considered him not to be guilty of Dostoevsky, and therefore the death penalty was replaced by eight years of hard labor. And at the end of the same month, the emperor softened the punishment even more: the writer was sent to hard labor in Siberia for four years instead of eight. At the same time, he was deprived of his noble rank and fortune, and after completing hard labor he was promoted to ordinary soldier.

Despite all the hardships and deprivations that such a sentence implied, joining the soldier meant the complete return of Dostoevsky’s civil rights. This was the first such case in Russia, since usually those people who were sentenced to hard labor lost their civil rights for the rest of their lives, even if they survived many years of imprisonment and returned to a free life. Emperor Nicholas I took pity on the young writer and did not want to ruin his talent.

The years that Fyodor Mikhailovich spent in hard labor made an indelible impression on him. The writer had a hard time experiencing endless suffering and loneliness. In addition, it took him a lot of time to establish normal communication with other prisoners: they did not accept him for a long time because of his noble title.

In 1856, the new emperor granted forgiveness to all Petrashevskyites, and in 1857 Dostoevsky was pardoned, that is, he received a full amnesty and was restored to the rights to publish his works. And if in his youth Fyodor Mikhailovich was a person undecided in his destiny, trying to find the truth and build a system of life principles, then already at the end of the 1850s he became a mature, formed personality. The difficult years in hard labor made him a deeply religious person, which he remained until his death.

Creativity flourishes

In 1860, the writer published a two-volume collection of his works, which included the stories “The Village of Stepanchikovo and Its Inhabitants” and “Uncle’s Dream.” About the same story happened to them as with “The Double” - although the works were subsequently given a very high rating, contemporaries did not like them. However, the publication of “Notes from the House of the Dead,” dedicated to the life of convicts and written mostly during imprisonment, helped return readers’ attention to the matured Dostoevsky.

For many residents of the country who have not encountered this horror on their own, the work came almost as a shock. Many people were stunned by what the author was talking about, especially since the topic of hard labor used to be something of a taboo for Russian writers. After this, Herzen began to call Dostoevsky “the Russian Dante.”

The year 1861 was also noteworthy for the writer. This year, in collaboration with his older brother Mikhail, he began publishing his own literary and political magazine called “Time”. In 1863, the publication was closed, and instead the Dostoevsky brothers began publishing another magazine called “Epoch”.

These magazines, firstly, strengthened the brothers’ position in the literary community. And secondly, it was on their pages that “The Humiliated and Insulted,” “Notes from the Underground,” “Notes from the House of the Dead,” “A Bad Anecdote” and many other works of Fyodor Mikhailovich were published. Mikhail Dostoevsky died soon after: he passed away in 1864.

In the 1860s, the writer began to travel abroad, finding inspiration for his new novels in new places and familiar ones. Including, it was during that period that Dostoevsky conceived and began to realize the idea of ​​the work “The Gambler.”

In 1865, the publication of the Epoch magazine, the number of subscribers of which was steadily declining, had to be closed. Moreover: even after the closure of the publication, the writer had an impressive amount of debt. In order to somehow get out of a difficult financial situation, he entered into an extremely unfavorable agreement for himself to publish a collection of his works with the publisher Stelovsky, and soon after that he began writing his most famous novel, Crime and Punishment. The philosophical approach to social motives received wide recognition among readers, and the novel glorified Dostoevsky during his lifetime.

Fyodor Mikhailovich’s next great book was “The Idiot,” published in 1868. The idea of ​​portraying a wonderful person who tries to make other characters happy, but cannot overcome hostile forces and, as a result, suffers himself, turned out to be easy to implement in words alone. In fact, Dostoevsky called The Idiot one of the most difficult books to write, although Prince Myshkin became his most favorite character.

After finishing work on this novel, the author decided to write an epic called “Atheism” or “The Life of a Great Sinner.” He failed to realize his idea, but some of the ideas collected for the epic formed the basis for Dostoevsky’s next three great books: the novel “Demons,” written in 1871-1872, the work “Teenager,” completed in 1875, and the novel “Brothers.” The Karamazovs", work on which Dostoevsky completed in 1879-1880.

It is interesting that “Demons,” in which the writer initially intended to express his disapproval of representatives of revolutionary movements in Russia, gradually changed during the course of writing. Initially, the author did not intend to make Stavrogin, who later became one of his most famous characters, the key character of the novel. But his image turned out to be so powerful that Fyodor Mikhailovich decided to change the plan and add real drama and tragedy to the political work.

If in “The Possessed,” among other things, the theme of fathers and sons was discussed quite widely, then in the next novel, “The Teenager,” the writer brought to the fore the issue of raising a mature child.

A unique result of Fyodor Mikhailovich’s creative path, a literary analogue of summing up the results, was The Brothers Karmazov. Many episodes, storylines, and characters of this work were partly based on the writer’s previously written novels, starting with his first published novel, “Poor People.”

Death

Dostoevsky died on January 28, 1881, the cause of death being chronic bronchitis, pulmonary tuberculosis and emphysema. Death overtook the writer at the age of sixty.

Crowds of admirers of his talent came to say goodbye to the writer, but Fyodor Mikhailovich, his timeless novels and wise quotes received the greatest fame after the death of the author.

Personal life

Dostoevsky's first wife was Maria Isaeva, whom he met shortly after returning from hard labor. In total, the marriage of Fyodor and Maria lasted about seven years, until the sudden death of the writer’s wife in 1864.

During one of his first trips abroad in the early 1860s, Dostoevsky was captivated by the emancipated Apollinaria Suslova. It was from her that Polina in “The Player”, Nastastya Filippovna in “The Idiot” and a number of other female characters were written.

Although on the eve of his fortieth anniversary the writer had at least a long-term relationship with Isaeva and Suslova, at that time his women had not yet given him such happiness as children. This deficiency was made up for by the writer’s second wife, Anna Snitkina. She became not only a faithful wife, but also an excellent assistant to the writer: she took upon herself the troubles of publishing Dostoevsky’s novels, rationally resolved all financial issues, and prepared her memoirs about her brilliant husband for publication. Fyodor Mikhailovich dedicated the novel “The Brothers Karamazov” to her.

Anna Grigorievna gave birth to her wife four children: daughters Sophia and Lyubov, sons Fyodor and Alexei. Alas, Sophia, who was supposed to be the first child of the couple, died a few months after giving birth. Of all the children of Fyodor Mikhailovich, only his son Fyodor became the successor of his literary family.

Dostoevsky Quotes

• No one will make the first move, because everyone thinks that it is not mutual.
• It takes very little to destroy a person: you just need to convince him that the work he is doing is of no use to anyone.
• Freedom is not about not restraining yourself, but about being in control of yourself.
• A writer whose works have not been successful easily becomes a bitter critic: just like a weak and tasteless wine can become excellent vinegar.
• It's amazing what one ray of sunshine can do to a person's soul!
• Beauty will save the world.
• A person who knows how to hug is a good person.
• Don’t clog your memory with grievances, otherwise there may simply be no room left for beautiful moments.
• If you set off towards your goal and start stopping along the way to throw stones at every dog ​​barking at you, you will never reach your goal.
• He is a smart man, but to act smartly, intelligence alone is not enough.
• He who wants to do good can do a lot of good even with his hands tied.
• Life goes breathless without an aim.
• We must love life more than the meaning of life.
• The Russian people seem to enjoy their suffering.
• Happiness is not in happiness, but only in its achievement.

On October 30 (November 11, new style), 1821, the most famous Russian writer, F. M. Dostoevsky, was born. Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky spent his childhood in a large family that belonged to the noble class. He was the second of seven children. The father of the family, Mikhail Andreevich Dostoevsky, worked in a hospital for the poor. Mother - Maria Fedorovna Dostoevskaya (maiden name - Nechaeva) came from a merchant family. When Fedor was 16 years old, his mother suddenly dies. The father is forced to send his older sons to K.F. Kostomarov's boarding school. From this moment on, the brothers Mikhail and Fyodor Dostoevsky settled in St. Petersburg.

Life and work of the writer by dates

1837

This date in Dostoevsky’s biography was very difficult. The mother dies, Pushkin, whose work plays a very important role in the fate of both brothers at that time, dies in a duel. In the same year, Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky moved to St. Petersburg and entered the military engineering school. Two years later, the writer's father is killed by serfs. In 1843, the author took on the translation and publication of Balzac’s work, “Eugenie Grande.”

During his studies, Dostoevsky often read the works of both foreign poets - Homer, Corneille, Balzac, Hugo, Goethe, Hoffmann, Schiller, Shakespeare, Byron, and Russians - Derzhavin, Lermontov, Gogol and, of course, Pushkin.

1844

This year can be considered the beginning of numerous stages in Dostoevsky’s work. It was in this year that Fyodor Mikhailovich wrote his first work, “Poor People” (1844-1845), which, upon release, immediately brought fame to the author. Dostoevsky's novel "Poor People" was highly appreciated by V. Belinsky and Nikolai Nekrasov. However, if the content of the novel “Poor People” was well received by the public, then the very next work encounters misunderstanding. The story “The Double” (1845-1846) does not evoke absolutely any emotions, and is even criticized.

In January-February 1846, Dostoevsky met Ivan Goncharov in the literary salon of the critic N. A. Maikov.

1849

December 22, 1849 – a turning point in life Dostoevsky, because he is sentenced to execution this year. The author is brought to trial in the “Petrashevsky case”, and on December 22 the court pronounces the death penalty. Much appears in a new light for the writer, but at the last moment, before the execution itself, the sentence is changed to a more lenient one - hard labor. Dostoevsky tries to put almost all his feelings into the monologue of Prince Myshkin from the novel “The Idiot”.

By the way, Grigoriev, also sentenced to execution, cannot withstand the psychological stress and goes crazy.

1850 – 1854

During this period, Dostoevsky's work subsided due to the fact that the writer was serving his sentence in exile in Omsk. Immediately after serving his term, in 1854, Dostoevsky was sent to the seventh linear Siberian battalion as an ordinary soldier. Here he meets Chokan Valikhanov (a famous Kazakh traveler and ethnographer) and Maria Dmitrievna Isaeva (the wife of a former official on special assignments), with whom he begins an affair.

1857

After the death of Maria Dmitrievna's husband, Dostoevsky marries her. During his stay in hard labor and during military service, the writer greatly changes his worldview. Dostoevsky's early work was not subject to any dogmas or rigid ideals; after the events that occurred, the author becomes extremely pious and acquires his life ideal - Christ. In 1859, Dostoevsky, along with his wife and adopted son Pavel, left his place of service - the city of Semipalatinsk, and moved to St. Petersburg. He remains under unofficial surveillance.

1860 – 1866

Together with his brother Mikhail, he works in the magazine “Time”, then in the magazine “Epoch”. During the same period, Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky wrote “Notes from the House of the Dead”, “Notes from the Underground”, “Humiliated and Insulted”, “Winter Notes on Summer Impressions”. In 1864, Dostoevsky's brother Mikhail and Dostoevsky's wife died. He often loses at roulette and gets into debt. The money runs out very quickly and the writer is going through a difficult period. At this time, Dostoevsky was composing the novel “Crime and Punishment,” which he wrote one chapter at a time and immediately sent to the magazine set. In order not to lose the rights to his own works (in favor of the publisher F. T. Stellovsky), Fyodor Mikhailovich is forced to write the novel “The Player”. However, he does not have enough strength for this, and he is forced to hire stenographer Anna Grigorievna Snitkina. By the way, the novel “The Gambler” was written in exactly 21 days in 1866. In 1867, Snitkina-Dostoevskaya accompanies the writer abroad, where he goes so as not to lose all the money received for the novel Crime and Punishment. His wife keeps a diary about their journey together and helps arrange his financial well-being, taking all economic issues onto her shoulders.

Last years of life. Death and legacy

This last period in Dostoevsky’s life passes very fruitful for his work. From this year, Dostoevsky and his wife settled in the city of Staraya Russa, located in the Novgorod province. In the same year, Dostoevsky wrote the novel “Demons.” A year later, “A Writer’s Diary” appeared, in 1875 – the novel “Teenager”, 1876 – the story “The Meek One”. In 1878, a significant event took place in Dostoevsky’s life; Emperor Alexander II invited him to his place and introduced him to his family. Over the last two years of his life (1879-1880), the writer created one of his best and most important works - the novel The Brothers Karamazov.
On January 28 (new style - February 9), 1881, Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky dies due to a sharp exacerbation of emphysema. This happened after a scandal with the writer’s sister, Vera Mikhailovna, who asked her brother to give up his inheritance - an estate inherited from his aunt A.F. Kumanina.
The eventful biography of Fyodor Dostoevsky shows that the author received recognition during his lifetime. However, his works achieved their greatest success after his death. Even the great Friedrich Nietzsche admitted that Dostoevsky was the only psychological author who became partly his teacher. The Dostoevsky Museum was opened in St. Petersburg in the building in which the writer’s apartment was located. Analysis of Dostoevsky's works has been carried out by many critical writers. As a result, Fyodor Mikhailovich was recognized as one of the greatest Russian philosophical writers who touched on the most pressing issues of life.

Chronological table

Other biography options

• Vladimir Ilyich Lenin called Dostoevsky “very nasty” because of his attitude towards the “lawless” revolutionaries. It was them who Fyodor Mikhailovich depicted in his famous novel “Demons,” calling them demons and swindlers.
• During a short stay in Tobolsk, on the way to hard labor in Omsk, Dostoevsky was given the Gospel. All the time in exile he read this book and did not part with it until the end of his life.
• The writer's life was overshadowed by a constant lack of money, illness, caring for a large family and growing debts. Fyodor Dostoevsky wrote almost all his life on credit, that is, on an advance taken from the publisher. In such conditions, the writer did not always have enough time to develop and hone his works.
• Dostoevsky was very fond of St. Petersburg, which he showed in many of his works. Sometimes there are even accurate descriptions of places in this city. For example, in his novel Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov hid the murder weapon in one of the courtyards, which actually exists in St. Petersburg.

Some call him a prophet, a gloomy philosopher, others - an evil genius. He himself called himself “a child of the century, a child of unbelief, doubt.” Much has been said about Dostoevsky as a writer, but his personality is surrounded by an aura of mystery. The multifaceted nature of the classic allowed him to leave his mark on the pages of history and inspire millions of people around the world. His ability to expose vices without turning away from them made the characters so alive, and his works so full of mental suffering. Immersion in the world of Dostoevsky can be painful and difficult, but it gives birth to something new in people; this is precisely the kind of literature that educates. Dostoevsky is a phenomenon that needs to be studied long and thoughtfully. A short biography of Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky, some interesting facts from his life, and creativity will be presented to your attention in the article.

Brief biography in dates

The main task of life, as Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky wrote, is “not to become discouraged, not to fall,” despite all the trials sent from above. And he had a lot of them.

November 11, 1821 - birth. Where was Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky born? He was born in our glorious capital - Moscow. Father - staff doctor Mikhail Andreevich, the family is a believer, pious. They named it after their grandfather.

The boy began studying at a young age under the guidance of his parents; by the age of 10 he knew the history of Russia quite well; his mother taught him to read. Attention was also paid to religious education: daily prayer before bed was a family tradition.

In 1837, Fyodor Mikhailovich’s mother Maria died, and in 1839, father Mikhail.

1838 - Dostoevsky enters the Main Engineering School of St. Petersburg.

1841 - becomes an officer.

1843 - enrolled in the engineering corps. Studying was not fun, there was a strong craving for literature, the writer made his first creative experiments even then.

1847 - visit to Petrashevsky Fridays.

April 23, 1849 - Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky was arrested and imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress.

From January 1850 to February 1854 - Omsk fortress, hard labor. This period had a strong influence on the writer’s creativity and worldview.

1854-1859 - period of military service, city of Semipalatinsk.

1857 - wedding with Maria Dmitrievna Isaeva.

June 7, 1862 - the first trip abroad, where Dostoevsky stayed until October. I became interested in gambling for a long time.

1863 - love, relationship with A. Suslova.

1864 - the writer’s wife Maria and older brother Mikhail die.

1867 - marries stenographer A. Snitkina.

Until 1871 they traveled a lot outside of Russia.

1877 - spends a lot of time with Nekrasov, then makes a speech at his funeral.

1881 - Dostoevsky Fyodor Mikhailovich dies, he was 59 years old.

Biography in detail

The childhood of the writer Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky can be called prosperous: born into a noble family in 1821, he received an excellent home education and upbringing. My parents managed to instill a love of languages ​​(Latin, French, German) and history. After reaching the age of 16, Fedor was sent to a private boarding school. Then training continued at the St. Petersburg Military Engineering School. Dostoevsky showed interest in literature even then, visited literary salons with his brother, and tried to write himself.

As the biography of Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky testifies, 1839 claims the life of his father. Internal protest is looking for a way out, Dostoevsky begins to get acquainted with the socialists, and visits Petrashevsky’s circle. The novel "Poor People" was written under the influence of the ideas of that period. This work allowed the writer to finally finish his hated engineering service and engage in literature. From an unknown student, Dostoevsky became a successful writer until censorship intervened.

In 1849, the ideas of the Petrashevites were recognized as harmful, members of the circle were arrested and sent to hard labor. It is noteworthy that the sentence was originally death, but the last 10 minutes changed it. The Petrashevites who were already on the scaffold were pardoned, limiting their punishment to four years of hard labor. Mikhail Petrashevsky was sentenced to life hard labor. Dostoevsky was sent to Omsk.

The biography of Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky says that serving his sentence was difficult for the writer. He compares that time to being buried alive. Hard, monotonous work like firing bricks, disgusting conditions, and cold undermined Fyodor Mikhailovich’s health, but also gave him food for thought, new ideas, and themes for creativity.

After serving his sentence, Dostoevsky served in Semipalatinsk, where his only joy was his first love - Maria Dmitrievna Isaeva. This relationship was tender, somewhat reminiscent of the relationship between a mother and her son. The only thing that stopped the writer from proposing to a woman was the fact that she had a husband. A little later he died. In 1857, Dostoevsky finally wooed Maria Isaeva, and they got married. After marriage, the relationship changed somewhat; the writer himself speaks of them as “unhappy.”

1859 - return to St. Petersburg. Dostoevsky writes again, opens the magazine “Time” with his brother. Brother Mikhail runs his business ineptly, gets into debt, and dies. Fyodor Mikhailovich has to deal with debts. He has to write quickly to be able to pay off all the accumulated debts. But even in such a hurry, the most complex works of Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky were created.

In 1860, Dostoevsky falls in love with the young Apollinaria Suslova, who is completely different from his wife Maria. The relationship was also different - passionate, vibrant, lasted three years. At the same time, Fyodor Mikhailovich became interested in playing roulette and lost a lot. This period of life is reflected in the novel “The Player”.

1864 claimed the lives of his brother and wife. It was as if something had broken in the writer Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky. Relations with Suslova are fading, the writer feels lost, alone in the world. He tries to escape from himself abroad, to distract himself, but the melancholy does not leave him. Epileptic seizures become more frequent. This is how Anna Snitkina, a young stenographer, recognized and fell in love with Dostoevsky. The man shared his life story with the girl; he needed to talk it out. Gradually they became close, although the age difference was 24 years. Anna accepted Dostoevsky’s offer to marry him sincerely, because Fyodor Mikhailovich aroused the brightest, most enthusiastic feelings in her. The marriage was perceived negatively by society, Dostoevsky's adopted son Pavel. The newlyweds are leaving for Germany.

The relationship with Snitkina had a beneficial effect on the writer: he got rid of his addiction to roulette and became calmer. In 1868, Sophia is born, but dies three months later. After a difficult period of common experiences, Anna and Fyodor Mikhailovich continue to try to conceive a child. They succeed: Lyubov (1869), Fedor (1871) and Alexey (1875) are born. Alexey inherited the disease from his father and died at the age of three. His wife became for Fyodor Mikhailovich support and support, a spiritual outlet. In addition, it helped improve my financial situation. The family moves to Staraya Russa to escape the nervous life in St. Petersburg. Thanks to Anna, a girl wise beyond her years, Fyodor Mikhailovich becomes happy, at least for a short time. Here they spend their time happily and serenely, until Dostoevsky’s health forces them to return to the capital.

In 1881 the writer dies.

Carrot or stick: how Fyodor Mikhailovich raised children

The indisputability of his father's authority was the basis of Dostoevsky's upbringing, which passed into his own family. Decency, responsibility - the writer managed to invest these qualities in his children. Even if they did not grow up to be the same geniuses as their father, some craving for literature existed in each of them.

The writer considered the main mistakes of education:

• ignoring the child’s inner world;
• intrusive attention;
• bias.

He called the suppression of individuality, cruelty, and making life easier as a crime against a child. Dostoevsky considered the main tool of education not corporal punishment, but parental love. He himself incredibly loved his children and was very worried about their illnesses and losses.

An important place in a child’s life, as Fyodor Mikhailovich believed, should be given to spiritual light and religion. The writer rightly believed that a child always takes an example from the family where he was born. Dostoevsky's educational measures were based on intuition.

Literary evenings were a good tradition in the family of Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky. These evening readings of literary masterpieces were traditional in the author’s childhood. Often, Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky’s children fell asleep and did not understand anything they read, but he continued to cultivate literary taste. Often the writer read with such feeling that he began to cry in the process. I loved to hear what impression this or that novel made on children.

Another educational element is visiting the theater. Opera was preferred.

Lyubov Dostoevskaya

Lyubov Fedorovna's attempts to become a writer were unsuccessful. Maybe the reason was that her work was always inevitably compared with her father’s brilliant novels, maybe she was writing about the wrong things. As a result, the main work of her life was a description of her father’s biography.

The girl who lost him at the age of 11 was very afraid that in the next world Fyodor Mikhailovich’s sins would not be forgiven. She believed that life continues after death, but here on earth one must seek happiness. For Dostoevsky’s daughter, it consisted primarily in a clear conscience.

Lyubov Fedorovna lived to be 56 years old and spent the last few years in sunny Italy. She was probably happier there than at home.

Fedor Dostoevsky

Fedor Fedorovich became a horse breeder. The boy began to show interest in horses as a child. I tried to create literary works, but it didn’t work out. He was vain and strived to achieve success in life; he inherited these qualities from his grandfather. If Fedor Fedorovich was not sure that he could be the first in something, he preferred not to do it, his pride was so pronounced. He was nervous and withdrawn, wasteful, prone to excitement, like his father.

Fedor lost his father at the age of 9, but he managed to invest the best qualities in him. His father's upbringing helped him greatly in life; he received a good education. He achieved great success in his business, perhaps because he loved what he did.

Creative path in dates

The beginning of Dostoevsky's creative career was bright; he wrote in many genres.

Genres of the early period of creativity of Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky:

• humorous story;
• physiological essay;
• tragicomic story;
• Christmas story;
• story;
• novel.

In 1840-1841 - the creation of historical dramas “Mary Stuart”, “Boris Godunov”.

1844 - translation of Balzac's "Eugenie Grande" is published.

1845 - the story “Poor People” was completed, met Belinsky and Nekrasov.

1846 - “The Petersburg Collection” was published, “Poor People” were published.

“The Double” was published in February, and “Mr. Prokharchin” was published in October.

In 1847, Dostoevsky wrote “The Mistress” and published it in the “St. Petersburg Gazette”.

“White Nights” was written in December 1848, and “Netochka Nezvanova” in 1849.

1854-1859 - service in Semipalatinsk, “Uncle’s Dream”, “The Village of Stepanchikovo and its Inhabitants”.

In 1860, a fragment of “Notes of the Dead House” was published in Russkiy Mir. The first collected works were published.

1861 - the beginning of the publication of the magazine “Time”, the printing of part of the novel “Humiliated and Insulted”, “Notes from the House of the Dead”.

In 1863, “Winter Notes on Summer Impressions” were created.

May of the same year - the magazine “Time” was closed.

1864 - the beginning of publication of the magazine "Epoch". "Notes from the Underground".

1865 - “An Extraordinary Event, or Passage in Passage” is published in Krokodil.

1866 - written by Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky “Crime and Punishment”, “The Gambler”. Traveling abroad with family. "Idiot".

In 1870, Dostoevsky wrote the story “The Eternal Husband.”

1871-1872 - “Demons.”

1875 - “Teenager” was published in “Notes of the Fatherland”.

1876 ​​- resumption of activity of the “Diary of a Writer”.

From 1879 to 1880, The Brothers Karamazov was written.

Places in St. Petersburg

The city preserves the spirit of the writer; many of Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky’s books were written here.

1. Dostoevsky studied at the Engineering Mikhailovsky Castle.
2. The Serapinskaya Hotel on Moskovsky Prospekt became the writer’s place of residence in 1837; he lived here, seeing St. Petersburg for the first time in his life.
3. “Poor People” was written in the house of the postal director Pryanichnikov.
4. “Mr. Prokharchin” was created in Kochenderfer’s house on Kazanskaya Street.
5. Fyodor Mikhailovich lived in Soloshich’s apartment building on Vasilyevsky Island in the 1840s.
6. The Kotomina apartment building introduced Dostoevsky to Petrashevsky.
7. The writer lived on Voznesensky Prospekt during his arrest and wrote “White Nights”, “Honest Thief” and other stories.
8. “Notes from the House of the Dead”, “Humiliated and Insulted” were written on 3rd Krasnoarmeyskaya Street.
9. The writer lived in the house of A. Astafieva in 1861-1863.
10. In the Strubinsky house on Grechesky Avenue - from 1875 to 1878.

Symbolism of Dostoevsky

You can analyze the books of Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky endlessly, finding new and new symbols. Dostoevsky mastered the art of penetrating into the essence of things, their soul. It is precisely the ability to unravel these symbols one by one that makes traveling through the pages of novels so exciting.

• Axe.

This symbol carries a deadly meaning, being a kind of emblem of Dostoevsky’s work. The ax symbolizes murder, crime, a decisive, desperate step, a turning point. If a person says the word “axe,” most likely the first thing that comes to mind is “Crime and Punishment” by Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky.

• Clean linen.

His appearance in novels occurs at certain similar moments, which allows us to talk about symbolism. For example, Raskolnikov was prevented from committing a murder by a maid hanging out clean laundry. Ivan Karamazov had a similar situation. It is not so much the linen itself that is symbolic, but its color - white, denoting purity, correctness, purity.

• Smells.

It is enough to glance over any of Dostoevsky’s novels to understand how important smells are to him. One of them, which occurs more often than others, is the smell of a corruptive spirit.

• Silver pledge.

One of the most important symbols. The silver cigarette case was not made of silver at all. A motive of falsity, counterfeitness, and suspicion appears. Raskolnikov, having made a cigarette case out of wood, similar to a silver one, as if he had already committed a deception, a crime.

• The sound of a brass bell.

The symbol plays a warning role. A small detail makes the reader feel the mood of the hero and imagine events more vividly. Small objects are endowed with strange, unusual features, emphasizing the exceptionality of the circumstances.

• Wood and iron.

There are many things from these materials in the novels, each of them carries a certain meaning. If wood symbolizes a person, a victim, bodily torment, then iron symbolizes crime, murder, evil.

Finally, I would like to note some interesting facts from the life of Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky.

1. Dostoevsky wrote most of all in the last 10 years of his life.
2. Dostoevsky loved sex, used the services of prostitutes, even while married.
3. Nietzsche called Dostoevsky the best psychologist.
4. He smoked a lot and loved strong tea.
5. He was jealous of his women at every post, and forbade them even to smile in public.
6. He worked more often at night.
7. The hero of the novel “The Idiot” is a self-portrait of the writer.
8. There are many film adaptations of Dostoevsky’s works, as well as those dedicated to him.
9. Fyodor Mikhailovich had his first child at the age of 46.
10. Leonardo DiCaprio also celebrates his birthday on November 11th.
11. More than 30,000 people came to the writer's funeral.
12. Sigmund Freud considered Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov to be the greatest novel ever written.

We also present to your attention famous quotes from Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky:

1. We must love life more than the meaning of life.
2. Freedom is not about not being restrained, but about being in control.
3. In everything there is a line beyond which it is dangerous to cross; for once you have stepped over, it is impossible to go back.
4. Happiness is not in happiness, but only in its achievement.
5. No one will make the first move, because everyone thinks that it is not mutual.
6. The Russian people seem to enjoy their suffering.
7. Life goes breathless without an aim.
8. To stop reading books means to stop thinking.
9. There is no happiness in comfort; happiness is bought through suffering.
10. In a truly loving heart, either jealousy kills love, or love kills jealousy.

Conclusion

The outcome of every person's life is his actions. Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky (lived 1821-1881) left behind brilliant novels, having lived a relatively short life. Who knows if these novels would have been born if the author’s life had been easy, without obstacles and hardships? Dostoevsky, whom they know and love, is impossible without suffering, mental tossing, and internal overcoming. They are what make the works so real.