The protagonist of

[occasionally “Funny” or “Comic”]

is a figure not unfamiliar from some of Dostoevsky's earlier writings – “a modern Russian progressive and a despicable citizen of Petersburg” (p. 729), and, to boot, “a ridiculous figure” and “an utterly absurd person” (717). This realisation leads him eventually to decide upon suicide, as the only escape from meaninglessness. Close to the time determined, he is saved by the intervention on the street of a frightened eight-year-old girl, whom he shouts at and fails to help. Partly from the shame of this incident, on returning home he fails to pull the trigger, and falls asleep. In the ensuing dream, he does shoot himself. Following the darkness and the damp of the grave, he finds…

1428 words

Citation: Cornwell, Neil. "Son smeshnogo cheloveka". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 26 February 2007 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=21627, accessed 21 November 2024.]

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