October 30, 2019

Dostoyevsky's Birthday in 10 Dark Quotes


Dostoyevsky's Birthday in 10 Dark Quotes
Fyodor the Quotable One wikimedia.org

Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky is one of the best-known names in Russian literature. Folks who know very little about Russia usually know about a dark, dismal book called Crime and Punishment, and Russians and Russophiles know its author as a profound thinker on social, political, spiritual, and psychological issues. His lengthy novels and other works explore complex situations and give voice to thousands of characters, each with a unique story to tell. Dostoyevsky is crucial to the literary patchwork of nineteenth-century Russian society, and the philosophical and narrative depth of his writings continue to ring true today. 

In honor of his 198th birthday, here are ten quotes to celebrate the life and writings of Fyodor Dostoyevsky. They may not boost your mood, but they'll get you thinking – and that, after all, is the goal of any great writer.  

  1. “But how could you live and have no story to tell?”
    White Nights (1848)

  2. “Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love.” 
    The Brothers Karamazov (1880)

  3. “It is better to be unhappy and know the worst, than to be happy in a fool's paradise.”
    The Idiot

  4. “Two times two equals five is sometimes a very charming little thing.”
    Notes from Underground (1864)

  5. “Once it's been proved to you that you're descended from an ape, it's no use pulling a face; just accept it. Once they've proved to you that a single droplet of your own fat must be dearer to you than a hundred thousand of your fellow human beings and consequently that all so-called virtues and duties are nothing but ravings and prejudices, then accept that too, because there's nothing to be done.
    Notes from Underground (1864)

  6. “The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons.”
    Notes from a Dead House (1862)

  7. “To go wrong in one's own way is better than to go right in someone else's.”
    Crime and Punishment (1866)

  8. “It was a marvelous night, the sort of night one only experiences when one is young. The sky was so bright, and there were so many stars that, gazing upward, one couldn't help wondering how so many whimsical, wicked people could live under such a sky.” 
    White Nights (1848)

  9. “On our Earth we can only love with suffering and through suffering. We cannot love otherwise, and we know of no other sort of love. I want suffering in order to love. I long, I thirst, this very instant, to kiss with tears the earth that I have left, and I don't want, I won't accept life on any other!"
    The Dream of a Ridiculous Man  (1877)

  10. “If you want to overcome the whole world, overcome yourself.”
    Demons (1872)

 

You Might Also Like

Dostoyevsky the Gambler
  • September 01, 2013

Dostoyevsky the Gambler

In September 1863, Fyodor Dostoyevsky was desperate for money. The result was one of his finest works, the novel The Gambler. It would change the writer's fate in many ways.
Fyodor Mikhailovich
  • November 01, 2006

Fyodor Mikhailovich

Dostoyevsky is treasured the world over for his psychological novels, many written under hurried deadlines. We look at his life and art, and talk to his relatives.
Fyodor Dostoevsky
  • October 24, 2001

Fyodor Dostoevsky

The tormented and, often, tragic life of Russia's great 19th century author of masterpieces such as The Brothers Karamazov and Crime and Punishment.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955