Immerse yourself in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Devils (also known as Demons or The Possessed), a gripping exploration of revolutionary fervor, nihilism, and the fragility of the human spirit in nineteenth century Russia. Delve into the novel’s intricate characters — such as the charismatic Stavrogin, his ambitious mother Varvara Petrovna, the buffoonish intellectual Stepan Trofimovich, and the radical son Pyotr Verkhovensky — and its prophetic critique of ideological extremism, moral decay, and personal depravity. Situate the novel within Dostoevsky’s personal experiences, Russian Orthodox theology, and the turbulent political climate of the 1860s, while drawing parallels to modern ideological conflicts. Confront the unsettling questions of what happens when belief turns to fanaticism and is it possible for human ideals to survive? Please use Michael Katz’s superbly readable translation.
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