Fyodor Dostoevsky – A Journey Through Turbulence and Triumph
Who He Was (Real Name & Basics)
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Real Name: Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky (alternate spellings: Dostoyevsky
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Date of Birth: November 11, 1821 (Old Style: October 30)
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Birth Place: Mariinsky Hospital, Moscow, Russia
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Death: February 9, 1881, Saint Petersburg, Russia
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Residence: Primarily Moscow and later St. Petersburg; final years spent in his St. Petersburg apartment (now a museum)
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Profession: Novelist, short‑story writer, essayist, journalist, military engineer
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Nationality: Russian
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Religion: Russian Orthodox Christian
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Horoscope: Scorpio/Sagittarius cusp
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Age at Death: 59
Family & Early Hardships
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Father: Dr. Mikhail Andreevich Dostoevsky, a hospital physician
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Mother: Mariya Fedorovna Dostoevskaya
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Siblings: Second of seven children; especially close to brother Mikhail
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Early Hardships:
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Grew up in a hospital setting for the poor, which exposed him to poverty early on
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Mother died in 1837; father in 1839. Both deaths occurred during his teens, and financial and emotional strain followed
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Education & Career Awakening
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Enrolled at the Military Engineering Institute in St. Petersburg in 1837; graduated in 1843 as a lieutenant‑engineer
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Literary passion emerged through translations (e.g., from Balzac), essays, and early stories
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Published debut novel Poor Folk in 1846; gained praise from literary critic Belinsky
Trials: Siberia, Exile & Addiction
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In 1849 arrested for political association with the Petrashevsky Circle; he experienced a mock execution
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Sentenced to four years in a Siberian convict camp plus six years of military exile — a crucible shaping his greatest works (e.g., The House of the Dead)
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Returned to St. Petersburg in 1859, but struck by epilepsy and chronic gambling addiction, spent periods abroad in financial turmoil
Rise to Literary Stardom
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Lives published on return: Notes from Underground (1864), Crime and Punishment (1866), The Idiot (1869), Demons (1872), The Brothers Karamazov (1880) — established him as a titan of psychological realism
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Married Anna Snitkina in 1867—she helped save him from debts, dictated The Gambler, and supported his writing career
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Co‑founded the magazine Vremya (1861–63), showcasing his work and others’, until it was shut down for political reasons
Legacy & Final Years
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Final years in St. Petersburg apartment, where he completed The Brothers Karamazov, considered his magnum opus
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Died in 1881 at age 59, honored and mourned across Russia; interred at Tikhvin Cemetery
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His apartment turned into the Dostoevsky Museum in 1971 — a pilgrimage site for book lovers
Physical Stats & Personal Traits
Most measurements like weight, body & hair color, bra/hip size, etc., are not recorded for Dostoevsky. What we do know:
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Height & Build: Lean and tall; described as thin-faced, sharp-eyed
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Hair Color: Dark (“purplish‑black” in stylized accounts)
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Eye Color: Dark, sharp-set eyes
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Body Type: Slim, somewhat pallid-complexioned, often gaunt in photos
FAQ
Q1: What inspired Dostoevsky’s focus on psychology and existential themes?
His Siberian exile and experiences witnessing human suffering gave him unparalleled insight into extreme states of mind, central themes in Notes from Underground and Crime and Punishment.
Q2: How did his relationship with Anna influence his work?
Anna not only managed his finances and business affairs but also acted as his stenographer, critical in completing The Gambler and confronting his gambling addiction.
Q3: Why was he arrested in 1849?
He was deported for alleged involvement with the Petrashevsky Circle, a group discussing banned Western philosophies—a mock execution nearly ended his life.
Q4: What’s the significance of The Brothers Karamazov?
Published near the end of his life, it encompasses many of his recurring themes — faith, doubt, free will — and cemented his global reputation.
Q5: Where can I visit to learn more about his life?
The Dostoevsky Literary Memorial Museum in his St. Petersburg apartment hosts manuscripts, first editions, and furniture from his last years.