The IdiotInspired by an image of Christas suffering, Fyodor Dostoyevsky set out to portray aa truly beautiful soula colliding with the brutal reality of contemporary society. Returning to St. Petersburg from a Swiss sanatorium, the gentle and naive Prince Myshkinaknown as athe idiotaapays a visit to his distant relative General Yepanchin and proceeds to charm the General and his circle. But after becoming infatuated with the beautiful Nastasya Filippovna, Myshkin finds himself caught up in a love triangle and drawn into a web of blackmail, betrayal, and, ultimately, murder. This new translation by David McDuff is sensitive to the shifting registers of the original Russian, capturing the nervous, elliptic flow of the narrative for a new generation of readers. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Adelaida afraid Aglaya Ivanovna Alexandra angry asked the prince began believe better blushed Burdovsky Colia course cried the prince dare dear door dreadful Epanchin Evgenie Pavlovitch excitement eyes face fact father feel fellow felt Ferdishenko fool forgive Gania Gavrila Ardalionovitch gazed gentlemen girl hand hear heard heart Hippolyte honour idea Ivolgin Keller knew lady laughing Lebedeff Lef Nicolaievitch listened Lizabetha Prokofievna looked marriage marry matter mind morning Moscow mother Nastasia Philipovna never night Nina Alexandrovna once Parfen Pavlicheff Pavlofsk perhaps Petersburg Prince Muishkin prince's Ptitsin question remarked remember replied Rogojin Russian seemed siege of Kars silent smile sort speak stood strange suddenly sure Switzerland talk tell thing thought thousand roubles told took Totski trembling turned understand Varia waiting whispered whole wish woman word young وو