The Notebooks for Crime and Punishment

by Fyodor Dostoevsky, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Edward Wasiolek (Translator)

"In studying the notebooks one feels like an eavesdropper on Dostoyevsky's artistic self-communings. . . .  We may plainly observe Dostoyevsky's creative logic at work in selection and emphasis, his concern for technique and his struggle to make crystal-clear what is ambiguous in his characters. . . .  a veritable storehouse of source material on nearly every aspect of the conception, planning, and writing of Crime and Punishment. " ― The New York Times
This key to understanding Dostoyevsky's masterpiece and the author's creative intentions offers a remarkable behind-the-scenes look at the composition of Crime and Punishment, from its first inception to its conclusion. Dostoyevsky's notebooks chronicle the trials, mistakes, and uncertainties that hindered his progress. They also reveal insights into the workings of his imagination and significant details about the novel's ultimate content.
Professor Edward Wasiolek has supplemented Dostoyevsky's text with an introduction and a commentary summarizing the material in each section. In addition to facsimile pages from the notebooks, this volume offers interpretations of Dostoyevsky's schematic plans for major portions of the novel as well as his alternate versions of scenes and characters, his unused material, and his reflections on philosophical and religious ideas.

Genres: Nonfiction, Classics, Russian Literature

257 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 17, 2017

About the author

Фёдор Михайлович Достоевский (Russian)

Works, such as the novels Crime and Punishment (1866), The Idiot (1869), and The Brothers Karamazov (1880), of Russian writer Feodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky or Dostoevski combine religious mysticism with profound psychological insight.

Very influential writings of Mikhail Mikhailovich Bakhtin included Problems of Dostoyevsky's Works (1929),

Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky composed short stories, essays, and journals. His literature explores humans in the troubled political, social, and spiritual atmospheres of 19th-century and engages with a variety of philosophies and themes. People most acclaimed his Demons(1872) .

Many literary critics rate him among the greatest authors of world literature and consider multiple books written by him to be highly influential masterpieces. They consider his Notes from Underground of the first existentialist literature. He is also well regarded as a philosopher and theologian.

(Russian: Фёдор Михайлович Достоевский) (see also Fiodor Dostoïevski)

Reviews

[محمد · Rating 3 out of 5]

با شور و اشتیاق فراوان خوندمش. میشه از طریق این یادداشت‌ها برای جنایت و مکافات، راحت‌تر به ذهن داستایفسکی نفوذ کرد و فهمید که چطور طرح‌های داستانی‌ش رو می‌نوشته و اصلاح می‌کرده. خوندنش رو به کسانی که شیفته‌ی جنایت و مکافات‌اند، توصیه می‌کنم.
پ.ن: کتاب رو از نشر نیلوفر خوندم.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great little find at my library when looking for books that critique and analysis Crime and Punishment. This is a compilation of three notebooks Dostoevsky used while writing Crime and Punishment, giving the insight to his thinking process through his writing. It contains alternative scenes from the final novel version and insight on various characters, such as Sonia and Svidrigaylov. There are also alternative relations, such as Sonia's with Dunya and her mother. All in all, it is a good read for anyone whose a fan of the novel and wants more insight on Dostoevsky's intentions.

[Saied ShakerKashani · Rating 5 out of 5]

به تماشای تلاش و جان کندن بزرگی به نام فیودور میخاییلویچ داستایفسکی برای خلق شاهکارش، جنایت و مکافات بنشینید. جالبه وقتی که می بینی داستان قرار بوده چه سمت و سو هایی غیر از اونچه که در نسخه نهایی می خونیم داشته باشه…
+ضمنا باید بگم: امکان نداره نسخه پایانی رمان رو با گوشت و پوست و استخوانت درک نکرده باشی و بخوای از دفتر یادداشت ها بهره بگیری.

[Nora · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting peek into the thought process behind the novel, along with some thought provoking comments by Wasiolek. Also fun to see some of Dostoyevsy's sketches among his notes.