Frame from the film "Demons" (2014)

The action of the novel takes place in a provincial town in early autumn. The events are narrated by the chronicler G-v, who is also a participant in the events described. His story begins with the story of Stepan Trofimovich Verkhovensky, an idealist of the forties, and a description of his complex platonic relationship with Varvara Petrovna Stavrogina, a noble provincial lady, whose patronage he enjoys.

Around Verkhovensky, who fell in love with the “civil role” and lives “embodied reproachful” to his homeland, local liberal-minded youth are grouped. There is a lot of “phrase” and posture in it, but there is also enough intelligence and insight. He was the tutor of many of the characters in the novel. Formerly handsome, now he has drooped a little, is flabby, plays cards and does not deny himself champagne.

The arrival of Nikolai Stavrogin, an extremely "mysterious and romantic" person, about whom there are many rumors, is expected. He served in an elite guards regiment, fought duels, was demoted, and curried. Then it is known that he swaggered, set off into the wildest unbridledness. Having been in his native city four years ago, he did a lot of tricks, causing general indignation: he dragged the respectable man Gaganov by the nose, painfully bit the then governor on the ear, publicly kissed someone else's wife ... In the end, everything seemed to be explained by delirium tremens. Having recovered, Stavrogin went abroad.

His mother Varvara Petrovna Stavrogina, a resolute and imperious woman, worried about her son's attention to her pupil Daria Shatova and interested in his marriage to the daughter of a friend Liza Tushina, decides to marry her ward Stepan Trofimovich to Daria. He, in some horror, although not without enthusiasm, is preparing to propose.

In the cathedral, at mass, Marya Timofeevna Lebyadkina, aka Khromonozhka, unexpectedly approaches Varvara Petrovna and kisses her hand. An intrigued lady, who recently received an anonymous letter informing her that a lame woman would play a serious role in her fate, invites her to her place, and Liza Tushina is also traveling with them. An excited Stepan Trofimovich is already waiting there, since it is on this day that his matchmaking with Daria is scheduled. Soon, Captain Lebyadkin, who arrived for his sister, also appears here, in whose vague speeches, interspersed with poems of his own composition, some terrible secret is mentioned and some special rights are hinted at.

Suddenly they announce the arrival of Nikolai Stavrogin, who was expected only a month later. First, the fussy Pyotr Verkhovensky appears, followed by the pale and romantic handsome Stavrogin himself. Varvara Petrovna immediately asks her son whether Marya Timofeevna is his legal wife. Stavrogin silently kisses his mother's hand, then nobly grabs Lebyadkin's arm and leads her out. In his absence, Verkhovensky tells a beautiful story about how Stavrogin inspired a beautiful dream in a downtrodden holy fool, so that she even imagined him as her fiancé. Immediately he sternly asks Lebyadkin if this is true, and the captain, trembling with fear, confirms everything.

Varvara Petrovna is delighted, and when her son appears again, she asks his forgiveness. However, the unexpected happens: Shatov suddenly comes up to Stavrogin and slaps him. The fearless Stavrogin grabs him in anger, but then suddenly removes his hands behind his back. As it turns out later, this is another testament to his great strength, another test. Shatov comes out unhindered. Lisa Tushina, obviously not indifferent to "Prince Harry", as Stavrogin is called, faints.

Eight days pass. Stavrogin does not accept anyone, and when his seclusion ends, Pyotr Verkhovensky immediately slips in to him. He expresses readiness for everything for Stavrogin and informs about a secret society, at whose meeting they should appear together. Shortly after his visit, Stavrogin goes to the engineer Kirillov. The engineer, for whom Stavrogin means a lot, reports that he still professes his idea. Its essence is the need to get rid of God, who is nothing but "the pain of the fear of death", and to declare self-will, killing himself and thus becoming a human god.

Then Stavrogin goes up to Shatov, who lives in the same house, to whom he informs that he really officially married Lebyadkina some time ago in St. Petersburg, and also about his intention to publicly announce this in the near future. He generously warns Shatov that they are going to kill him. Shatov, on whom Stavrogin had previously had a huge influence, reveals to him his new idea of ​​​​a God-bearing people, which the Russian people consider, advises him to give up wealth and achieve God with peasant labor. True, to a counter question, does he himself believe in God, Shatov somewhat hesitantly answers that he believes in Orthodoxy, in Russia, that he ... will believe in God.

That same night, Stavrogin goes to Lebyadkin and on the way he meets the fugitive Fedka convict, sent to him by Peter Verkhovensky. He expresses his readiness to fulfill any will of the master for a fee, but Stavrogin drives him away. He informs Lebyadkin that he is going to announce his marriage to Marya Timofeevna, whom he married "... after a drunken dinner, because of a bet on wine ...". Marya Timofeevna greets Stavrogin with a story about an ominous dream. He asks her if she is ready to go with him to Switzerland and live the rest of her life in seclusion there. The indignant Khromonozhka screams that Stavrogin is not a prince, that her prince, the bright falcon, has been replaced, and he is an impostor, he has a knife in his pocket. Accompanied by her squeals and laughter, the enraged Stavrogin retreats. On the way back, he throws money to Fedka Convict.

The next day there is a duel between Stavrogin and the local nobleman Artemy Gaganov, who summoned him for insulting his father. Seething with anger, Gaganov shoots three times and misses. Stavrogin, on the other hand, announces that he does not want to kill anyone else, and defiantly shoots into the air three times. This story greatly raises Stavrogin in the eyes of society.

Meanwhile, frivolous moods and a tendency to all sorts of blasphemous amusements have emerged in the city: mockery of newlyweds, desecration of icons, etc. The province is restless, fires are raging, giving rise to rumors of arson, proclamations calling for rebellion are found in different places, cholera is raging somewhere , the workers of the Shpigulins’ closed factory are showing dissatisfaction, a certain second lieutenant, unable to bear the reprimand of the commander, rushes at him and bites him on the shoulder, and before that he had chopped up two images and lit church candles before the writings of Focht, Moleschott and Buchner ... In this atmosphere, they are preparing a holiday by subscription in favor of governesses, started by the wife of the governor, Yulia Mikhailovna.

Varvara Petrovna, offended by Stepan Trofimovich's too obvious desire to marry and his too frank letters to his son Peter complaining that they want to marry him "on other people's sins", appoints him a pension, but at the same time announces a break.

The younger Verkhovensky at this time develops vigorous activity. He is admitted to the house of the governor and enjoys the patronage of his wife Yulia Mikhailovna. She believes that he is connected with the revolutionary movement, and dreams of uncovering a state conspiracy with his help. On a meeting with Governor von Lembke, who is extremely concerned about what is happening, Verkhovensky skillfully gives him several names, in particular Shatov and Kirillov, but at the same time asks him for six days to reveal the entire organization. Then he runs to Kirillov and Shatov, notifying them of the meeting of "ours" and asking them to be there, after which he calls in for Stavrogin, who has just been visited by Mavriky Nikolaevich, the fiancé of Lisa Tushina, with a proposal that Nikolai Vsevolodovich marry her, since she is at least and hates him, but at the same time loves him. Stavrogin confesses to him that he cannot do this in any way, since he is already married. Together with Verkhovensky they go to a secret meeting.

At the meeting, the gloomy Shigalev speaks with his program of "final resolution of the issue." Its essence is the division of humanity into two unequal parts, of which one tenth receives freedom and unlimited rights over the remaining nine tenths, turned into a herd. Then Verkhovensky proposes a provocative question, whether the participants in the meeting would have reported if they had known about the impending political assassination. Shatov suddenly rises and, calling Verkhovensky a scoundrel and a spy, leaves the meeting. This is what Pyotr Stepanovich needs, who has already outlined Shatov as a victim in order to cement the formed revolutionary group, the "five", with blood. Verkhovensky ties in with Stavrogin, who has gone out with Kirillov, and in a fever, initiates them into his insane plans. His goal is to cause great confusion. “There will be such a buildup that the world has not yet seen ... Russia will become clouded, the earth will cry for the old gods ...” Then he will be needed, Stavrogin. Handsome and aristocratic. Ivan Tsarevich.

Events are growing like a snowball. Stepan Trofimovich is "described" - officials come and take away papers. Workers from the Shpigulin factory send petitioners to the governor, which causes von Lembke to have a fit of rage and almost pass for a riot. Falls under the hot hand of the mayor and Stepan Trofimovich. Immediately after this, in the governor's house, there is also Stavrogin's confusing announcement that Lebyadkina is his wife.

The long-awaited day of the holiday is coming. The highlight of the first part is the reading by the famous writer Karmazinov of his farewell essay "Merci", and then Stepan Trofimovich's accusatory speech. He passionately defends Raphael and Shakespeare against the nihilists. He is booed, and cursing everyone, he proudly leaves the stage. It becomes known that Lisa Tushina in broad daylight suddenly moved from her carriage, leaving Mavriky Nikolaevich there, to Stavrogin's carriage and drove off to his Skvoreshniki estate. The highlight of the second part of the holiday is the "quadrille of literature", an ugly caricature allegorical act. The governor and his wife are beside themselves with indignation. It was then that they reported that the District was on fire, allegedly set on fire by the Shpigulins, and a little later it became known about the murder of Captain Lebyadkin, his sister and maid. The Governor is driving to a fire where a log falls on him.

In Skvoreshniki, meanwhile, Stavrogin and Liza Tushina greet the morning together. Lisa intends to leave and does her best to hurt Stavrogin, who, on the contrary, is in an uncharacteristically sentimental mood for him. He asks why Lisa came to him and why there was "so much happiness." He invites her to leave together, which she takes with mockery, although at some point her eyes suddenly light up. Indirectly, in their conversation, the topic of murder also comes up - so far only a hint. At this moment, the ubiquitous Peter Verkhovensky appears. He tells Stavrogin the details of the murder and the fire in the District. Lisa Stavrogin says that he did not kill and was against it, but he knew about the impending murder and did not stop it. In hysterics, she leaves Stavrogin's house, nearby, the devoted Mavriky Nikolaevich, who has sat all night in the rain, is waiting for her. They head to the scene of the murder and meet Stepan Trofimovich on the way, who, in his words, is running “out of delirium, a feverish dream, to look for Russia.” get rid of his wife and take another. Someone from the crowd beats her, she falls. Lagging Mavriky Nikolaevich manages too late. Lisa is carried away still alive, but unconscious.

And Peter Verkhovensky continues to bother. He collects the top five and announces that a denunciation is being prepared. The scammer is Shatov, he must be removed by all means. After some doubts, they agree that the common cause is the most important thing. Verkhovensky, accompanied by Liputin, goes to Kirillov to remind him of the agreement according to which he must, before committing suicide in accordance with his idea, take on someone else's blood. Fedka Katorzhny is sitting in the kitchen of Kirillov drinking and eating. In anger, Verkhovensky snatches out a revolver: how could he disobey and appear here? Fedka unexpectedly beats Verkhovensky, he falls unconscious, Fedka runs away. To the witness of this scene, Liputin, Verkhovensky declares that Fedka drank vodka for the last time. In the morning, it really becomes known that Fedka was found with a broken head seven miles from the city. Liputin, who was already about to run away, now has no doubts about the secret power of Peter Verkhovensky and remains.

Shatov's wife Marya comes to Shatov the same evening, having left him after two weeks of marriage. She is pregnant and asks for temporary shelter. A little later, a young officer Erkel from “ours” comes to him and reports on tomorrow's meeting. At night, Shatov's wife goes into labor. He runs after the midwife Virginskaya and then helps her. He is happy and looks forward to a new working life with his wife and child. Exhausted, Shatov falls asleep in the morning and wakes up already dark. Erkel comes in behind him, together they head to the Stavrogin park. Verkhovensky, Virginsky, Liputin, Lyamshin, Tolkachenko and Shigalev are already waiting there, who suddenly categorically refuses to take part in the murder, because it contradicts his program.

Shatov is attacked. Verkhovensky shot him point blank with a revolver. Two large stones are tied to the body and thrown into the pond. Verkhovensky hurries to Kirillov. Although he is indignant, he fulfills his promise - he writes a note under dictation and takes the blame for the murder of Shatov, and then shoots himself. Verkhovensky collects his things and leaves for St. Petersburg, from there abroad.

Having set off on his last wandering, Stepan Trofimovich dies in a peasant hut in the arms of Varvara Petrovna, who rushed after him. Before his death, a random fellow traveler, to whom he tells his whole life, reads the Gospel to him, and he compares the possessed, from whom Christ cast out the demons that entered the pigs, with Russia. This passage from the Gospel is taken by the chronicler as one of the epigraphs to the novel.

All participants in the crime, except for Verkhovensky, were soon arrested, extradited by Lyamshin. Daria Shatova receives a letter of confession from Stavrogin, who admits that “one denial poured out of it, without any generosity and without any strength.” He calls Daria with him to Switzerland, where he bought a small house in the canton of Uri to live there forever. Daria lets Varvara Petrovna read the letter, but then both learn that Stavrogin has unexpectedly appeared in Skvoreshniki. They rush there and find a "citizen of the canton of Uri" hanged on the mezzanine.

retold

The new novel, which he began to write under the influence of the shock experienced, was called "Demons" (1871-1872). In the center of it was the darkest of the writer's artistic images - Stavrogin.

This character (Speshnev served as his prototype) has colossal strength of character, intelligence and iron will; he is handsome, an aristocrat; endowed with the gift to subdue almost everyone around him. Ho from a young age, Stavrogin is stricken with the disease of unbelief and is trying to find at least some application for his strength. He revels and debauchery in Petersburg; travels the world, even reaching Iceland (the end of the world in those days), visits Orthodox shrines in Greece, stands in churches for six hours of services. But if there is no faith in the soul, this will not help either. He, a favorite of women, marries the wretched lame-legged Maria Lebyadkina on a bet in order to leave her the very next day. He finally goes to the United States, where many of the "advanced" Russian youth left, trying to find the fulfillment of their aspirations in a new democratic state.

In America, Stavrogin inspires two immigrants from Russia, Shatov and Kirillov, with two mutually exclusive ideas. Shatov - that without faith in their God, the people cannot exist and that the mission of the Russian people is to reveal to the disbelieving world the image of the Russian God, Christ, preserved in Russia. And even if it is mathematically proved that the truth is outside of Christ, one must remain with Christ, and not with the truth. Kirillov - that God is dead. That is, that He forgot about people and His existence means nothing to them. A person who has realized this is obliged to “declare his will”, replace God with himself, become him. And the most decisive step towards this is to commit suicide, that is, to show that you are the complete master of your life.

In Switzerland, Stavrogin “out of boredom” joins a revolutionary organization created by the “fraudulent socialist” Petrusha Verkhovensky (Nechaev served as his prototype).

But all this is just the prehistory of the novel, its exposition, the very same action begins in a small provincial Russian town where Stavrogin's mother, a general, lives, and with her, Petrusha's father and Nikolai Stavrogin's tutor, Stepan Trofimovich Verkhovensky, lives as a "accommodator".

Verkhovensky belongs to the generation of "beautiful" liberals of the 1840s, who began to introduce "advanced" ideas into the Russian public consciousness, but still in a civilized form, without any calls for violence. Verkhovensky saw his son Petrusha “only twice in his life”: as soon as he was born (then he was sent to be raised by “some distant aunts”), then in St. Petersburg, where his son was preparing to enter the university. Thus, Dostoevsky shows, Stepan Trofimovich (like the entire generation of "elegant" liberals of the 1840s) is to a certain extent responsible for the appearance of the most gloomy figures of our time: the soul-dead atheist and the nihilist revolutionary.

Around Stepan Trofimovich, a circle of local Fronders - "ours" - is gathering. They spend their time talking about politics and waiting for the changes to come. It was then that Petrusha Verkhovensky and Nikolai Stavrogin returned to the city. Verkhovensky Jr. declares that he came with an instruction from a secret revolutionary center in Switzerland (“Internationalka”) to form “five” throughout Russia to prepare a revolutionary action. Gradually, the atmosphere of the novel thickens and gloomy apocalyptic notes begin to sound more and more clearly...

Meanwhile, its own intrigue unfolds around Stavrogin. He is in love (or it seems to him that he is in love) with the beautiful Lisa Tushina, the daughter of General Drozdova. Like any weak-minded person (and Dostoevsky shows that Stavrogin is still weak in spirit), Nikolai thinks that Lisa is the last thing he could “catch on” to in life and be saved. He doesn't want to lose her. Lisa loves him too. But in anticipation of Stavrogin, Marya Timofeevna, his lawful wife, and her brother, retired captain Ignat Lebyadkin, a drunkard and buzzer, who was accustomed to spending the money sent by Stavrogin and intending to blackmail him, had long since moved to the city.

For Stavrogin, the crippled wife is now just an obstacle on the way to Lisa Tushina (for the dissolution of a church marriage in Russia at that time was practically impossible). Marya Timofeevna realized that evil had already completely taken possession of Stavrogin's soul, had replaced his human appearance, and that he had "a knife in his pocket." When they meet, she refuses to recognize him, shouting: “Get away, impostor!”, “Grishka Otrepyev is anathema!” Stavrogin leaves in horror, but pride does not allow him to succumb to Ignat Lebyadkin's blackmail: he tells the captain that he will soon "announce" his marriage.

Petrusha also leads his intrigue. He understands that for the success of a revolutionary coup, a leader is needed who has charm, influence on people, and he himself does not pull on the role of such a leader. But he does not suspect that Stavrogin is just an impostor in every sense. That he only pretends to be a royally “omnipotent” person, but is actually weak. In a frank conversation at night, Petrusha reveals his plans to Stavrogin: “We will proclaim destruction ... We will start fires ... Well, sir, and confusion will begin! Such a buildup will go on, which the world has never seen before ... Russia will become clouded, the earth will cry for the old gods ... Well, then we will let ... Ivan Tsarevich; you, you!"

Guessing Stavrogin's secret desire to "get rid" of the Lebyadkins, Petrusha offers his help: he supposedly has a fugitive convict Fedka convict in reserve, ready for any "work" for money. Stavrogin rejects the offer in horror, but this thought sinks into his clouded heart.

Soon Fedka convict brutally kills Marya Timofeevna and Captain Lebyadkin, fires break out in the city, organized by people hired by Petrusha (to sow "disturbance"). Riots and indignations begin, caused by fires, and a brutal murder, and the sacrilege that occurred shortly before (Petrusha's people, and maybe he himself, desecrated the icon of the Mother of God in the temple). Lisa, realizing from Stavrogin's words that there is his fault in the death of the Lebyadkins, decides to find out everything herself and goes to the scene of the murder, but, finding herself in an angry crowd, she dies ...

In this novel, many heroes die - almost everyone who sincerely (unlike Petrusha Verkhovensky) connected his life with the "demon" - Stavrogin.

Members of the "five" headed by Petrusha kill Shatov. The dead body is thrown into the pond. Like Nechaev, Petrusha "tied up" the members of his gang with blood; now they are all in his hands.

After committing this atrocity, Verkhovensky pushes Kirillov to suicide, who promised Petrusha to take the blame for the riots on himself.

Shatov's wife, rushing in search of her husband, caught a deadly cold herself and caught a cold in the baby. Stavrogin and his entourage sweep through the city like a plague. As a result, Petrusha urgently leaves the city. The crime will soon be revealed. Stavrogin, finally despairing, hanged himself in his country estate.

But this is only an external outline of events. In the course of reading, the reader is not left with a vague suspicion that Stavrogin has another terrible and carefully concealed crime on his conscience, which torments him most of all. This is described in the chapter, which, according to censorship requirements, was excluded by Dostoevsky from the main text of the novel. This chapter is called “At Tikhon’s,” and it tells how, while still living in St. even more evil, cold-bloodedly and calculatedly seducing her. For little Matryosha, this was a terrible shock, she was afraid to tell anyone about it (Stavrogin, in turn, was afraid that Matryosha would tell and then he would not escape hard labor). But the thought that she had "killed God," that is, that she had destroyed God's world within herself, tormented the girl unbearably. And then one day, when no one was at home, Stavrogin saw Matryosh appear in the doorway and, shaking him with a small fist, went into the closet ... He guessed why she went there - he would run, save, but then everything would have to explain, and so no one will know anything. And Stavrogin waits for the right time, and then, entering the closet, he is convinced of the correctness of his guess: Matryosh hanged herself.

Since then, the image of little Matryosha has haunted Stavroga-well. And he, having already written a “Confession” upon arrival in the city, goes on the advice of Shatov to the local monastery to the elder Tikhon for help. But Tikhon, having read the "Confession", understands that it does not testify to Stavrogin's true repentance, that his intention to publish the "Confession", that is, to publicly confess his crime, is also nothing more than a challenge to society and another attempt at self-exaltation. Tikhon knows that only “Orthodox labor”, that is, long and hard work of self-improvement, can help someone like Stavrogin, and if “immediately”, as Stavrogin wants, then “instead of the Divine work, a demonic work will come out.” Stavrogin refuses Tikhon's advice and leaves him angrily...

So, the novel seems to end tragically, all the main characters die, and the fate of Stepan Trofimovich, who, at the end of his life, finally decided to break with his former existence and sets off on a trip to Russia, looks like a small gap against this background. Naturally, he does not go far and, sick and weakened, is forced to stop at the nearest station. There he meets a woman who sells religious literature and asks her to read the Gospel to him, which he, by his own admission, has not opened for "thirty years." He listens with joyful tenderness as the bookseller reads to him that same chapter from the Gospel of Luke, which tells how Christ cast out a legion of demons from the body of the possessed, and they asked Christ for permission to enter a herd of pigs grazing nearby. Christ allowed them, the demons entered the pigs, the herd went mad and threw itself into the sea. The people who came "found a man from whom demons had come out, sitting at the feet of Jesus, dressed and in his right mind."

Stepan Trofimovich, the only one of the characters in the novel, dies in peace and even in joy.

Dostoevsky had a presentiment that the revolutionary "devilism" would still bring many troubles to Russia and the whole world. Time confirmed his worst fears. In "Demons" in general, a lot is predicted with amazing accuracy.

This novel, which ingeniously guessed all the terrible things that happened in Russia in the coming decades, turned out to be almost completely misunderstood not only upon publication, but also for many decades later. Contemporary critics called the novel "nonsense", "rubbish", "slander". For example, N. K. Mikhailovsky wrote: “... the Nechaev case is to such an extent in all respects a monster that it cannot serve as a theme for a novel with a more or less broad grip”; in the social movement, Nechaevism "is a sad ... exception", "a third-rate episode." I. S. Turgenev, on the other hand, argued that “Dostoevsky’s attacks on revolutionaries are not good: he judges them somehow by their appearance, without entering into their mood.”

But at the same time, let us recall that Dostoevsky, at the beginning of his work on the novel, abandoned a simple denunciation of nihilists and "fraudulent socialists." Introducing the figure of the “leader”, Stavrogin, into the novel, Dostoevsky shows that the tragedy of contemporary Russia is that it is the leaders who were supposed to be the best who are struck by unbelief and form something like a black hole through which the forces of evil break in. Indeed, next to Stavrogin, the negative qualities of everyone around him seem to intensify: Shatov, Kirillov, Lisa, and Petrusha. Unfortunately, this position of Dostoevsky was understood even less.

» Mikhail Katkov .

The main work on the novel took place in 1870-1871 abroad, where Dostoevsky left in April 1867. The writer was dissatisfied with Western European life and was very homesick for Russia. At the same time, he was under pressure from worries about a growing family, cramped material circumstances and obligations to magazines.

Encyclopedic YouTube

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  By the beginning of work on the novel, Dostoevsky had several artistic ideas that influenced the writing of a new novel, but remained unfinished. Among them, researchers of the writer's work distinguish: "The Life of the Great Sinner", the story of Captain Kartuzov, "The Death of the Poet", the story of the Pupil, the novel about the Prince and the Usurer.

  Dostoevsky promised the publisher of Russkiy Vestnik Mikhail Katkov to provide a new novel by the beginning of 1870. However, from his letter dated August 29, 1869, it follows that the writer has not even started work. At this time, Dostoevsky sees the writing of The Life of a Great Sinner as the main business of his life, but does not want to spoil this idea with haste. The writer concludes that “it is necessary, therefore, to strain in order to invent new stories; it's disgusting." In addition to the promise to Katkov, Dostoevsky had obligations to the editor of Zarya, as a result of which the autumn of 1869 was spent working on the story The Eternal Husband. Later, on March 25, 1870, Dostoevsky wrote about this: “Now I work for Russkiy Vestnik. I owed money there and, having given The Eternal Husband to Zarya, I placed myself there, in the Russkiy Vestnik, in an ambiguous position. By all means, it is necessary to finish what I am now writing there. Yes, and I firmly promised them, and in literature I am an honest man.

  The emergence of the idea

  After studying Dostoevsky's notebooks and letters, researchers of his work came to the conclusion that these memoirs are not accurate. Even before studying them, Arkady Dolinin believed that the idea for the novel arose before Snitkin's arrival in mid-October 1869, a month and a half before Ivanov's assassination. Literary critic Leonid Grossman also expressed doubts that Snitkin knew Ivanov. Dostoevsky's notebooks showed that the idea of ​​the novel dates back to the beginning of 1870. He was preceded by work on the plan for The Life of a Great Sinner and a novel about the Prince and the Usurer, as well as the development of the idea of ​​the novel Envy, dated the second half of January 1870 and which became the beginning of the creative history of The Possessed.

  In January 1870, the plans for a novel about the Prince and the Usurer and a topical political novel still existed in parallel, and Dostoevsky thought about what he could write faster for the Russkiy Vestnik. On January 23, 1870, the choice was made in favor of the future "Demons". Dostoevsky writes an excerpt "T. N. Granovsky ", in which the character from the future novel is already visible.

  Work on a novel

  Since February 1870, active work began on the topical novel "Demons". On February 12, Dostoevsky writes to Apollon Maikov: “He sat down for a rich idea; I'm not talking about execution, but about the idea. One of those ideas that have a definite effect on the public. Like "Crime and Punishment", but even closer, even more urgent to reality and directly touches on the most important contemporary issue. I'll finish by autumn, I'm not in a hurry and I'm not in a hurry. I'll try to have it printed in the fall<…>It's just too hot a subject. I have never worked with such pleasure and with such ease.

  Until the summer of 1870, the pamphlet on Western liberals remained the main idea. This idea united the various events of the work, constantly developed and deepened by Dostoevsky through various political and religious-philosophical disputes. The writer thought over an entertaining plot with many different characters. However, already from the second half of February 1870, Dostoevsky planned to go beyond the political pamphlet.

  Among the many characters, Dostoevsky for a long time could not choose the main one who would link the events of the novel together. Initially, such a character was supposed to be Granovsky, whose image is found in rough sketches at the end of January. Already in the second half of February, the author tries to make the Student the main character, presenting him as a “Hero of Our Time”: “and then connect everything with his son and with Granovsky’s relationship with his son (everything from him is like from “Hero of Our Time”)”. However, his "lashing nihilist" was not suitable for the role of Pechorin, so the writer abandoned this idea. At the same time, a decision is made to add a "truly Russian" hero - "soil", opposing him to the Westerners.

  From the March notes of the writer, the "tendentiousness" of the conceived work is visible. Dostoevsky notes in his letters that he considers the novel from a tendentious side, even more than from an artistic one, hoping to express a few thoughts “hotter”: “I am carried away by what has accumulated in my mind and in my heart; let even a pamphlet come out, but I will speak out. I hope to succeed."

  In May, Dostoevsky begins to doubt that he will have time to finish by the fall. In a letter dated May 7, 1870, he reports: “At the moment I am sitting on one special work, which I destined for the Russkiy Vestnik.<…>I am crumpling 25 sheets of what should have taken at least 50 sheets - I am crumpling to finish by the deadline, and I can’t do anything else, because I can’t write anything other than this at the present moment, being outside Russia ” . In the course of his work, the writer constantly strives to deepen the idea and find new images, which by the summer led to the decision to completely rework the problematics and composition of the future novel.

  Russian literature is rich in vivid images, the relevance of the themes of many works remains to this day. What are only "", "Fathers and Sons", "". Today we will talk about the famous novel by F.M. Dostoevsky "Demons". The abstract will help you find out what the book is about, but you can understand the author’s intention and appreciate the scale of the work only after reading the novel in its entirety.

  In contact with

  The meaning of this novel remains relevant today. The turmoil spread by radical cells of society has found fertile ground, which the author of the novel speaks about publicly.

  The basis of the work is built around cases of Nechaev”, the brutal murder of one of the members of a conspiratorial circle of revolutionaries. The former student Shatov sought to "retire", but fell victim to a radical circle led by Verkhovensky.

  Interesting! The book contained, perhaps, a record number of characters who became the prototypes of characters for novels of Western literature.

  We offer to start with the most important moments of Dostoevsky's biography.

  A bit of history

  Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky was born on November 11, 1821 in the capital of the Russian Empire. The family of Mikhail Andreevich (father) and Maria Feodorovna (mother) consisted of eight children. Mikhail Andreevich acquired several villages (Darovoe and Cheremoshnia), where a large family went for the summer.

  There, little Fyodor Mikhailovich got acquainted with peasant life, studied Latin under the close supervision of his father. Further education was reduced to studying French, literature and.

  For three years (until 1837), the elder brothers Mikhail and Fedor stayed in the famous Chermak boarding house. Dostoevsky's youth passed within the walls of the Main Engineering School, where Fyodor Mikhailovich entered with his brother. The military order burdened them, because they saw themselves in the literary field.

  In 1833, the author was taken to the St. Petersburg engineering team, but a year later he received a dismissal. From 1884 the literary efforts of the young writer began. He diligently translates the works of foreign authors, publishes incognito in the journal Repertoire and Pantheon. May of the following year was marked by the publication of Dostoevsky's first novel, Poor Folk. Critics' assessments were extremely positive, the writer became a member of several literary circles.

  However, the abundance of acquaintances played a cruel joke - fatal friendship with M.V. Petrashevsky led to exile. Mikhail Fedorovich spent four years in Omsk. A couple of years later, he became a private in the Siberian Line Battalion. Since 1857, the author received a full pardon and the opportunity to freely print his works. In memory of hard labor, Dostoevsky wrote Notes from the House of the Dead, which caused a sensation abroad.

  In the summer of 1862, a significant event takes place - Dostoevsky is allowed to travel to Europe, he chooses Baden-Baden as a temporary refuge. Abroad, the creative flourishing of the world classic begins. In the period from 1866 to 1880, " great Pentateuch”, which included “Crime and Punishment”, “Idiot”, “Demons”, “Teenager”, “The Brothers Karamazov”.

  On a January morning in 1881, F.M. Dostoevsky is gone. The cause of death was pulmonary tuberculosis, chronic bronchitis. The funeral procession stretched for a kilometer to the Tikhvin cemetery, where the writer received his last resting place.

  The history of the creation of "Demons"

  Fyodor Mikhailovich worked hard on a new novel, which became “a special work that I destined for Russkiy Vestnik”.

  The history of creation is presented in chronological order:

  • February 1870 - Fyodor Mikhailovich came up with the idea of ​​a new novel, which should become “even closer, even more urgent to the real, directly touch the most important contemporary issue»;
  • March - Dostoevsky strives to express everything on paper, actively works. He is tormented by doubts whether the novel will be successful;
  • May - the writer cannot fit all the intricacies of the plot into 25 sheets;
  • July - Fedor Mikhailovich is looking for a publisher for his future novel, insists on the impossibility of editing;
  • August - the author is burdened by the initial idea. The second edition of the work begins;
  • September - abrupt changes in structure, the search for an ideal concept. However, "now everything is set, for me this the novel "Demons" is too much»;
  • October - the author sent the fruits of his labors to the editorial office of the publication voiced above. Fedor Mikhailovich is concerned about the delay in terms, complains about the lack of time for work.

  Important! Contemporaries defined the genre of "Demons" as an anti-nihilistic novel, where left-wing ideas, including atheistic worldviews, are considered from a critical angle.

  The structure of the novel "Demons" is divided into three large parts, consisting of a different number of chapters. Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky saw something "infernal" in the society of the then Russia, tried to warn of an impending disaster with a pen.

  The characters in the novel are illustrated "decay" of ideals society of that time. A powerful impetus was the “Nechaev case”, where student Ivan Ivanov was brutally murdered. The motive for the deprivation of life was the threat of disclosure of a terrorist circle, the strengthening of power over subordinate radicals.

  

  Frame from the film "Demons" 2014

  The plot of the novel

  The son of an old liberal, Pyotr Verkhovensky, arrives in a provincial town in the Russian province. He adheres to extremely radical worldviews, the ideological inspirer of the revolutionary circle. Here he gathers loyal supporters around him: the philosopher Shigalev, the "populist" Tolkachenko, the ideologist Virginsky. Verkhovensky is trying to win over to his side the landowner's son Nikolai Stavrogin.

  "Bloody Nechaev" found a second life in the face of Verkhovensky. He also plots to kill Ivan Shatov, a student who dreams of breaking with the radicals and denouncing criminals.

  Main characters

  The heroes of the novel personify the vices or virtues of the whole society:

  1. Nikolai Vsevolodovich Stavrogin is an eccentric figure who is "under the lens" throughout the novel. He has a lot of antisocial qualities, the chapter “At Tikhon’s” reveals his relationship with a girl of about 14 years old. Although the reliability of this act is questionable, as well as Stavrogin's confession.
  2. Varvara Petrovna Stavrogina is a despotic and domineering woman who is used to commanding men. There were rumors that she (in the shadows) ruled the whole province. She was a member of the high society and had influence at court. However, she withdrew herself from social events, paying all her attention to housekeeping on the Skvoreshniki estate.
  3. Stepan Trofimovich Verkhovensky - teacher of Nikolai Vsevolodovich Stavrogin. Pri defended his dissertation, putting him on a par with Belinsky, Granovsky. He served as an honorary lecturer at the university, but the persecution of the authorities forces him to flee to Skvoreshniki. There he teaches the landowner's son, a summary of what he learned helps Nikolai Vsevolodovich to enter a prestigious lyceum.
  4. Pyotr Stepanovich Verkhovensky - treacherous and cunning, twenty-seven years old. Formed a radical circle murder mastermind young student.
  5. Ivan Pavlovich Shatov is the son of the valet Varvara Stavrogina. For several years he traveled around Europe, as he was expelled from the university. According to contemporaries, Dostoevsky wrote Ivan from himself. Wanting to get out of the radical group, he fell at the hands of its activists.
  6. Alexey Nilych Kirillov - the ideologist of the "Gang of Verkhovensky". The young man formed the concept that he who denies God himself is one. Under the influence of his inflamed mind, he becomes a devout fanatic.

  

  The members of the Verkhovensky Five play a central role in the novel:

  1. Sergei Vasilyevich Liputin is a middle-aged man with notoriety. Being the father of a family, he was more concerned with the problems of the global transformation of society. A participant in a murderous action, a two-faced and vile person. The same villain as Stavrogin and Verkhovensky.
  2. Virginsky is a man of about thirty, the owner of a "heart of rare purity." The only one made an attempt to dissuade Verkhovensky from the murder, but later took part in it.
  3. Lyamshin is a "mediocre" postal official. He was a member of the radical circle of Verkhovensky, a frequenter of criminal actions. His little sane state led to surrender and betrayal of his comrades, about which they had no idea.
  4. Shigalev is an extremely gloomy middle-aged man. He earned respect from Verkhovensky for developing a unique concept for the radical restructuring of society. The murder does not concern him, because it contradicts the formed beliefs.

  The image of Stavrogin

  At the beginning of the work, the young man demonstrates the recklessness of an egoist who cares little about the opinions of others. Dostoevsky expresses his contempt for this hero. The seduction of a young girl becomes the apogee of the atrocities of a young man, numerous acquaintances look askance at him. In the chapter "At Tikhon's" the adulterer pronounces the famous words that conclude Stavrogin's confession.

  The main message of the work

  The novel "Demons" is a formidable message to a brilliant society, government officials, and the common people. Dostoevsky predicts major social catastrophes created by the revolutionary galaxy. The horror is that most of the characters are "copied" from real criminals and placed in the novel. The historicism of the creation fully confirms this.

  Motherland from the shortsightedness of his generation.

  This is an idealist of the old school, who for many years enjoyed the patronage of a noble provincial lady, Varvara Petrovna Stavrogina. He used to be very handsome and very popular. Now he is somewhat flabby, drank a lot of champagne and often played cards. There is a lot of posturing in him, but at the same time he was quite smart and insightful. Stepan Verkhovensky brought up many heroes of the novel, including the son of Varvara Petrovna - Nikolai Stavrogin.

  Nikolai Stavrogin is a mysterious and controversial personality. Everyone in town looked forward to his arrival and talked a lot about him. It was rumored that he served in an elite regiment, but then was demoted. Then he fell into debauchery and revelry. Arriving in his hometown, he managed to drag Gaganov by the nose, bite the governor's ear and kiss someone else's wife in front of everyone. All this was explained by the fact that he was unwell. After recovering a little, he went abroad. Varvara Petrovna was worried about his attention to Daria Shatova, which is why she decided to quickly marry the girl to Stepan Trofimovich. And she dreamed of marrying her son to Lisa Tushina.

  After mass at the cathedral, a lame person, as it turned out later, Marya Timofeevna Lebyadkina, approached Varvara Petrovna and kissed her hand. Remembering the anonymous letter, which said that some lame person would play an important role in her life, she invited the girl to the estate. Lisa Tushina also went with them. At the estate of Varvara Petrovna, an excited Stepan Trofimovich was already waiting for them. He was just about to marry Darya Pavlovna. Soon, Khromonozhka's brother, Captain Lebyadkin, also appeared on the estate. With his vague speeches, he hinted at some secret and claimed some special rights.

  Suddenly, Nikolai himself appeared. Together with him came the son of Stepan Trofimovich - fussy and agile Pyotr Stepanovich. Suspecting something was wrong, Varvara Petrovna decided to ask her son if this lame person was his wife. Stavrogin did not answer, but only kissed his mother's hand and led Marya Lebyadkina out of the room. In order to clarify the situation, Verkhovensky said that Stavrogin inspired the poor girl with a beautiful dream and now she considers him her fiancé. Varvara Petrovna was satisfied with this explanation. Suddenly Shatov came up to Stavrogin and gave him a slap in the face. Stavrogin was about to respond to this insult, but kept his hands behind his back in time. Shatov left as if nothing had happened, and Liza fainted.

  For several days, Stavrogin did not want to receive anyone, but soon Verkhovensky quietly made his way to him. He informed him of a secret meeting they were to attend. After that, Nikolai went to the engineer Kirillov, who was busy constructing a bridge and expelling God from his soul. The idea of ​​self-will through suicide did not leave him. Stavrogin meant a lot to him. It was no less important for Shatov, who lived next door to Kirillov and wanted to leave their revolutionary circle. During his visit, Stavrogin explained that, indeed, several years ago, in a drunken delirium, he had married Marya Lebyadkina, and that he intended to announce it soon. He also warned Shatov about the possible danger. Shatov, in response, revealed to him his idea of ​​a God-bearing Russian people.

  After that, Stavrogin went to the Lebyadkins. On the way, he met Fedka convict, who was sent by Verkhovensky. Fedka showed his readiness for a certain amount to fulfill any order of the master, including getting rid of the Lebyadkins. Stavrogin drove him away. He told Captain Lebyadkin that he wanted to announce his marriage to Marya Timofeevna in the near future. Maria herself was a little out of her mind. She met her lawful husband with a story about some ominous dream, called him an "imposter", and said that Stavrogin was not her prince. The holy fool squealed indignantly and laughed. She said that she saw a knife in Stavrogin's pocket. Outraged by her behavior, he got up and retreated.

  The next day, he fought with Artemy Gaganov, who was avenging his offended father. Gaganov, seething with anger, missed three times, and Stavrogin fired three times into the air. He explained his behavior by the reluctance to kill someone. Meanwhile, unrest was taking place in the city, sown by revolutionary-minded youth. Icons were defiled, sudden fires broke out, leaflets calling for rebellion were distributed, and so on. Along with this, the governor's wife, Yulia Mikhailovna, was preparing a holiday in favor of the governesses. She herself was in a trusting relationship with the younger Verkhovensky and patronized him. When meeting with the governor von Lembke, Pyotr Stepanovich casually named several traitors, including Shatov and Kirillov.

  Varvara Petrovna found out about Stepan Trofimovich's letters to his son, in which he complained that he might be married to "other people's sins." She was deeply indignant and offended by this. On this basis, they broke up. The younger Verkhovensky wasted no time. He visited Kirillov and Shatov to announce the upcoming meeting. Liza's fiancé, Mavriky Nikolayevich, dropped in on Stavrogin. He asked Nikolai either to marry Lisa or not to disturb her. To which Stavrogin replied that he was already married to Marya Lebyadkina. After that, he and Verkhovensky went to a secret meeting.

  During the meeting, Verkhovensky raised a provocative question, ostensibly to identify a traitor. Calling him a scoundrel, Shatov got up and left, and Pyotr Stepanovich needed this, since he had long ago marked Shatov as a victim. In his opinion, the easiest way to seal a revolutionary group is with blood. Following Shatov, Kirillov and Stavrogin left. Verkhovensky caught up with Stavrogin and enthusiastically told him about his crazy plans. He wanted to start a big turmoil so that "the earth would cry for the old gods", and after that give people a mysterious handsome savior, that is, Stavrogin.

  Events in the city developed rapidly. The workers of the Shpigulin factory came to see the governor. Considering this a rebellion, he became furious. Stepan Trofimovich also inherited from him. Following this, Stavrogin shocked everyone with the news of his marriage to Marya Lebyadkina. During the holiday of Yulia Mikhailovna, the elder Verkhovesnsky delivered a speech in defense of Raphael and Shakespeare from the nihilists, but no one wants to listen to him. Lisa Tushina left her fiancé in broad daylight and left in Stavrogin's carriage. In the afternoon it became known about the arson of the factory and the murder of the Lebyadkins. The governor rushed to the place of the fire, and there a log fell on him.

  The next morning, at the Stavrogin estate, Lisa and Nikolai were talking. She said she intended to leave. He was also interested in the question, why give so much happiness in order to leave. She was skeptical about his offer to leave with him. The ubiquitous Verkhovensky appeared and spoke about the murder of the Lebyadkins and about the fire at the factory. Stavrogin told Lisa that he was not involved, although he knew about the impending murder. In hysterics, she ran away. Mavriky Nikolayevich was already waiting for her outside. Together they went to the place of the murder, but there Lisa was not met with kindness. Calling her "Stavrogin", people beat the girl in the crowd. Mauritius did not have time to save her.

  Pyotr Verkhovensky busied himself tirelessly. Having collected the "five", he told them that Shatov was an informer, and therefore they needed to get rid of him. After some doubts, everyone agreed that the common cause is the most important thing. Verkhovensky visited Kirillov and recalled their agreement, according to which he must commit suicide and take the blame for the murdered man. Fedka convict was also here. An argument ensued between him and Verkhovensky, during which Fedka hit him. Coming to his senses, Pyotr said that this was the last time Fedka drank vodka here. And, indeed, the next morning Fedka was found with a broken head, and the might of Verkhovensky began to be afraid.

  That same evening, Shatov's wife Marya came to see him. Soon after her marriage, she left Shatov and left, and now she has come to the city to look for work. Marya was pregnant and asked Shatov for temporary shelter. He gladly accepted it. A little later, Erkel looked in and said that tomorrow the transfer of the printing house would take place, at which the presence of Shatov was obligatory. At night, Marya began to have contractions, Shatov ran after the midwife Virginskaya. He was happy that there were three of them now. He declared the child his legitimate son. Exhausted and happy, he fell asleep only in the morning. In the evening, Erkel came to him again, and they left together.

  Verkhovensky was already waiting for Shatov with his retinue. Shigalev at the last moment refused to take part in the murder, as this did not coincide with his program. When Shatov appeared, he was attacked, and Pyotr Stepanovich shot him in the head. Then heavy stones were tied to the body of the dead man and thrown into the pond. According to the agreement, Kirillov wrote a confession under Verkhovensky's dictation, and then shot himself. Since everything went according to plan, Pyotr Stepanovich calmly packed his things and went abroad. The elder Verkhovensky soon died in Varvara Petrovna's arms. With the help of Lyamshin, all the participants in the crime were arrested, except for the fleeing Peter. Stavrogin was found hanged on the estate.