The Idiot by by Fyodor Dostoyevsky follows the story of Prince Myshkin, a kind and naive young man who returns to Russia after spending several years in a Swiss sanatorium. Despite his good intentions and sincerity, Myshkin's innocence and honesty clash with the complexities and moral corruption of Russian society, leading to tragic consequences. The novel explores themes of morality, spirituality, love, and the struggle between good and evil in human nature.
Translated by Henry and Olga Carlisle
With an Introduction by Harold Rosenberg
About the Author
Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821–1881), one of nineteenth-century Russia’s greatest novelists, spent four years in a convict prison in Siberia, after which he was obliged to enlist in the army. In later years his penchant for gambling sent him deeply into debt. Most of his important works were written after 1864, including Notes from Underground, Crime and Punishment, The Idiot, and The Brothers Karamazov.
