Dostoyevsky: Introduction to Crime and Punishment (1/3)

Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821–1881) is often regarded as one of the best novelists to ever live. He is known for his penetrating grasp of psychology, his understanding of the dark side of human nature, and his unbelievably accurate predictions of what the 20th century would hold if the socialist revolutionaries came to power. Dostoyevsky made an enormous impact on the modern worldview, contributing to 20th century realism, existentialism and literary criticism. His unsurpassed delivery of philosophical concepts in narrative form makes him a truly unique author in world history. Among his most famous works, Crime and Punishment is an excursion into the practical consequences of utilitarian ethics, an atheistic worldview and the absurdity of objective morality without a higher authority––all displayed in the form of a captivating murder mystery with engaging characters, plot twists and masterful prose.

Episode Notes

• The featured painting is an oil on canvas portrait of Fyodor Dostoyevsky by Vasily Perov in 1872.
• The featured piece is by Sergey Rachmaninov, a Russian composer of the 19th century. The piece is called Piano Concerto #2 in C Minor, Op. 18. Rachmaninov escaped Russia after the socialist revolution of 1918 and settled in the United States. It seemed fitting to select a Russian composer who fled Russia following the socialist revolution after the totalitarianism which Dostoyevsky predicted would rise affected Rachmaninov personally.

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