Notes From the Underground

Notes From the Underground is a book by Fyodor Dostoevsky, first published in 1864. Widely regarded as a foundational work of existentialist literature, it marks an important moment in the author’s exploration of psychology, morality and the contradictions of modern urban life. Written during a period of intense intellectual change in Russia, it reflects Dostoevsky’s growing interest in free will, individual responsibility and the darker corners of the human psyche. The novel centres on the Underground Man, a bitter, isolated, and fiercely self-aware former civil servant whose voice dominates the narrative. Through his confessional monologue, the book examines themes such as alienation, pride, rationalism and the longing for meaning in an increasingly mechanised society. His encounters with figures like Liza, a young woman who unexpectedly challenges his rigid worldview, offer some of the most striking emotional moments in the story. Dostoevsky uses these characters to question the assumption that human beings are motivated purely by logic or self-interest. Part philosophical meditation, part psychological portrait, the novel presents a powerful critique of utopian thinking and the emerging rationalist ideologies of the 19th century. Its intense and often uncomfortable honesty has influenced writers, philosophers and social critics for generations. As one of Dostoevsky’s most important early works, it provides both a compelling narrative and a fascinating window into the ideas that shaped his later masterpieces. This translation by Constance Garnett was first published in 1918.