Routledge Dostoevsky and The Idea of Russianness: A New Perspective on Unity and Brotherhood (BASEES/Routledge Series on Russian and East European Studies)

This book examines Dostoevsky's interest in, and engagement with, "Slavophilism" - a Russian mid-nineteenth century movement of conservative nationalist thought. It explores Dostoevsky's views, as expressed in both his non-fiction and fiction, on the religious, spiritual and moral ideas which he considered to be innately Russian. It concludes that Dostoevsky is an important successor to the Slavophiles, in that he developed their ideas in a more coherent fashion, broadening their moral and spiritual concerns into a more universal message about the true worth of Russia and her people. Review 'Hudspith's conclusion - that Dostoevsky did not embrace Slavophilism wholesale but used and engaged with the movement to develop his own ideas - is judicious. It is also refreshing to find a recent study of Dostoevsky that assesses him as both artist and thinker.' - SEER 'This book offers a meticulous analysis of the correspondences between Russian identity held by Dostoevsky and by the Slavophiles...Its clear presentation, highly readable format and useful appendices...should make this study a particularly useful text for university courses on nineteenth-century Russian literature.' - Slavic and East European Journal 'Hudspith's conclusion - that Dostoevsky did not embrace Slavophilism wholesale but used and engaged with the movement to develop his own ideas - is judicious. It is also refreshing to find a recent study of Dostoevsky that assesses him as both artist and thinker.' - SEER 'This book offers a meticulous analysis of the correspondences between Russian identity held by Dostoevsky and by the Slavophiles. Its clear presentation, highly readable format and useful appendices, should make this study a particularly useful text for university courses on nineteenth-century Russian literature.' - Slavic and East European Journal About the Author Sarah Hudspith is a lecturer at the University of Leeds. Her main area of specialism is nineteenth century Russian literature, especially Dostoevsky and Tolstoy.