The Idiot (novel)
The Idiot is a novel written by the Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky in 1869.Warning: Plot details follow.
After a long absence from Russia, Prince Myshkin returns to the country. His mental condition is unclear: when younger he had blackouts and learning difficulties which were treated with some success in Switzerland, but much of what Russian society views as idiocy is simply honesty and trustfulness. The Myshkin family line is said to end with him and his cousin.
On the train to Saint Petersburg, Myshkin meets and befriends the dark Rogojin. The latter tells the prince about his passion for Nastassia Philippovna, a beautiful woman with a bad reputation. Myshkin arrives at the house of General Epantchin, who is married to the only other living member of the Myshkin line. Myshkin learns that Gania, a young go-getter and secretary of the General, wants to marry Nastassia for her dowry. The prince feels an irresistible desire to meet her.
At Nastassia's name-day party, Myshkin sees Rogojin arrive drunk and offer the young woman a large amount of money to follow him. The prince perceives the despair of Nastassia and proposes to her in order to save her. She, believing the prince only pities her, flees with Rogojin. The two men, formerly bound by friendship, become rivals. Rogojin even tries to kill his friend.
Over the course of the novel, Myshkin grows closer to the General's daughter, Aglaya, but he eventually gives her up to save Nastassia. On the day of the marriage, however, Nastassia again flees with Rogojin, who then kills her. The novel ends with Myshkin and Rogojin lying together by the body of Nastassia: Myshkin sinks into total insanity and Aglaya rushes into an unhappy marriage.
By making of Myshkin a kind of ideal incarnation of kindness and humility, Dostoevsky shows what can happen when such a man is confronted by society.
Several film makers have filmed the novel, among them Akira Kurosawa.
In 2003 Russian State Television produced a 10 hour TV-series of the work, which had very high ratings. Some critics said it was a good sign that an ideal of a positively beautiful person found such acclaim from the Russian public.