Idiot

The novel The Idiot, which Dostoevsky worked on during his stay in Switzerland and Italy, when he was going through a severe existential crisis, and which was first published in 1868-1869, is undoubtedly one of his most remarkable works and stands out from all the others. It is also his most personal work, for the author projected many of his innermost existential experiences and convictions onto its protagonist. In this novel, Dostoevsky set out to 'create the image of an ideally beautiful man', a task he himself considered truly 'colossal', even impossible, since 'there can be nothing more difficult in the world, especially in our time'. This ideally beautiful being is Prince Myshkin, a character who has forever made an indelible mark on the history of literature and who continues to inspire and enchant readers all over the world to this day.