The Idiot (1869) is a novel by Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky. The story follows the gentle, open-hearted Prince Myshkin as he returns to a cynical St. Petersburg society. Intended by the author to depict a completely virtuous man, the prince’s childlike naivety and deep compassion contrast with a corrupt world of wealth, betrayal, and passion, ultimately leading to tragedy.
Dostoyevsky: Prince Myshkin’s Quietism
“With quietism like yours one could fill a hundred years with happiness. Whether one showed you an execution or a little finger, you would extract an equally edifying thought from both of them, and would still be content. That’s the way to get on in life.”
— Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Idiot
RhysTranter.com 