Novel in the Age of Disintegration: Dostoevsky and the Problem of Genre in the 1870s

Kate Holland's book explores Dostoevsky's use of the novel to depict the disintegration of Russian society in the 1860s and his struggle to adapt it to the present while maintaining a utopian vision of Russia's future mission.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 264 pages
\n Publication date: 15 October 2021
\n Publisher: Northwestern University Press
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Scholars have been captivated by the enduring creative battles that unfolded throughout Dostoevsky's remarkable career. In her insightful work, The Novel in the Age of Disintegration ,Kate Holland reveals that Dostoevsky sought to employ the novel as a powerful tool to depict the profound disintegration brought about by various crises that plagued Russian society in the 1860s. This necessitated a radical reinvention of the genre. Simultaneously, he ardently pursued the goal of infusing his works with the capacity to instill belief in the possibility of social and spiritual reintegration. To achieve this, he resorted to reusing outdated forms and structures that were already beginning to fade away.

Through meticulous examinations of Demons , The Adolescent , A Writers Diary , and The Brothers Karamazov ,Holland skillfully outlines Dostoevsky's ongoing struggle to adapt a genre to the ever-changing realities of the present, encompassing the tumultuous upheavals it presents. At the same time, she meticulously preserves his utopian vision of Russia's future mission, showcasing the profound interplay between artistic expression and societal transformation.

\n Weight: 354g\n
Dimension: 152 x 230 x 28 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9780810144491\n \n