Fantastisk realisme. Om Dostojevskijs litterære metode

Abstract

Dostoevsky is usually regarded as one of the greatest novelists in modern time. His literary method signifies realistic tendencies although his understanding of what realism is, differ from the traditional sense of the word. Dostoevsky has said himself that he is “a realist in a higher sense”, and his main goal is to disclose a true and realistic picture of the world. His novels depict different ideas, motifs and issues which previously have been ignored or ridiculed in literature. This thesis highlights some of the essential aspects in his fantastic realism that differ from the more traditional form: How he incorporates a metaphysical dimension in his novels, the exploration of the human mind and the fantastical and ideological elements he includes in the story-line. I have explored how these various aspects of his literary method play in two of his works, Notes from Underground (1864) and Crime and Punishment (1866). Since his fantastic realism explore the depths of human consciousness and continues to arouse the reader’s curiosity, his novels remain relevant.