Dostoevsky and suicide.

Abstract

Fyodor Dostoevsky has continued to grow in stature and influence among modern writers. His modernity is based, among other things, upon his psychological penetration of character and motive. Suicide received considerable attention and analysis in his novels and stories. Although dynamic psychiatry has always held Dostoevsky in high regard, practically all psychiatrists have tended to ignore Dostoevsky's valuable insights into the subject of suicide. This paper offers a total view of the author's contributions to suicidology, through a study of suicidal behavior in his fiction, journalism and in his own life experiences. Dostoevsky's writings are testimony to the continuous and brilliant interrelations between his fictional and journalistic narratives, his understanding of individual, family and group dynamics, his intellectual search for the roots of ideology, and the authentic experience and spiritual quest of his life.