Gobetti P. Dostoevsky as a Classic & a Mystic of Russian Literature

Abstract

In an essay written in 1921, the Italian thinker, writer and publisher Piero Gobetti conducts a critical analysis of the creative heritage of F. M. Dostoevsky from certain positions. Exploring the spiritual and moral problems of the Russian writer, the author creates an integral image of Dostoevsky the classic and categorically does not recognize Dostoevsky the mystic, pointing out that mysticism in his work stems from the style itself — the «torturous psychological analysis» of life. The original text is a fragment of the earliest edition of P. Gobetti's collection «Paradox of the Russian Spirit» («Paradosso dello spirito russo», (1926)), not translated into Russian. An analysis of general cultural reflections on the role of the Russian intelligentsia and the role of Russian literature in the collection is given in the article of this issue «“The Paradox of the Russian Spirit” by Piero Gobetti». 

The translation was made according to the publication: Gobetti P. “Dostoievschi”, Paradosso dello spirito russo. Torino: Edizioni del Baretti, 1926. 256 p. URL: https://archive.org/details/paradossodellosp0000gobe/page/n9/mode/1up