With this novel, Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky began his literary career. "Poor People" had an unprecedented success and fully justified all the hopes of a young, previously unknown author. Dostoevsky wrote this novel with such enthusiasm and attentive scrupulousness for which later he never had time.
About the work "Poor People"
The first mention of "Poor People" is found in Dostoevsky's correspondence with his brother Mikhail in September 1844. The writer informed his brother that he was pleased with the novel and finished it in May 1845.
This novel is presented to the reader in the form of correspondence between two like-minded people. Their relationship runs from April to September and represents 54 letters they wrote to each other. Each letter in the work is a separate chapter, from which the reader learns something new about the fate of the heroes of the novel.
In Poor People, the writer stops at the lowest rung of the social ladder and tells about the poor, but only in order to more accurately look into the depths of evil. The theme of poverty and poverty is not central to the novel, it implies a broader social problem. Actually, therefore, the work speaks not only of disadvantaged people, but also of any person who, according to Dostoevsky, is always “poor in spirit”, despite his material security.
The main characters of the work
The main characters of the novel "Poor People" are representatives of the lower class of St. Petersburg, who make vain attempts to escape from their plight.
Makar Alekseevich Devushkin is a forty-seven-year-old titular advisor. He makes a living by rewriting papers in one of the departments of the city and receives mere pennies for his labor.
Varvara Alekseevna Dobroselova is a young educated girl, an orphan, a distant relative of Makar Alekseevich. She is also poor and lives in the same yard with Devushkin. Earns a living by sewing.
Summary of the novel
Makar Alekseevich moves to a new apartment, which he rents in a house near Fontanka. In pursuit of cheap housing, our hero is placed in a corner behind a partition in the common kitchen. His previous dwelling was not much better, but now the main thing for Makar Alekseevich is the price, since in the same courtyard, with windows opposite, he rented a comfortable apartment for Varvara Alekseevna Dobroselova.
Makar Alekseevich takes seventeen-year-old Varenka under his wing. Devushkin feels paternal love for Varenka. Living close to each other, they very rarely meet, because Makar Alekseevich fears not for himself, of course, but that obscene gossip will go about Varenka's reputation. Nevertheless, both have a need for emotional sympathy, compassion and warmth, which they find in everyday correspondence with each other.
Devushkin assures Varya that he has the means. As proof, he often spoils her with sweets, sends her flowers in pots, while denying himself food and clothing. Varenka reproaches him for excessive wastefulness, tries to earn money by sewing. The girl is caringly interested in the life and life of Makar Alekseevich, despite her poor health.
Together with another letter, Varenka sends Makar Alekseevich a diary describing his past. In it, Varya describes her childhood spent in the provinces, studying at a boarding house. After the death of the girl's father, creditors sued their house. Varya and her mother had no money to rent another home, and they were forced to move to "gray" and "rainy" Petersburg to Anna Fedorovna (landowner and distant relative of their family). Anna Fedorovna, seeing the plight of the unfortunate women, began to constantly reproach them with her good deeds.
Varya's mother worked tirelessly, not sparing her poor health. Varya at this time took lessons from the former student Peter Pokrovsky, who also lived in the house of Anna Fedorovna. Varenka's mother falls ill from overwork. Pyotr Pokrovsky takes part in Varin's misfortune, and together they take care of the sick woman. This circumstance brings young people closer and friendship develops between them. However, Peter falls ill and dies of consumption. Soon, Varya's mother also dies.
In a response letter, Makar Alekseevich tells about his difficult life. He has been serving in the department for thirty years. For his colleagues, he is "meek", "quiet" and "kind", and is also the object of incessant ridicule. His only consolation is the "angel" Varenka.
In the next letter, Varya informs Makar Alekseevich that during the period of her residence with Anna Fedorovna, she, to cover the losses from Varya and her mother, offered Varya, already orphaned at that time, to a certain rich landowner - Mr. Bykov. Bykov, who promised to marry Vara, dishonored her, as a result of which the girl was disgraced and hastily left this house. Only the support of Makar Alekseevich saves the poor orphan from the final "fall".
In June Devushkin invites Varya to take a walk to the islands. After the walk, Varya caught a cold and was unable to work. To help Varenka, Makar Alekseevich sells his uniform and takes all the earnings in the department a month in advance. Varenka does not want to be a burden for Devushkin, realizing that he spent all his money on her. She decides to take a job as a governess, but he discourages her.
By the middle of summer Devushkin had spent all the money he could. He walks in rags, constantly hearing behind his back the ridicule of his colleagues and tenants at him and his Varenka. But this is all okay, and the worst thing is that one officer began to drop in to his "angel" with an "obscene proposal." Out of hopelessness and despair, poor Makar Alekseevich drank for four days and did not go to work. He also wanted to convince the insolent officer, but he threw him down the stairs.
A new misfortune awaits our heroes in August. The second "seeker" comes to Vara, directed by Anna Fedorovna herself. Devushkin understands that Varenka urgently needs to move to a new apartment. In this regard, he wants to borrow money at interest, but no one gives him. Realizing his helplessness, Makar Alekseevich gets drunk again, losing his last self-respect. Varenka's health is absolutely bad, she cannot sew.
In early September, Makar Alekseevich was very lucky: he made a mistake in the paper and was summoned "for a conversation" with the general himself. The latter, seeing such a pitiful official, sympathized with Devushkin and gave him a hundred rubles. This instilled hope in Makar Alekseevich and became a real salvation. He paid the rent, the table and bought clothes.
On September 20, Bykov became aware of Varenka's place of residence, and he came to marry her. He needed to have a family and legitimate children in order to leave his hated nephew without an inheritance. Despite the insolence and rudeness of this proposal, Varya agrees to marry Bykov. She believes that marriage will return her good name and save her from disgusting poverty. Devushkin tries to dissuade her from this step, but, nevertheless, helps her get ready for the road and prepare for the wedding.
Before leaving for the estate to Bykov, Varenka sends the last farewell letter to her friend. Varya writes that she loved Makar Alekseevich very much, and in spite of everything, she would pray and think about him. On September 30, Varya gets married with Bykov, and they leave Petersburg.
Devushkin's answer is filled with despair. Makar Alekseevich writes to Varenka that this marriage will destroy her, and he will die of despondency and sadness. This ends their correspondence.
Some conclusions
The author of Poor People shared the idea that the social organization of society at that time was completely unhappy and that it was necessary to completely reorganize it. Dostoevsky believed that such huge differences in the well-being of people exclude any brotherhood between them. The idea of utopians and those who dreamed of general happiness and well-being seemed to Dostoevsky a pure fantasy.
