Notes From The Underground PDF
Notes From The Underground PDF
Notes From The Underground PDF
Underground
By Fyodor Dostoevsky
Underground*
*The author of the diary and the diary itself are, of course,
imaginary. Nevertheless it is clear that such persons as the
writer of these notes not only may, but positively must, exist
in our society, when we consider the circumstances in the
midst of which our society is formed. I have tried to expose
to the view of the public more distinctly than is commonly
done, one of the characters of the recent past. He is one of the
representatives of a generation still living. In this fragment,
entitled ‘Underground,’ this person introduces himself and
his views, and, as it were, tries to explain the causes owing to
which he has made his appearance and was bound to make
his appearance in our midst. In the second fragment there
are added the actual notes of this person concerning certain
events in his life. —AUTHOR’S NOTE.
B ut these are all golden dreams. Oh, tell me, who was it
first announced, who was it first proclaimed, that man
only does nasty things because he does not know his own
interests; and that if he were enlightened, if his eyes were
opened to his real normal interests, man would at once
cease to do nasty things, would at once become good and
noble because, being enlightened and understanding his
real advantage, he would see his own advantage in the good
and nothing else, and we all know that not one man can,
consciously, act against his own interests, consequently, so
to say, through necessity, he would begin doing good? Oh,
the babe! Oh, the pure, innocent child! Why, in the first
place, when in all these thousands of years has there been a
time when man has acted only from his own interest? What
is to be done with the millions of facts that bear witness that
men, CONSCIOUSLY, that is fully understanding their real
interests, have left them in the background and have rushed
headlong on another path, to meet peril and danger, com-
pelled to this course by nobody and by nothing, but, as it
were, simply disliking the beaten track, and have obstinate-
ly, wilfully, struck out another difficult, absurd way, seeking
it almost in the darkness. So, I suppose, this obstinacy and
perversity were pleasanter to them than any advantage. ...
Advantage! What is advantage? And will you take it upon
I had been certain the day before that I should be the first
to arrive. But it was not a question of being the first to
arrive. Not only were they not there, but I had difficulty in
finding our room. The table was not laid even. What did it
mean? After a good many questions I elicited from the wait-
ers that the dinner had been ordered not for five, but for six
o’clock. This was confirmed at the buffet too. I felt really
ashamed to go on questioning them. It was only twenty-
five minutes past five. If they changed the dinner hour they
ought at least to have let me know—that is what the post
is for, and not to have put me in an absurd position in my
own eyes and ... and even before the waiters. I sat down; the
servant began laying the table; I felt even more humiliated
when he was present. Towards six o’clock they brought in
candles, though there were lamps burning in the room. It
had not occurred to the waiter, however, to bring them in at
once when I arrived. In the next room two gloomy, angry-
looking persons were eating their dinners in silence at two
different tables. There was a great deal of noise, even shout-
ing, in a room further away; one could hear the laughter of
a crowd of people, and nasty little shrieks in French: there
were ladies at the dinner. It was sickening, in fact. I rarely
passed more unpleasant moments, so much so that when
they did arrive all together punctually at six I was overjoyed