Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment, and Related Russian History (Vocabulary Flashcards)

Vocabulary flashcards covering Dostoyevsky's life, major works, and key Russian historical terms mentioned in the notes.

Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Russian novelist (1821–1881) known for exploring tortured psychology; author of Crime and Punishment.

Killed by serfs

Dostoyevsky’s father was killed by serfs on his estate during his engineering studies, a potential influence on crime themes in his work.

Poor Folk

Dostoyevsky’s first published book (1846), an early social novel.

Socialist activism

Dostoyevsky’s involvement in socialist circles, driven by opposition to serfdom.

Arrest and near-execution (1849)

Arrested for distributing socialist propaganda; 8 months in prison, sentenced to death, reprieved at the last moment and sent to Siberia.

Siberian exile

Four years in a Siberian labor camp; experiences influenced themes in Crime and Punishment and his later writings.

Epilepsy

Dostoyevsky suffered epileptic seizures, including during prison time, impacting his life and philosophy.

Suffering as salvation

Belief that suffering is necessary for salvation; a theme evident in Crime and Punishment.

Crime and Punishment (1866)

Dostoyevsky’s novel examining the psyche of a tortured murderer and moral guilt.

The Idiot

Dostoyevsky novel exploring morality and society; published after Crime and Punishment.

The Brothers Karamazov

Dostoyevsky’s final novel (1880) addressing faith, doubt, and morality.

Maria Isaeva (m. 1857)

Dostoyevsky’s wife; died of consumption (tuberculosis) in 1864.

Gambling addiction

Dostoyevsky’s difficult period in the 1860s marked by heavy gambling and personal strain.

Alexander II

Tsar who initiated the Great Reforms; assassinated in 1881 amid unrest over reforms.

Third Section

Nicholas I’s secret police and censorship bureau, controlling opposition, surveillance, and suppression of foreign influence.

Decembrist Revolt (1825)

First major attempt to reform the czarist government; failed and led to tighter autocratic rule.

Crimean War (1853–1856)

Russia’s war against Turkey; Russia failed to secure a warm-water port, prompting reformist pressure.

Treaty of Paris (1856)

End of the Crimean War; reiterated by Alexander II as he pursued reforms.

Great Reforms

Alexander II’s modernization program, including emancipation of serfs, though peasants remained largely second-class.

Serf emancipation

Part of the Great Reforms; freed serfs but did not grant full equality.

Nihilism

Philosophical movement challenging existing institutions; Dostoyevsky’s C&P dramatizes its moral dangers.

Utilitarianism

Philosophy of the greatest good for the greatest number; referenced in contemporary moral debates.

Autocrat

A ruler with unlimited authority; characteristic of Tsarist Russia.

Czar

Russian emperor, title used until the 1917 revolution.

Catherine the Great

1762–1796 (1st)

Alexander I

1801–1825 (2nd)

Nicholas I

1825–1855 (3rd)

Alexander II

1855–1881 (4th)

Who died in the Decembrist Revolt?

Alexander I

Who came to lead after the Decembrist Revolt?

Nicholas I