Reviews - Dobbeltgængeren

752 reviews for:

Dobbeltgængeren

Fyodor Dostoevsky

3.51 AVERAGE

femoid's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

letiloyeti's review against another edition

3.0

Questo è sicuramente il romanzo di Dostoevsky che ho fatto più fatica a leggere: la trama sembrava non andare mai da nessuna parte e non sono riuscita a empatizzare con il protagonista Goljadkin, cosa che raramente mi succede con i personaggi dei libri che leggo. Ho apprezzato più l'idea alla base del romanzo che la sua esecuzione.

h3di's review against another edition

4.0

doppelganger, The duality in its finest,
The double, the rival, the enemy, the friend.. simply put this is a hallucination book that studies the human psyche, a perturbed regular man that fell victim to anxiety and the catalyst for his descent into madness.
The Double is a psychological masterpiece that showcases Dostoevsky’s profound understanding of the psychology.

“Good people live honestly, good people live without falseness, and they never come in twos...”
― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Double

Bipolarity..? Madness..?
The protagonist decent into paranoia and self-doubt, because of his struggle to fit into the bureaucratic society he begins to worry making room for his anxiety to grow to the point he starts to see his double, the version of himself he wants to be, that adds a layer of complexity and starts a conflict that reflect the psychological disorders nourished in a way by the society.

or Sociology..?
Which lead us to Dostoevsky's critique to the dehumanizing nature of bureaucracy. Golyadkin’s (The protagonist) environment (rigid, hierarchical, and judgmental) worsen his struggles, making his eventual collapse seem inevitable. Dostoevsky’s portrayal of societal pressure and isolation remains relevant today, as many still grapple with the balance between societal expectations and personal identity.

“These, gentlemen, are my rules: if I don't succeed, I keep trying; if I do succeed, I keep quiet; and in any case I don't undermine anyone. I'm not an intriguer, and I'm proud of it. I wouldn't make a good diplomat. They also say, gentlemen, that the bird flies to the fowler. That's true, and I'm ready to agree: but who is the fowler here, and who is the bird? That's still a question, gentlemen!”
― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Double

Finally...The double.
Dostoevsky’s exploration of mental illness and social alienation is timeless, offering insights into the fragility of the human mind.
Dostoevsky uses the double as a metaphor for inner turmoil and identity crisis. Golyadkin’s interactions with his double highlight his fractured psyche, suggesting psychological conditions like bipolar disorder or dissociative identity disorder. This aspect of the novel is particularly striking, as it explores how unchecked anxiety and societal alienation can lead to a complete breakdown of one’s sense of self.
The Double is not just a tale of madness but a mirror reflecting the struggles many face within themselves.

“Bow or not? Call back or not? Recognize him or not?" our hero wondered in indescribable anguish, "or pretend that I am not myself, but somebody else strikingly like me, and look as though nothing were the matter. Simply not I, not I—and that's all,"
― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Double