Roman F.M. Dostoevsky "Demons": a summary

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

In 1871-1872, the work of the famous Russian writer F. M. Dostoevsky "Demons".

A summary of the novel is given in this article. The author was prompted to write it by the case of the murder of student Ivanov, which caused a huge resonance in society. The novel is one of the most politicized works of the writer. It was filmed several times: in 1988, 1992 and 2006.

Conflict brewing

The action of the work takes place in one of the provincial towns. The novel "Demons", a summary of which you are reading, begins with a description of the idealist Stepan Trofimovich Verkhovensky and his platonic relationship with a certain Varvara Petrovna Stavrogina. Around the protagonist of the novel, liberal-minded young people are hovering around, admiring the "poses" and "phrases" of the idealist. At this time, the arrival of the demoted guardsman Nikolai Stavrogin, who is a “mysterious” person for many, is expected. He is knownwith their revelry and unbridled behavior. His mother, Varvara Petrovna Stavrogina, dreams of marrying him to Liza Tushina, the daughter of her friend. And she wants to see her ward Stepan Trofimovich as the husband of her pupil Daria Shatova. But it soon turns out that Stavrogina's son, who arrived unexpectedly, is already married to Khromonozhka, Marya Timofeevna Lebyadkina. When this became known, Shatov, Daria's brother, slapped Stavrogina's son.

"Ferment" views among the people

Soon, Stepan Trofimovich's son Pyotr Verkhovensky appears at Stavrogin's and invites him to take part in a secret meeting of a certain revolutionary society that dreams of the ideas of renunciation of God and anarchism. Nikolai appears at Shatov, a former revolutionary who is disillusioned with the ideas of this group, and warns him that they want to kill him. Atheistic and anarchist sentiments are on the rise in the city: people burn icons and mock church rituals. In the midst of this chaos, a holiday is being prepared, organized by the wife of the local governor, Yulia Mikhailovna. In a difficult period in the history of Russia, Dostoevsky wrote his novel "Demons". Its summary is unlikely to convey the fullness of the ideological conflict that reigned at that time.

Shatov is accused of treason

Revolutionary Pyotr Verkhovensky appears in the governor's house and announces that he is ready to uncover a state conspiracy. He tells the head of the city, Von Lembke, that Shatov is involved in the atrocities that are happening on the streets. Pointing at the disappointedin vain in his ideas of a revolutionary, he goes to him and invites him to the next meeting of "ours". Soon all the conspirators gather at the "secret meeting", at which Peter accuses Shatov of treason. His goal is to bring confusion on the streets of the town. To prevent betrayal in the ranks of his supporters, he decides to seal the secret society with blood, and Ivan Pavlovich should become a victim. Peter shares his crazy plans with Stavrogin. In the novel "Demons", a summary of which is given here, Verkhovensky is an absolute evil.

Bloody denouement

Events are moving fast. A holiday is coming, announced by Yulia Mikhailovna. At this time, it becomes known that the Zarechye region is on fire. This is clearly arson. And they also report that Captain Lebyadkin, his sister, Stavrogin's ex-wife, and servants were killed. The Governor hurries to the fire. There he is given a log. Liza, who spent the night with Stavrogin the day before, learns from Verkhovensky that Nikolai knew about the planned murder of people and did not warn anyone. She runs to the fire. Someone in the crowd recognizes her as "Stavrogin". She is beaten half to death. Lisa cannot be saved. Meanwhile, the anarchist Verkhovensky continues to do his dirty work. He informs on Shatov and, using the support in the governor's house, offers to remove him. Soon Ivan Pavlovich is attacked by five. Among them is Peter Verkhovensky. He kills him.

In the novel "Demons", a summary of the chapters of which can be read within 20 minutes, more than 500 pages. But I think that it will be very useful to analyze the original work in detail. It does not lose its relevance today. The work "Demons", a summary of which is given here, describes a difficult period in the history of our Motherland, when terrorist and radical thoughts appeared among the people.