My favorite Dostoevsky novel is DEMONS (sometimes translated as THE POSSESSED or THE DEVILS), and I am not alone in my admiration of this novel of revolutionary political melodrama. Albert Camus even did a play version of the novel. Dostoevsky has been blasted by both the left and the right for this book, a prophetic novel of the impact of revolutionary nihilism in Russia shortly before the time of the Russian Revolution. Lenin even makes a brief appearance.

Dostoyevsky’s Demons is loosely based on a political murder in Russia during 1857. This murder was committed in response to a recantation from a member of a nihilist fringe group. The group’s purpose was to cause disorder in Russia as to hasten the emergence of a new order. Dostoyevsky’s hand was guided by the power of prophecy. Knowing that one of these filthy little groups did cause chaos and did take over Russia adds that much more to Demons’ power. It gives the deaths and chaos at the end, ringed by a thirsty fire, a potency to rock you.

What is in play in Demons is the manifestation of an idea. It is an idea that Shatov and Stepan T are seduced by but ultimately reject. It is an idea that cannot be confined to these men. It is an idea that cannot be confined by the trial that endeavors to frame and marginalize this provincial incident. The idea—an atheistic world order ruling over nature and men by colossal force—rather than being confined to the powerless was instantiated by Nazi Germany, Communist Russia, Cambodian under the Khmer Rouge to name a few. What is tragic about this novel is that Dostoyevsky’s plea for the exorcism of these demons from Russia went unheeded.

Stravogin is the idle tormented nobleman at the center of the novel. He is not the ringleader—a duty that goes to Stepan T’s son Pyotr V—but nevertheless Stravogin binds all of the characters of the novel. As a central figure, it is telling that Stravogin is idle, fools around, commits crimes wantonly, convinces Shatov and Kirilov of contradictory philosophies at the same time, etc. Since Stravogin was Stepan’s student and since Pyotr was Stepan’s son, both seem like vile outgrowths of the intellectual transgressions of Stepan, who we are lead to believe initially shopped the idea in intellectual circles. It is as if Stepan, and by extension the intellectuals of that period, by his heresy, opened up the space necessary for such scheming nihilism of Pyotr V to breathe and grow.

Though adored by Pyotr as the mythical head of the new order, Stravogin is strangely detached from Pyotr V’s activities. When murders start happening, Stravogin’s noble sensibility kicks in and he recoils. Stravogin is then confined by his conscience to suffer for a sin he committed a while back. Though not originally designed as such the juxtaposition between Stravogin’s end and the Trokin’s vision of it is powerful. It is as if while he sees that vision he sees Stravogin’s bounding pride, indulgent lust for violence, and recklessness depart to leave a man of noble character in danger of damnation, but capable of repentance.

What would have happened if the central figure of this novel had at his core the robust Christianity that Dostoyevsky’s propagates? What would have happened if Russia, in torpor, had not allowed the forces of nihilism in and instead reclaimed her glorious past? Instead of the destruction of fire would Russia have seen the benediction of dawn? I think Stravogin is Dostoyevsky’s vehicle to ask these questions.

Demons is a powerful novel. It burns into a frenzy in the fire at its plot’s center. The plot takes a while to get going, but such slow accumulation of detail has stunning consequences at the climax. The book is also very funny. I like Stepan’s trip at the end. How this intellectual falls in with the locals is a lighthearted break among the passionate wrenching conclusions. It is one of my favorite novels for its characters (and their voices), its ideas, and its foresight.

Though admittedly I did not find this as great as The Brothers Karamazov, I am still intruiged by the events and philosophies of the book. Particularly the characters Shatov and Kirillov, who bring to light Dostoevsky's theories on religion. Shatov is a man who believes but is without faith, and Kirillov is a man who doesn't believe but has faith. Through these characters, he brings forth the dangers of both situations. Shatov, can never fully give himself up to anything, and so runs around, often like a chiken without a head. Meanwhile Kirillov gives himself up to a ridiculous idea, that killing one's self, for the sake of overcoming weakness, makes one into a god.

Many of the characters offer portraits of the very real and very selfish goal of real socialists. He exposes the way in which the hierarchy takes advantage of it's lackeys, more for personal gain, than for the movement. Yet, they masterfully use propaganda, as a means to their end.

The most intriuging character has to be Stavrogin, who is a man with neither belief nor faith. He is his own ruin, because he cannot give himself up to anything, and so winds up as an idle aristocrat. Idleness is the birth of vice, and Stavrogin is at no lack of vice. He is a womanizer to a great degree, but even this cannot be formed to a passion. He dispassionately laughs at those around him, until at last he turns his attention to himself.

As with all Dostoevsky novels, this one tackles the breadth of humanity, while still maintaining a primary focus. This book is highly political, and critical of socialism. A great read for anyone who still believes that socialism is an ideal. ( )

I read it about 35 years ago, but include it here to go with other more recently read Dostoyevsky books. The emphasis was mainly on the cynical and, from Dostoyevsky's point of view, misguided activities of political radicals in Russia at that time. There are some interesting portraits, such as that of Stavrogin, but the book is not as compelling as Crime and Punishment, which I also read at that time. ( )

This is not an easy read, but (as always) Dostoyevsky is worth the effort. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around all the ideas in this book. ( )