Dostoevsky’s books often deal with the theme of the “little man,” and the main characters of “Poor People” did not escape this fate. The characteristics of such a character as Makar Devushkin allow us to understand how one can justify the title of a real person at the cost of one’s own nobility, generosity and selflessness. Fyodor Mikhailovich’s novel “Poor People”, without any doubt, deserves attention.
Makar Devushkin
Makar Devushkin is a small official with a small salary. He has been working as an employee for thirty years (the man is forty-seven). If we give a brief description of Makar Devushkin, then the following description will fit:
- modest;
- quiet;
- inconspicuous.
The character's last name speaks for itself. This is a weak-willed person, a vivid example of a so-called little person (such people are repeatedly mentioned in classical literature). The character has many similarities with Pushkin’s “Station Agent”. He is also insignificant for society, people do not pay attention to him. He does not experience career growth, but he shows a desire to support those in need. He is a kind, sympathetic and generous person. Gentleness is manifested in both actions and speech. The happiness of his loved ones is a priority for him over his own well-being.
Despite his kindness, Devushkin is a man of principles. He is unable to give up his inner convictions for the sake of lofty goals. The hero does not have the brutality characteristic of a man; he is not proud or arrogant. According to the character himself, he was unable to achieve success in his career because he was “kind” and “meek.” To obtain titles, you need an iron grip.
In his speech, a man often uses words with diminutive suffixes:
- dress;
- boots;
- little mother.
His appearance also hints at his weakness of character. Work does not bring a man any joy, the desired income, or development. He likes to spend time reading the works of great writers of Russian literature. In some of them he finds his resemblance to small and insignificant people. This contributes to a reassessment of the hero’s worldview, and gradually he begins to somehow establish himself in life.
After reading one of the books, Devushkin decides to completely change his life and his own personality. His self-esteem increases, he learns self-respect by sacrificing himself and performing selfless acts.
History of creation
The winter of 1844 is considered to be the beginning of the implementation of Fyodor Mikhailovich’s plan. Without advertising his plans and ideas, the writer hoped to publish the work in October of the same year, but the work required revision.
In the spring of 1845, editing of the text continues, and final amendments are made. The manuscript is ready in early May. Grigorovich, Nekrasov and Belinsky were the first readers, and already in January 1846, the “Petersburg Collection” introduced the novel to the general public. A separate edition was published in 1847.
Stylistic changes were added by Dostoevsky later, when preparing collected works of his works.
Researchers of the writer’s work believe that many of the characters in “Poor People” had prototypes.
Read more: F.M. Dostoevsky “Poor People”: the history of the creation of the novel
Varvara Dobroselova
Varvara Dobroselova is a heroine who corresponds with Makar Devushkin. She lost her family, she had to experience betrayal and meanness. She finds a kindred spirit in the main character, willingly tells him about her thoughts and worries, and treats the man’s life with sympathy. They have a trusting and warm relationship. However, unlike Makar, the girl has more pragmatism and will.
The heroine is a meek, kind, but at the same time unhappy lady. Dostoevsky shows a personality with a strong inner core. Varvara boasts foresight and practicality. She supports herself by doing sewing. Nevertheless, the girl easily gives up her principles for the sake of something better and bigger.
She longs to have stability in her life and becomes the wife of the rich man Bykov, whom she does not love. Its goal is only to obtain the desired status and material wealth. Dobroselova believes that it is better to be with someone you don’t love, but not have problems with finances. The heroine is ready for a lot, wanting to survive in this cruel world.
Both Devushkin and Dobroselova are presented in the work as people with a soft heart and character. They both lack understanding, warmth and love. Despite their different ages, they feel a kindred spirit in each other.
The main characters and their characteristics
The system of images in the novel “Poor People” is interesting because the characters talk about themselves, and we can not only find out the author’s opinion about them, but also hear their voices.
| Makar Devushkin | Titular Advisor. He has a penchant for literature, although he knows little about it. Kind and compassionate, he can give his last money to help someone who needs it. He tends to see enemies in those around him, and is painfully worried about sidelong glances and jokes made at him. At work he feels extremely constrained and is afraid to even look up from his papers. He cannot consider himself equal to other people, and is always afraid of being ridiculed: “What will people say?” Sometimes a desire awakens in him to rebel against the injustice and cruelty of people. But he is unable to control his own feelings, and his rebellion ends with him drinking too much with his last money. Varenka becomes his only joy and meaning of existence. He suffers deeply after losing her. |
| Varvara Dobroselova | Varenka is a young girl who was left an orphan. She was deceived by the wealthy landowner Anna Fedorovna, who first sheltered her and her mother after the death of their father, but then began to reproach and take advantage of their dependent position. The girl does not want to be a burden for Makar, knowing that he gives her his last. She tries with all her might to earn money and respond to him with gratitude. Unlike Makar, Varya can be called a more determined and strong girl. In her letters, she often makes comments to him, she can be strict, but she always responds with gratitude for the good that he does for her. She introduces Devushkin to good literature. For the sake of Makar Devushkin and to restore her reputation, she marries Bykov, because she understands that Devushkin will never leave caring for her, although he himself needs help. |
Minor characters and their characteristics:
| Peter Pokrovsky | Peter became Varenka's first love. This is a young, very well-read man who also lived in Anna Fedorovna’s house. The main value in Peter's life was books - he especially loved Pushkin. |
| Mr. Bykov | A mean and unpleasant person, capable of meanness. Bykov brings disgrace to Varenka's name. Because of his conspiracy with Anna Fedorovna, she was forced to move out. Bykov openly tells Varya that he is offering her his hand solely for reasons of personal gain - he needs an heir and a wife in order to disinherit his “scoundrel nephew.” As soon as he receives her consent, he begins to behave even more unpleasantly than before: he rushes Varya with the wedding, treats the event itself as an unworthy matter that needs to be completed as soon as possible. He does not read books and treats them extremely negatively and dismissively, which characterizes him as a limited person. |
| Anna Fedorovna | Anna Fedorovna is a wealthy landowner who sheltered Varya and her mother after the death of her father. She accuses the father of the family of stupidity and short-sightedness. He speaks negatively about him. Later it turns out that her goal is to sell Varya to a rich landowner. She is a pimp who specifically keeps young girls in her house. She is also raising her niece Sasha. Anna Fedorovna, seeing that Varya refuses Bykov, accuses her of not being able to defend her honor and missing the opportunity to arrange her life. |
Bykov's image
This character has significant differences from previous heroes. This is the owner of life, the main features of which are:
- insolence;
- coarseness;
- stubbornness.
He always achieves his goals using absolutely any means. The point of view of others is indifferent to him. He looks down on people without regard for their needs, desires and feelings. Dostoevsky shows Bykov as a complete egoist. He uses others like things without remorse. As long as he needs a person for something, he maintains contact with him. So, he marries Dobroselova for his own benefit, he is not in love with this girl.
A man wants to have an heir, he dreams of a son to whom he can transfer his acquired property after his death. If Bykov does not have children of his own, then everything will go to the hated nephew. He would not be upset at all if Varvara refused to marry him. It wouldn't be too difficult for him to quickly find a replacement for her. By nature, this man is a real despot and hypocrite. This is an enterprising and practical, immoral and unprincipled person who clearly understands what he needs.
You can judge a character's character by his last name. Even before marriage, he treats Varvara as his property, which he can dispose of at his own discretion, because he is not used to standing on ceremony with things.
Anna Fedorovna and the Gorshkov family
Anna Fedorovna is a rich lady leading a strange lifestyle. She demonstrates her virtue and mercy to those around her, but in reality the woman has a hard heart. This is an insidious, cruel and selfish nature. She is constantly on the move, fussing all the time, never sitting in one place.
The woman offers help to her family, but her goal is personal gain. She has no love or compassion for those in need. Even Bykov notes her deceitful nature. At one time, the heroine helped the landowner avoid shame by passing off a girl who became pregnant from him to another rich man.
The Gorshkov family are Devushkin’s poor neighbors. This is a married couple with three children. For seven years, the husband has not worked, as the litigation with justice has been dragging on all this time. Because of this, you have to count pennies. After the death of their eldest son, the family weeps quietly in their home. Gorshkov is acquitted. Everything is going well, he is supposed to receive compensation, but the head of the family has significantly damaged his nervous system over many years of moral overstrain, and therefore he cannot stand this news and dies.
Student Pokrovsky and his father
Student Pokrovsky is an eternally ill and poor young man. A young man named Peter is educated and well-read, his father is proud of him. The guy hides his true origin, does not like it when his parent visits him. Sometimes he gets irritated, but still becomes a close friend for Dobroselova. Pokrovsky earns his living by giving private lessons, but spends most of his finances on literature. He has health problems, one day he falls ill and dies, unable to overcome the illness. This causes him a lot of grief to his loved ones.
The father loves his son very much, seeing in him the meaning of his life. He likes to visit his son, but he is not eager to see his parent often. So, they meet twice a week. When Peter dies, the old man is very worried. He goes crazy with grief, mourning his son.
The history of writing the novel
Dostoevsky conceived his work long before it saw the light. The prototypes of the main characters of “Poor People” were the relatives and friends of the then little-known writer . During his life he had the opportunity to meet many needy, poor and hungry people. The father was a doctor, the family lived in the same building where the hospital was located.
From childhood, Fyodor Mikhailovich remembered many stories of people who found themselves in poverty. In his youth, he showed great interest in the lives of those who found themselves at the very bottom. Dostoevsky completed Poor People in 1845. Critics and readers greeted the work favorably. The author was inspired to create it by the discrepancy between the spiritual world and external painful poverty. He wanted to write a novel in which he could reveal the problems and characters of people who live on the edge of poverty.
It must be said that for three to four years Dostoevsky corrected the text of the work, taking into account the comments of critics. In 1846, “Poor People” was published in the “Petersburg Collection”. Fyodor Mikhailovich was really able to clearly show reality through the eyes of his characters.
The writer revealed the theme of the lives of people who, due to circumstances, are forced to limit themselves in everything. The key idea of the work is that the poor deserve compassion, participation and fair treatment, which was not the case in Russia at that time . The novel's narrative is permeated with hopelessness, lack of opportunity to improve something, and impenetrable poverty.
Dostoevsky focused on the fact that despite difficult circumstances, people continue to live, feel, suffer, be spiritually rich and proud. The problems of the work are so broad that it has become on a par with the works of the classics, despite the little experience of the author of the novel.
Fyodor Mikhailovich puts his heroes in such a tragic situation that after reading, an aftertaste of despair remains . Through the inner world of the characters, the author shows not only poverty, but also the poor, downtrodden position of a person who has no respect for himself.
Meaning
The main idea of the work “Poor People” is expressed in the fact that a person cannot be neglected, no matter whether he is poor or rich. Everyone deserves merciful and compassionate treatment; people should not live in conditions that degrade their human dignity.
The main idea of the novel “Poor People” largely boils down to the fact that the poor often turn out to be spiritually richer than those who have great wealth. And among the dirt, injustice and cruelty, there is always a place for a bright and kind attitude towards each other. Mercy lives in the souls of those who most need it.
