Oppression, Mock Execution, Harsh Labour in Siberia; Severe Nature of Dostoevsky’s Life as a Writer

A smell of fresh fruit wafted in the air when I walked past Kuznechny Market. It could’ve been around 7 am. Stallholders were preparing their goods for sale since, as far as I remember, the markets opened at 8 every morning. I was heading into one of the cafés nearby. Their baked goods were considered to be the best in St Petersburg which I couldn’t but agree with. Taking a large cup of black coffee and two pieces of marble cake, I went towards one of the bridges over the river Neva. Sitting on a wooden bench, I watched the colourful sunrise above the river. I was impatiently waiting for the Dostoevsky Memorial Museum to open its doors.

“One cannot keep silent when lies and immortality are preached as truth and virtue under the guise of religion and the protection of the knout;” as Belinsky wrote in his letter to Gogol in 1847. As such could be described the purpose of Petraschevsky Circle established during the 1840s. Disagreement with the then regime of the Russian state, besides other things, laid the foundations for such an association. Among other Russian intellectuals, Fyodor M. Dostoevsky was an active member of the Circle which, eventually, caused his later life to develop the way it did.

Belinsky’s letter was to be seen in one of the display cabinets. It was a large piece of lacquered, carved wood. The letter was placed under the upper glass. It was positioned on a claret suede panel with a little descriptive note next to it. While I let myself be astonished by the letter’s presence, the guide of our group began narrating some pieces of Russian history followed by a story of Dostoevsky’s life. As I walked around the exhibition, I was eagerly listening to her words.

Despite Decembrists’ efforts, the Russian state “tightened its grip on the intellectual freedom of its writers”

December of 1825 was a tough month for the Russian nation. Following the death of Alexander I, a new Tsar ascended the throne. While Alexander’s reign was promising several reformations and changes resulting in a more liberal regime, Nicholas I had rather different intentions.

Alexander’s death caused a public commotion. People were determined to fight for their rights, even if it meant taking up arms against their own Tsar. This encouraged the elite of the military forces, later named as ‘Decembrists,’ to battle for their nation’s freedom. The Decembrist Revolt took place in St Petersburg, on December 26, 1825. Regrettably, it was suppressed by the Tsar’s forces. The Decembrists’ efforts were not enough to stop the Tsar’s intentions.

This revolutionary act had caused some minor changes in Nicholas’ reign. However, people did not accomplish their desires - freedom in the true sense of a word. In order to achieve ‘the intellectual freedom of writers,’ there was formed the association of Russian intellectual dissidents, known as Petraschevsky Circle.

Disapproval of communism, terrorism and serfdom compelled Dostoevsky to join Petraschevsky Circle

During Nicholas’ reign, Russia remained under strong autocracy. Besides other things, the regime’s intention was to substantially restrict the lives of people from the higher-society levels. It applied to scientists, professors, artists or writers. For their knowledge and independence of mind, such people posed a threat to the Russian monarch.

Petraschevsky Circle was a radical association of Russian intellectuals. It was established by Mikhail Petraschevsky. There were a number of groups comprising professors, students, writers and military officers. Each of those had a representative figure who led regular meetings of the group members. Whereas their political views and opinions might have differed, they all formed a democratic base aiming to disturb the Russian autocracy.

Petraschevsky led a group of Russian writers. Their meetings took place in his house. Mainly, they discussed Western philosophy and literature which was banned during Nicholas’ reign. They had regular readings from Petraschevsky’s collection of censored books. Dostoevsky joined the Circle in 1847. Like the other members, he joined the association primarily based on his strong disapproval of the current political situation. He became one of the major members of the writers’ club. His reading of Belinsky’s letter, which was “supportive of its promotion of Westernisation” at that point, symbolized the milestone of the whole Circle.

Following the sequence of revolutions around Europe in 1848, the Russians were afraid that it would continue across the Russian borders. After the riots accompanying Nicholas’ ascension to the throne, they would not allow anything similar to happen again. Therefore, “the government began to crack down heavily on any perceived dissent” within the state’s territory. Eventually, Petraschevsky Circle was disbanded in 1849.

“One of the prisoners went permanently insane on the spot; another went on to write Crime and Punishment”

Once the Circle was infiltrated by the Russian government, all the members were immediately arrested and sentenced to death. Dostoevsky was imprisoned from April to December 1949. On December 22, “a sentence of death by firing squad was pronounced” on the Semyonovsky Square in St Petersburg. At the last minute, the prisoners were spared their lives by Tsar. He intended “this mock-execution ceremony” to be part of the far more dreaded punishment which followed.

In Tsar’s eyes, the execution on the spot would not be a satisfactory punishment. Instead, Dostoevsky was sent to a Siberian labour camp. He was sentenced to four years of hard labour, to be followed by five years in the position of a soldier. Extremely brutal conditions together with the time he was given to spend there had an immense impact on Dostoevsky’s personality. After coming back to Russia, he started writing novels based on his latest experiences. The significant change in his character may be clearly distinguishable throughout their pages.

As many would certainly doubt, “being sent to prison was the best thing that ever happened to Fyodor Dostoyevsky”

Dostoevsky spent nearly ten years in Siberian imprisonment. Those years were significant for his inner growth far more than could have been anticipated even by Dostoevsky. When he finally returned to Russia in 1859, he founded a magazine, travelled to Europe and originated some of his most celebrated works.

The first four years were the hardest. Dostoevsky was obliged to labour in harsh, inhospitable conditions in Siberia. It was physical, but also a tremendous mental burden. Earlier in life, Dostoevsky was accustomed to the environment of educated, higher-society individuals. This was mainly induced by the membership in Petraschevsky Circle. In Siberia, “he was subjected to treatment as a lowly criminal.”

The labour camp was designated for criminals. Burglars, plunderers, killers or political detainees - anyone could be sentenced to hard labour in such a camp. Dostoevsky spent most of his time with “those from the lower echelons of society.” It was a completely new experience for someone like him. Nevertheless, it turned out to be enriching for his later writing, as he “gained the insight into the darker side of humanity, the evil and godless behavior.”

We were gathered in the last room of the exhibition. We could’ve walked through at least six of them in total. This room was small, square-shaped with yellowish painted walls. Though the colour was a bit faded and old looking, it couldn’t destroy that magnificent atmosphere of the room. There was a massive wooden library along with one of the walls. Apart from a few vases with fresh flowers, it was filled with Dostoevsky’s books. There were all of his notable titles, such as Idiot or Karamazov Brothers. I was amazed. Before leaving the museum, I couldn’t resist and purchased a paperback copy of Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment.

I was standing on the street. A few steps in front of me was “a five-storey building with balconies on its lower levels but none at the top.” The building seemed very ordinary. It was a typical construction of stone and concrete. The facade was yellow. It had stains here and there, as it was situated right next to the road. There were plenty of windows. All were rectangle shaped. The rooftop was flat. It looked just like every other building in St Petersburg. But it wasn’t exactly true.

“On an exceptionally hot evening early in July a young man came out of the garret in which he lodged in S. Place [Stolyarny Lane] and walked slowly, as though in hesitation, towards K. Bridge [Kokushkin Bridge].”

I appeared to be on the corner of Stolyarny Lane. I was holding my brand-new copy of Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment. I must’ve looked strange to the people walking past, as my mind was not present anymore.

I was awaiting Raskolnikov to come out. As far as I could remember, “his garret was right beneath the eaves of a tall, five-storey building and resembled a cupboard more than it did a room.” I stood still for a while. I was expecting him to accompany me on my way towards Kokushkin Bridge.