“A NIGHT CONVERSATION WITH DOSTOEVSKY”: AN ANALYSIS OF THE ESSAY

Abstract:

This article analyzes the ideological and psychological contradictions in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Diary of a Writer. The study refers to Ibrahim Gafurov’s essay “A Night Conversation with Dostoevsky,” which questions why a writer known for deep humanism and compassion could support imperial and colonial policies. The paper explores several factors that may explain this paradox. First, Dostoevsky’s strong attachment to Russian national identity and his concern for the destiny of his people influenced his political views. Second, the historical context of the nineteenth century, when imperial expansion was often justified as a civilizing mission, shaped the writer’s worldview. Third, the article examines psychological explanations, including Dostoevsky’s illness (epilepsy) and possible epileptoid personality traits described in psychological literature. Freud’s model of the psyche (Id, Ego, Superego) is also applied to interpret how unconscious impulses and internal conflicts may have influenced the writer’s creative expression. The study concludes that Diary of a Writer reflects only one facet of Dostoevsky’s complex personality. His genius lies in his ability to depict the most irrational and contradictory aspects of the human psyche, making his work a unique phenomenon in world literature.