The Unmovable Idea in Netochka Nezvanova

Abstract

Immobility of thought, unnatural, frozen genius turned madness – that is how F.M. Dostoevsky describes the main character’s state of mind in Netochka Nezvanova. Absence of mental development and spiritual “death” destroy Egor Efimov. Once and for all, he focuses on himself as an unrecognized genius. He rejects other people’s opinion, defending himself from any commotions. Efimov doesn’t let himself trust others and he isn’t able to create anything. His defensiveness before any little things in life, his irritability, and his inability to judge his own actions critically are signs of mental illness. He should be an unrecognized genius, otherwise for him his life would turn into nothing, it would become meaningless, and nothing would justify his existence.

Keywords

• oxymoron
• schizophrenia
• immobility of thought
• genius
• idée fixe
• fixation
• unappreciated