Notes from Underground

<p><em>Notes from Underground</em> by Fyodor Dostoevsky is a psychological novel that presents the confessions of an unnamed narrator often called the Underground Man. Bitter isolated and deeply self-critical he rails against society rationalism and the idea that human behavior can be reduced to logic or self-interest.</p><p>The book is divided into two parts: in the first the Underground Man delivers a monologue filled with contradictions exploring themes of free will resentment and the irrational nature of human beings. In the second he recounts episodes from his life including his humiliating interactions with former schoolmates and a painful relationship with a young prostitute named Liza which reveal his inability to connect with others.</p><p>Through this fragmented and contradictory voice Dostoevsky critiques modernity reason and alienation making <em>Notes from Underground</em> one of the first and most influential existentialist works.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p>