Fyodor Dostoevsky

Fyodor Dostoevsky was born in Moscow to Maria Dostoevskaya and Dr Mikhail Dostoevsky on 11 November 1821. His childhood was spent in the Mariinsky Hospital for the Poor, where his father was employed. At a young age, he was introduced to great works of literature and the Christian faith, both of which would shape his future literary preoccupations.

He embarked on a brief military career, before publishing early works like Poor Folk (1845) and White Nights (1848). He became increasingly interested in utopian socialism and was arrested in 1849 for engaging with banned works.

By the time he married his second wife, Anna Dostoevskaya, he had achieved considerable success with Crime and Punishment (1866), but was completely impoverished due to his gambling addiction. She took strict control over the family’s finances and the success of Demons (1871–2), combined with Dostoevsky’s work with periodicals, offered them some security.

Dostoevsky’s health continued to decline, and he died of a pulmonary haemorrhage on 9 February 1881 in St Petersburg.