
The Double: A Petersburg Poem
'The Double: A Petersburg Poem ' Summary
In Saint Petersburg, Yakov Petrovich Golyadkin works as a titular councillor a low-level bureaucrat struggling to succeed.
Golyadkin has a formative discussion with his Doctor Rutenspitz, who fears for his sanity and tells him that his behaviour is dangerously antisocial. He prescribes "cheerful company" as the remedy. Golyadkin resolves to try this, and leaves the office. He proceeds to a birthday party for Klara Olsufyevna, the daughter of his office manager. He was uninvited, and a series of faux pas lead to his expulsion from the party. On his way home through a snowstorm, he encounters a man who looks exactly like him, his double. The following two thirds of the novel then deals with their evolving relationship.
At first, Golyadkin and his double are friends, but Golyadkin Jr. proceeds to attempt to take over Sr.'s life, and they become bitter enemies. Because Golyadkin Jr. has all the charm, unctuousness and social skills that Golyadkin Sr. lacks, he is very well-liked among the office colleagues. At the story's conclusion, Golyadkin Sr. begins to see many replicas of himself, has a psychotic break, and is dragged off to an asylum by Doctor Rutenspitz.
Book Details
Authors

Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Russia
Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky, sometimes transliterated as Dostoyevsky, was a Russian novelist, philosopher, short story writer, essayist, and journalist. Dostoevsky's literary works explore human ps...
Books by Fyodor DostoyevskyDownload eBooks
Unfortunately, no ebooks exist for this book, yet...
Listen/Download Audiobook
Related books

To the lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
Embark on an unforgettable journey through the pages of "To The Lighthouse" by Virginia Woolf. Written in 1927, this literary gem captures the essence...

A Woman's Life by Guy de Maupassant
A Woman's Life is a captivating novel by Guy de Maupassant that chronicles the life of Jeanne, a young woman born into a wealthy Norman family. From h...

Cad Metti, The Female Detective Strategist by George Munro
It follows the story of a young woman named Cad Metti, who becomes a private detective and is tasked with solving a complex and dangerous case. The bo...

The Big Blue Soldier by Grace Livingston Hill
This is a captivating novel written by Grace Livingston Hill, a renowned author known for her inspiring and heartwarming stories. This book was writte...

The Bagpipers by George Sand
It revolves around the lives of two brothers, Julien and Auguste, who share a passion for bagpipes. The story explores the themes of family, love, and...

Toilers of the Sea by Victor Hugo
The story concerns a Guernseyman named Gilliatt, a social outcast who falls in love with Deruchette, the niece of a local shipowner, Mess Lethierry. W...

The Wounded Name by D. K. Broster
It tells the story of a young girl named Veronica who moves to Scotland to attend a boarding school. The book was written in 1917 and remains an impor...

St. George and St. Michael, Volume 2 by George MacDonald
In the enthralling second volume of George MacDonald's timeless masterpiece, "St. George and St. Michael," embark on a spellbinding journey to a world...

The Spring Song by Forrest Reid
This novel explores the coming of age journey of a young boy. The book was first published in 1929 and is considered one of Forrest Reid's most notabl...

The Last Ditch by Violet Hunt
In the heart of World War I, an aristocratic family finds themselves grappling with the harsh realities of war and the erosion of their old-world valu...
Reviews for The Double: A Petersburg Poem
No reviews posted or approved, yet...