"White Nights" by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Psychological Romanticism
(Read time: 4 minutes)
First Night
It was a wonderful night, such a night as is only possible when we are young, dear reader. The sky was so starry, so bright that, looking at it, one could not help asking oneself whether ill-humoured and capricious people could live under such a sky. That is a youthful question too, dear reader, very youthful, but may the Lord put it more frequently into your heart!
... Speaking of capricious and ill-humoured people, I cannot help recalling my moral condition all that day. From early morning I had been oppressed by a strange despondency. It suddenly seemed to me that I was lonely, that every one was forsaking me and going away from me. Of course, any one is entitled to ask who "every one" was.
For though I had been living almost eight years in Petersburg I had hardly an acquaintance. But what did I want with acquaintances? I was acquainted with all Petersburg as it was; that was why I felt as though they were all deserting me when all Petersburg packed up and went to its summer villa.
I felt afraid of being left alone, and for three whole days I wandered about the town in profound dejection, not knowing what to do with myself. Whether I walked in the Nevsky, went to the Gardens or sauntered on the embankment, there was not one face of those I had been accustomed to meet at the same time and place all the year. They, of course, do not know me, but I know them.
I know them intimately, I have almost made a study of their faces, and am delighted when they are gay, and downcast when they are under a cloud. I have almost struck up a friendship with one old man whom I meet every blessed day, at the same hour in Fontanka. Such a grave, pensive countenance; he is always whispering to himself and brandishing his left arm, while in his right hand he holds a long gnarled stick with a gold knob. He even notices me and takes a warm interest in me.
If I happen not to be at a certain time in the same spot in Fontanka, I am certain he feels disappointed. That is how it is that we almost bow to each other, especially when we are both in good humour. The other day, when we had not seen each other for two days and met on the third, we were actually touching our hats, but, realizing in time, dropped our hands and passed each other with a look of interest.
I know the houses too. As I walk along they seem to run forward in the streets to look out at me from every window, and almost to say: "Good-morning! How do you do? I am quite well, thank God, and I am to have a new storey in May," or, "How are you? I am being redecorated to-morrow;" or, "I was almost burnt down and had such a fright," and so on.
I have my favourites among them, some are dear friends; one of them intends to be treated by the architect this summer. I shall go every day on purpose to see that the operation is not a failure. God forbid! But I shall never forget an incident with a very pretty little house of a light pink colour. It was such a charming little brick house, it looked so hospitably at me, and so proudly at its ungainly neighbours, that my heart rejoiced whenever I happened to pass it.
Suddenly last week I walked along the street, and when I looked at my friend I heard a plaintive, "They are painting me yellow!" The villains! The barbarians! They had spared nothing, neither columns, nor cornices, and my poor little friend was as yellow as a canary.
BUYWhite Nights by Fyodor Dostoevsky
White Nights is a story told from the perspective of an unnamed narrator, a lonely dreamer living in St. Petersburg. One night, he meets a young woman named Nastenka, and over the course of four nights, they share their hopes, sorrows, and fantasies. The novella captures a brief, transformative encounter that illuminates the emotional depths of human connection and the melancholy of unrealized dreams.
Historical Context
Written in 1848, White Nights reflects a period when St. Petersburg was both a symbol of Russia's modernization and a place of immense social disparity. Dostoevsky’s own experiences with poverty and his affinity for the downtrodden shine through in the novella, which is steeped in the atmosphere of a city caught between dreams and harsh reality.
Quotes
“But how could you live and have no story to tell?”
“My God, a moment of bliss. Why, isn't that enough for a whole lifetime?”
“I am a dreamer. I know so little of real life that I just can't help re-living such moments as these in my dreams, for such moments are something I have very rarely experienced. I am going to dream about you the whole night, the whole week, the whole year. I feel I know you so well that I couldn't have known you better if we'd been friends for twenty years. You won't fail me, will you? Only two minutes, and you've made me happy forever. Yes, happy. Who knows, perhaps you've reconciled me with myself, resolved all my doubts.”
Related Reading
No Longer Human – An exploration of loneliness and existential despair, with a protagonist who struggles to find his place in society.
The Sorrows of Young Werther by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe – A similarly romantic tale of unrequited love and the inner turmoil it brings.
White Nights is a testament to the ephemeral nature of love and the deep desire for connection that resides within us all. It’s a story where even a momentary bond can touch the soul, leaving an imprint long after it fades away. As you ponder this tale of longing and loneliness, may it inspire you to embrace the beauty of the moment and seek meaning in life’s most fleeting encounters. Until next time, let the night linger and keep dreaming.
