Two centuries of the Russian classics Two centuries of the Russian classics 2686-7494 IWL RAS https://doi.org/10.22455/2686-7494-2025-7-2-142-175 Research Article Articles Two Versions of the Portrait of a “Person Intensely Conscious”: Notes from the Underground by F. M. Dostoevsky as a Creative Response to Boyhood and Youth by L. N. Tolstoy Evlampiev Igor I. red@rusklassika.ru Inga Yu. Matveeva red@rusklassika.ru 25 06 2025 7 2 142 175 F. M. Dostoevsky L. N. Tolstoy spiritual development personality type human improvement dreaminess artistic image wet snow Copyright © 2026, IWL RAS 2026 The article, contrary to the established tradition of contrasting the character of F. M. Dostoevsky’s novella Notes from Underground and the autobiographical character of L. N. Tolstoy’s stories Boyhood and Youth, proves that they belong to the same type of dreamer, first presented in Dostoevsky’s story “White Nights.” The most significant difference between them lies in the contrast of their inherent worldviews: Nikolenka Irtenyev is optimistic and believes in the attainability of the ideal of perfection, while Dostoevsky’s character is in a pessimistic mood. This does not allow him to fight for the embodiment of his potential merits in life. 1. Bilinkis, Ia. S. Novatorstvo L. N. Tolstogo v trilogii “Detstvo”, “Otrochestvo”, “Iunost’” [Leo Tolstoy’s Innovation in the Trilogy “Childhood,” “Boyhood,” “Youth”]. Leningrad, The Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia Publ., 1973. 40 p. (In Russ.) 2. Evlampiev, I. I. Filosofiia cheloveka v tvorchestve F. Dostoevskogo (ot rannikh proizvedenii k “Brat’iam Karamazovym”) [Philosophy of Man in the Works of F. Dostoevsky (From Early Works to “The Brothers Karamazov”)]. St. Petersburg, Russian Christian Academy for Humanities Publ., 2012. 585 p. (In Russ.) 3. Evlampiev, I. I. Obraz Iisusa Khrista v filosofskom mirovozzrenii F. M. Dostoevskogo [The Image of Jesus Christ in the Philosophical Worldview of F. M. Dostoevsky]. St. Petersburg, Russian Christian Academy for Humanities Publ., 2021. 600 p. (In Russ.) 4. Kibal’nik, S. A. Problemy intertekstual’noi poetiki Dostoevskogo [Problems of Intertextual Poetics of Dostoevsky]. St. Petersburg, Petropolis Publ., 2013. 432 p. (In Russ.) 5. Matveeva, I. Iu. “Temy F. Dostoevskogo v povesti L. Tolstogo ʽFal’shivyi kupon’.” [“Dostoevsky’s Theme in Tolstoy’s ʽThe Forged Coupon’.”] Voprosy literatury, no. 6, 2022, pp. 81–99. https://doi.org/10.31425/0042-8795-2022-6-81-99 (In Russ.) 6. Pomerants, G. S. Otkrytost’ bezdne. Vstrechi s Dostoevskim [Openness to the Abyss. Meetings with Dostoevsky]. Moscow, St. Petersburg, Tsentr gumanitarnykh initsiativ Publ., 1990. 384 p. (In Russ.) 7. Slivitskaia, O. V. “Molodoi Tolstoi: preodolenie resentimenta” [“Young Tolstoy: Overcoming Resentment”]. Vestnik Sankt-Peterburgskogo gosudarstvennogo instituta kul’tury, no. 2, 2006, pp. 86–105. (In Russ.) 8. Tikhomirov, B. N. “ʽZapiski iz podpol’ia’ kak khudozhestvennoe tseloe” [“ʽNotes from Underground’ as a Fictional Whole”]. Tikhomirov, B. N. “...Ia zanimaius’ etoi tainoi, ibo khochu byt’ chelovekom”. Stat’i i esse o Dostoevskom [“...I Am Engaged in This Mystery Because I Want to Be a Man.” Articles and Essays About Dostoevsky”]. St. Petersburg, Serebrianyi vek Publ., 2012, pp. 268–299. (In Russ.) 9. Fedorova, E. A., and V. V. Liubarets. “Tema otrochestva v tvorchestve L. N. Tolstogo i F. M. Dostoevskogo: aksiologicheskii podkhod A. A. Ukhtomskogo” [“The Theme of Adolescence in the Works of L. N. Tolstoy and F. M. Dostoevsky: Axiological Approach of A. A. Ukhtomsky”]. Dva veka russkoi klassiki, vol. 6, no. 3, 2024, pp. 126–143.  https://doi.org/10.22455/2686-7494-2024-6-3-126-143 (In Russ.)