In the realm of literature, few names command as much reverence and fascination as Fyodor Dostoevsky. His profound insights into the human psyche, coupled with his ability to unravel the complex layers of the human soul, have left an indelible mark on the world of literature. Dostoevsky's works have not only shaped the landscape of Russian literature but have also resonated with readers worldwide. In this exploration, we will delve into the enigmatic world of one of Russia's greatest literary giants and unearth the timeless wisdom embedded within Quotes By Fyodor Dostoevsky.
Quotes By Fyodor Dostoevsky (2024)
Fyodor Dostoevsky's literary genius has left an indelible mark on the world of literature. His profound insights into the human soul, morality, and existentialism continue to captivate readers worldwide. In this collection of unique quotes by Fyodor Dostoevsky, we delve into the depths of his literary wisdom, exploring the complexities of human nature and the timeless themes that permeate his works.
"Man is what he believes."
"The soul is healed by being with children."
"Man grows used to everything, the scoundrel!"
"Pain and suffering are always inevitable for a large intelligence and a deep heart."
"The greatest happiness is to know the source of unhappiness."
"Love in action is a harsh and dreadful thing compared to love in dreams."
"I think the devil doesn't exist, but man has created him, he has created him in his own image and likeness."
"The mystery of human existence lies not in just staying alive, but in finding something to live for."
"To live without hope is to cease to live."
"We're all human, aren't we? Every human life is worth the same, and worth saving."
"If you want to be respected by others, the great thing is to respect yourself. Only by that, only by self-respect will you compel others to respect you."
"The mystery of human existence lies not in just staying alive but in finding something to live for."
"Man is what he hides."
"The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons."
"Distrust all in whom the impulse to punish is powerful."
"The second half of a man's life is made up of nothing but the habits he has acquired during the first half."
"Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most."
"If you wish to glimpse inside a human soul and get to know a man, don't bother analyzing his ways of being silent, of talking, of weeping, of seeing how much he is moved by noble ideas; you will get better results if you just watch him laugh."
"The greatest and most powerful revolutions often start very quietly, hidden in the shadows."
"The darker the night, the brighter the stars."
"It takes something more than intelligence to act intelligently."
"Every ant knows the formula of its ant-hill, every bee knows the formula of its beehive. They know it in their own way, not in our way. Only humankind does not know its own way."
"We sometimes encounter people, even perfect strangers, who begin to interest us at first sight, somehow suddenly, all at once, before a word has been spoken."
"I did not bow down to you, I bowed down to all suffering humanity."
"Without God, everything is permitted."
"A man's worth is judged by the amount of truth he can endure."
"Man is sometimes extraordinarily, passionately, in love with suffering."
"The more I love humanity in general, the less I love man in particular."
"The cleverest of all, in my opinion, is the man who calls himself a fool at least once a month."
"To go wrong in one's own way is better than to go right in someone else's."
"People speak sometimes about the "bestial" cruelty of man, but that is terribly unjust and offensive to beasts. No animal could ever be so cruel as a man, so artfully, so artistically cruel."
"Don't be overwise; fling yourself straight into life, without deliberation; don't be afraid—the flood will bear you to the bank and set you safe on your feet again."
"Every ant knows the formula of its anthill, every bee knows the formula of its beehive. They know it in their own way, not in our way. Only humankind does not know its own formula."
"Lying to ourselves is more deeply ingrained than lying to others."
"In order to love, we must first understand."
"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."
"Love the animals, love the plants, love everything. If you love everything, you will perceive the divine mystery in things. Once you perceive it, you will begin to comprehend it better every day. And you will come at last to love the whole world with an all-embracing love."
"It is not as a child that I believe and confess Jesus Christ. My hosanna is born of a furnace of doubt."
"If you want to overcome the whole world, overcome yourself."
"To love someone means to see them as God intended them."
"Lack of originality, everywhere, all over the world, from time immemorial, has always been considered the foremost quality and the recommendation of the active, efficient and practical man."
"Beauty will save the world."
"Man is fond of counting his troubles but he does not count his joys."
"Every man has some reminiscences which he would not tell to everyone, but only to his friends."
"A society should be judged not by how it treats its outstanding citizens but by how it treats its criminals."
"Sarcasm: the last refuge of modest and chaste-souled people when the privacy of their soul is coarsely and intrusively invaded."
"There is no happiness in life, there is only a mirage on the horizon, so cherish that."
"What is hell? I maintain that it is the suffering of being unable to love."
"The more I detest men individually, the more ardent becomes my love for humanity."
"Man is sometimes extraordinarily, passionately in love with suffering."
"The greatest proof of our culture and sophistication is our ability to accept other people's suffering as our own."
"I wish to live a life of meaning."
"A man who has a vision is not able to use the power of it until after he has performed the vision on earth for the people to see."
"The best way to keep a prisoner from escaping is to make sure he never knows he's in prison."
"The man who has a conscience suffers whilst acknowledging his sin. That is his punishment - as well as prison."
"The greatest happiness is to know that you are loved for yourself or, more correctly, loved in spite of yourself."
"You can be sincere and still be stupid."
"Man is a mystery. It needs to be unravelled, and if you spend your whole life unravelling it, don't say that you've wasted time. I am studying that mystery because I want to be a human being."
"If you wish to glimpse inside a human soul and get to know a man, don't bother analyzing his ways of being silent, of talking, of weeping, or seeing how much he is moved by noble ideas; you will get better results if you just watch him laugh. If he laughs well, he's a good man."
"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars."
"Love in action is a harsh and dreadful thing compared with love in dreams."
"Man is a creature who can get used to anything, and I believe that is the very best way of defining him."
"People speak sometimes about the 'bestial' cruelty of man, but that is terribly unjust and offensive to beasts, no animal could ever be so cruel as a man, so artfully, so artistically cruel."
"A just cause is not ruined by a few mistakes."
"I do not want to be the leader. I refuse to be the leader. I want to live darkly and richly in my femaleness."
"A fool with a heart and no sense is just as unhappy as a fool with sense."
"People talk sometimes of bestial cruelty, but that's a great injustice and insult to the beasts; a beast can never be so cruel as a man, so artistically cruel."
"I may be mistaken, but it seems to me that we often hide our true selves from people."
"I don't believe in the healing power of love. It is a corrupt, a terrible power."
"To love is to suffer, and to suffer is to love."
"It's not the brains that matter most, but that which guides them – the character, the heart, generous qualities, progressive ideas."
"We are all fallen creatures and all very hard to live with."
"In the end, they will lay their freedom at our feet, and say to us, 'Make us your slaves, but feed us.'"
"In every man's heart there is a devil, but we do not know the man as bad until the devil is roused."
"A man with a seared conscience is as good as dead."
"The greatest deed that a man can do is the deed that benefits others the most."
"The world will be saved by beauty."
"A man's true character is revealed by what he does when no one is watching."
"A man with a seared conscience is as good as dead."
"A man who has a why to live for can bear almost any how."
"Without some goal and some effort to reach it, no man can live."
"Man is what he loves."
"I believe the best definition of man is the ungrateful biped."
"People speak sometimes about the 'bestial' cruelty of man, but that is terribly unjust and offensive to beasts; no animal could ever be so cruel as a man, so artfully, so artistically cruel."
"It's not the brains that matter most, but that which guides them—the character, the heart, generous qualities, progressive ideas."
"If you want to be respected by others, the great thing is to respect yourself."
"To love someone means to see them as God intended them to be."
"Man is fond of counting his troubles but does not count his joys."
"Power is given only to him who dares to stoop and take it."
"A man's face is his autobiography. A woman's face is her work of fiction."
"Without God, everything is permissible."
"Happiness does not lie in happiness but in the achievement of it."
"The soul is a terrible thing to lose."
"Realists do not fear the results of their study."
"Man is a creature who can get used to anything, and I think that is the best definition of him."
"A man who lies to himself and believes his own lies becomes unable to recognize truth, either in himself or in anyone else."
"Suffering is the sole origin of consciousness."
"The greatest proof of our culture is our ability to keep our pain within us."
"I did not bow down to you, I bowed down to all the suffering of humanity."
"The world says: 'You have needs - satisfy them. You have as much right as the rich and the mighty. Don't hesitate to satisfy your needs; indeed, expand your needs and demand more.' This is the worldly doctrine of today. And they believe that this is freedom. The result for the rich is isolation and suicide, for the poor, envy and murder."
"The greatest happiness is to know one is loved."
"It is not the brains that matter most, but that which guides them — the character, the heart, generous qualities, progressive ideas."
"There is no subject so old that something new cannot be said about it."
"I may be mistaken, but it seems to me that good people do the most harm."
"Power is given only to those who dare to lower themselves and pick it up. Only one thing matters, one thing; to be able to dare!"
"A man with a heart and a mind is not a beast."
"If there is no God, everything is permitted."
"A man who has a million ideas but only one way to express them suffers from a scarcity of media."
"In the end, they will lay their freedom at our feet and say to us, 'Make us your slaves, but feed us.'"
"Distrust everyone in whom the impulse to punish is powerful!"
In the rich tapestry of human literature, the profound wisdom and insight encapsulated in the Quotes By Fyodor Dostoevsky shine as beacons of timeless truth. Dostoevsky's words transcend the boundaries of time and culture, resonating with the deepest recesses of our hearts and minds. These quotes are not just a collection of words but a profound exploration of the human condition, touching on themes of suffering, love, morality, and the complexities of the human psyche. They serve as a testament to Dostoevsky's enduring legacy, reminding us that even in the darkest of moments, there is a glimmer of hope and beauty.