Elif Batuman: The Idiot

Don Quixote, written by Miguel de Cervantes, tells the story of Alonso Quixano, a middle-aged gentleman who, influenced by his extensive reading of chivalric romances, decides to become a knight-errant. He renames himself Don Quixote and, with his squire Sancho Panza, embarks on a series of adventures. These adventures often involve Don Quixote's misinterpretation of reality, such as mistaking windmills for giants and inns for castles. The novel explores themes of reality vs. imagination, the decline of chivalry, and the human condition. Eventually, Don Quixote returns home, regains his sanity, and renounces his chivalric ambitions before his death.

The Possessed is a social and political satire, a psychological drama, and a large-scale tragedy. It tells the story of a provincial Russian town taken over by political revolutionaries, led by Pyotr Verkhovensky, who orchestrates a series of violent and chaotic events. The novel centers around the enigmatic and morally complex figure of Nikolai Stavrogin, whose influence over the other characters is profound. The story involves themes of nihilism, revolutionary ideology, and the destructive consequences of these movements on society. It is loosely based on real events, including the murder of a student by Sergey Nechayev’s group in 1869, and reflects Dostoevsky's critique of liberal and nihilist views prevalent in Russia during that time.

Written by Fyodor Dostoyevsky between 1867 and 1869, 'The Idiot' follows the story of Prince Lev Nikolayevich Myshkin, a young man with a pure and innocent heart, often mistaken for an 'idiot' due to his simplicity and goodness. The novel examines how this 'positively beautiful man' navigates a world filled with corruption, moral decay, and complex human relationships. Myshkin's interactions with characters like Nastasya Filippovna and Aglaia Epanchina highlight themes of love, suffering, sacrifice, and the clash between idealistic values and the harsh realities of society. The novel ultimately leads to Myshkin's mental breakdown and his inability to cope with the world around him.