Shakespeare in Dostoevsky’s Novel Demons: “Oh, Iago, the Pity of It, Iago!”

Abstract

The article is devoted to the presence of Shakespeare’s Othello in Dostoevsky’s novel Demons. Starting from the single mention of the play in the canonical text of the novel and taking into account its appearance in Dostoevsky’s preparatory materials, the study attempts to reconstruct the connections that the tragedy establishes with various elements of Dostoevsky’s text. Particular attention is given to the first act, which Dostoevsky explicitly refers to. A parallel is drawn between the figures of Iago and Pyotr Stepanovich, whose nature is not only humanly deceitful but also distinctly “demonic.” The paper also highlights the shared, meaning-forming concept of “night” in both works. It is suggested that Iago’s monologue at the end of Act I of Othello served as the source for the scandal scene in which Stavrogin “took Pavel Pavlovich Gaganov by the nose.” The article also considers a possible reflection of the Othello plot in the perception of Liza Tushina, who reads the play while troubled by her relationship with Stavrogin. Othello is placed alongside Prince Harry and Hamlet as an image of the “prince who is to come,” and, like them, contributes to the “aura” of expectations surrounding Stavrogin’s character. For the first time, the hypothesis is put forward and substantiated that behind the figure of Liza’s fiancé — who bears the name “Mavrikiy” (from the Greek μαῦρος, meaning “dark”) — there is a hidden allusion to Othello. The problem of the “destroyed ideal” is revealed as a key element to understanding the Shakespearean context within the novel.