Memories of a Child

Description

(Memories of a Child…Netochka) is one of the most beautiful works by the world-renowned writer Fyodor Dostoevsky. It tells the story of a little girl, not yet two years old, whose father dies. Her mother then marries a wandering musician named Yefimov, who composed a piece of music for his violin. Yefimov felt it was unfair to remain a wandering musician when his talent qualified him for a professional career, so he quit playing and turned to drinking.

This novella consists of three stories that are barely connected, or rather, are only connected by the character of the little girl who recounts her memories. The first story is that of the musician Yefimov, her stepfather. The second is the story of Netochka’s life in the prince’s house and her friendship with his daughter Katya. The third is the story of the mysterious secret in the life of Alexandrina Mikhailovna, which Dostoevsky did not complete, as is evident from the epilogue.

Some critics believe that Dostoevsky, through this novel, depicted the “Electra complex” in Netochka’s love for her alcoholic stepfather, despite his unattractive behavior. He also portrayed homosexual love in Netochka’s love for Katya, the daughter of the prince who took her in and housed her at his palace. The story of the wandering musician Yefimov is reminiscent of the character Kreizler, whom the German writer Hoffmann described as the embodiment of the romanticized image of a mad musician captivated by a demonic instrument.