Power and Powerlessness: Psychological Struggles in Dostoevsky’s Notes from Underground and The Double
Fyodor Dostoevsky was not a psychologist by profession, yet his works—especially Notes from Underground and The Double—explore psychological depths that are arguably unparalleled in the nineteenth century. These stories feature characters who are troubled in unique but overlapping ways. Both the Underground Man (Notes from Underground) and Golyadkin (The Double) wrestle with feelings of alienation and powerlessness, which drive them to seek control over their lives through specific strategies. This essay examines how these characters attempt to attain and maintain a sense of personal power, often at great psychological cost.
The Underground Man is the narrator and protagonist of Notes from Underground, a novel divided into two parts. The first is a philosophical rant where he critiques society, and the second narrates key episodes of his life. His struggle begins with his disdain for the utopian socialist ideals of his era, which suggested that reason and rational self-interest could lead to a perfect society. He mocks this belief, symbolized by the "crystal palace," a metaphor for a society of order and logic. For the Underground Man, human beings are not rational machines—they often desire what is harmful, if only to assert their free will. As he says, “man can deliberately and consciously desire something that is injurious, stupid... just to have the right to desire for himself even what is very stupid.”
This rejection of society leaves the Underground Man deeply alienated, unable to act within the world he despises. His powerlessness manifests as masochism, an intentional embrace of suffering to prove a point about human nature and his autonomy. He refuses to seek medical help for his ailments, choosing instead to endure pain as an act of defiance against the rational order that claims doctors are the only solution. This self-inflicted suffering becomes a twisted source of power for him, a way to assert his freedom and individuality.
However, the Underground Man’s alienation also leaves him desperate for connection and recognition. This need drives many of his erratic actions. For instance, he obsesses over an officer who once ignored him, spending borrowed money on fine clothes to feel socially equal. At the same time, he looks down on others, believing his heightened self-awareness makes him superior. His need for power is especially evident in his interactions with Liza, a prostitute. During their first encounter, he delivers a manipulative speech that moves her to tears, making him feel powerful. Yet when Liza later confronts him with kindness and insight, his sense of superiority shatters, leaving him humiliated and powerless once again.
In The Double, Golyadkin Sr. faces a similar struggle for power. He is a low-level government clerk in St. Petersburg who prides himself on his job but feels marginalized and unappreciated. His alienation is evident when he tells his doctor, “my path is separate from other people’s,” and laments that a younger, less deserving colleague has been promoted ahead of him. To cope, Golyadkin relies on money as a way to bolster his status. He carefully counts his savings, exchanges large bills for smaller ones to make his wallet look fuller, and celebrates his modest wealth as if it were a shield against his social insignificance.
Golyadkin’s world begins to unravel with the arrival of his double, a version of himself who is more charming and socially adept. The double infiltrates his life, gaining favor at work and even turning others against Golyadkin. This causes him to spiral further into paranoia and isolation. At one point, his own servant questions his authority, and Golyadkin feels displaced even in his own home. His alienation reaches its peak when he is humiliated at a party he was not truly welcome to, and his double acts as if Golyadkin Sr. does not exist.
For both characters, the tension between power and powerlessness defines their existence. The Underground Man finds a sense of power in his suffering and rejection of societal norms, but his victories are fleeting and leave him more isolated. Golyadkin tries to assert his worth through money and status, but his efforts are undermined by his double and his own insecurities. Both are trapped in a cycle of alienation, desperation, and fragile attempts to assert control.
Dostoevsky’s exploration of these characters reveals his profound understanding of the human psyche. While not a psychologist, his insights into alienation, free will, and the need for power offer a timeless examination of the struggles that define his characters—and perhaps humanity itself.