The article examines M. Dostoyevsky’s narrative strategies in his Semipalatinsk letters (1855–1856). It analyzes how he recounted the story of relationship with M. D. Isayeva differently when writing to various recipients.
The study demonstrates that Dostoyevsky significantly transformed the narrative of these real events, altering the plot according to the specific addressee of each letter.
The analysis focuses on micro situations presented with varying “plot modality” (logical status of events in a plot, such as possibility, reality, necessity) in letters to M. M. Dostoevsky and A. E. Vrangel (Wrangel). These include: his initial meeting with Isayeva and her husband, Dostoevsky’s developing feelings for Isayeva, the death of her husband and Isayeva’s widowhood, the attempts of provincial gossips to arrange a new marriage, Isayeva’s relationship with Vergunov, a local school teacher, Dostoyevsky’s jealousy and “brotherly” support for his beloved, a marriage proposal, and attempts to strengthen his material and social position for the marriage.
The variation of these accounts reveals that the writer fictionalized the real-life events, extensively using not only a set of appropriate literary plots but also the references to his own early work. Of particular interest are the plot situations recognizable in his future works such as Uncle’s Dream, The Insulted and the Humiliated, and some others.
The article also pays special attention to the distinctive features of Dostoevsky’s epistolary style in both narrative and phenomenological aspects. Characteristic of his writing is the dependence of his tone and content on the addressee. Dostoevsky’s frequents dissatisfaction with his letters is largely attributed to his struggle to adequately convey his thoughts and ensure correct understanding. The inherent conflict between the desire for spontaneous expression and the need of structured, linear narration is explored as a source of tension in his correspondence.
Furthermore, the study analyzes how the modal nature of utterances, aimed at creating a desired impression, directly depends on the letter’s purpose and the rapport with the recipient, shaping a fictionalized reality from his lived experiences.
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