Notes from Underground and the Double

Exploring themes of disillusionment and societal oppression, this work features an unnamed narrator who retreats into the underground due to his disdain for the corruption around him. It marks a significant shift in Dostoyevsky's writing towards political commentary. In contrast, "The Double" offers a psychological exploration of Yakov Petrovich Golyadkin, a clerk tormented by the fear of losing his identity to a doppelgänger. Both stories showcase Dostoyevsky's talent for delving into the complexities of the human psyche.