Takahiro Ueda, "Dostoevsky and His Wife's Fateful Journey: A Western European Journey of Madness and Love" List of Articles - Please use this list as a table of contents.

Takahiro Ueda, "Dostoevsky and His Wife's Fateful Journey: A Western European Journey of Madness and Love" List of Articles - Please use this list as a table of contents.

From early November to late December 2022 I traveled in Europe.

Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and the Czech Republic.

I visited these countries because they are associated with the great Russian writer Dostoevsky.

For the past three and a half years I have been studying the theme of "Shinran and Dostoevsky". And as the culmination of that study, I planned this trip,Dostoevsky and His Wife's Fateful Journey: Travels in Western Europe in Madness and Love.I wrote a travelogue called

I have already talked about this travelogue in the article above, so I will not go into it here, but below is a summary of the articles in this travelogue. We hope you will use this as a table of contents for this travelogue.

In this travelogue, you will not only visit famous places such as Florence, Venice, and Milan, but also Dresden and Baden-Baden in Germany and Basel, Geneva, and Vevay in Switzerland.

In particular, we highly recommend the articles on Baden-Baden, Germany, Florence, and Basel.

So let's get started.

(1) A brief introduction to Dostoevsky (1821-1866 "from birth to around the time of "Crime and Punishment") before meeting his wife, Lady Anna.

This article will briefly review the first half of Dostoevsky's life before he met his wife, Lady Anna. It is quite difficult to summarize his tumultuous life in short, but we have tried to make it as compact and to the point as possible.

Knowing how difficult Dostoevsky's life had been, it becomes clear how fortunate he was to have met Madame Anna.

(2) Dostoevsky's Encounter with Madame Anna: Dictation of "The Gambler" Begun in Desperate Circumstances

In this article, we will finally talk about the meeting between the protagonist of this story, Dostoevsky, and his wife, Mrs. Anna.

They met in October of 1866. Dostoevsky was 45 years old and Anna was a whopping 20 years old. At that time she was a student attending a stenography course.

How did two people with such an age difference come to meet? First, let's hear from Mrs. Anna.

(3) The beginning of the love affair between Dostoevsky and his wife Anna: The two come close to each other rapidly through their joint work on the dictation of "The Gambler.

In my last article, I told you about Dostoevsky's encounter with Madame Anna.

In this article, we will talk about the beginning of their love affair.

...When will your travelogue begin?"

Well, well, well. Let's take our time and see how they got to know each other and how they got married. That way, you will surely get a sense of the atmosphere of the trip. Please bear with me for a while.

So, let's get started.

(4) An unusual proposal by the great writer Dostoevsky! Dostoevsky's big game, in which he confessed his novelistic love to his wife Anna!

The writing of "The Gambler" is well underway and will be completed by the deadline.

However, once this job is over, the two of them will no longer see each other as they have in the past. Just when we were starting to fall in love, it will be over...

Now what to do, Dostoevsky?

Finally, he is ready to play the once-in-a-lifetime game.

... Proposal!

And this proposal is so very Dostoevsky-like.

This article presents a once-in-a-lifetime proposal by the great writer Dostoevsky. We hope you will all witness his proposal.

(5) Dostoevsky's critical economic situation in the early years of his marriage - why did he remain poor forever?

As we saw in the previous article, they were happily united and married the following day, February 15, 1867, and began living together.

But as expected, the newlywed life, which seemed to be full of happiness, was piled with problems.

This article will look at their primary problem: their economic situation. It was because of this economic problem that they both later had to leave for Western Europe.

(6) Mrs. Anna witnesses the seizure of epilepsy, a chronic disease that Dostoevsky suffered from all his life.

In our previous article, we discussed Dostoevsky's financial situation, but debt was not the only problem he had.

Dostoevsky's epilepsy is portrayed through Marquis Myshkin, the hero of his masterpiece "The Idiot," and through Smerzhakov in "The Brothers Karamazov. It is particularly significant that "The Idiot" was written during a trip to Europe with his wife Anna. Dostoevsky had to live in constant fear of epileptic seizures.

(7) The family situation of the Dostoevsky family full of guests and Mrs. Anna suffering from wife-baiting by her relatives as a newlywed.

We have looked at Dostoevsky's financial situation, his epilepsy and the problems he faced, and finally we will look at his family environment.

In fact, it was this family environment that was the most difficult for Mrs. Anna's newlywed life.

It may seem like a common practice to bully one's wife, but this is the Dostoevsky family. But the Dostoevsky family is not a simple family, and Anna had to endure a number of hardships.

(8) Finally, the Journey Begins: Why Did Dostoevsky and His Wife Have to Leave for Europe?

In the previous article, we saw that Dostoevsky, the demon of psychological description, was merely a helpless husband at home.

Mrs. Anna, who tastes loneliness and no one understands her, is finally mentally trapped.

Finally, like a glass of water overflowing, the time had come.

She broke down in tears of grief. This would be the beginning of their four-year wandering in Western Europe.

This article will tell the story of how the Dostoevsky couple decided to embark on their journey.

(9) To Berlin, the first place Mr. and Mrs. Dostoevsky stayed: Their first quarrel and reconciliation

The Dostoevskys left Petersburg for Europe on April 14.

The route was Berlin, Dresden, Baden-Baden, Basel, Geneva, Milan, Florence, Bologna, Venice, Prague, and Dresden (*excluding transit points).

Their journey, which was originally scheduled to last about three months at the time of their departure, lasted a whopping four years.

This article will talk about their first stop, Berlin.

(10) Mr. and Mrs. Dostoevsky's stay in Dresden - Enjoy masterpieces such as "The Sistine Madonna" and "Achis and Galatea

The Dostoevsky couple stayed in Berlin for two days and soon left for the next city. Their destination was Dresden, an ancient city located south of Berlin.

Here the couple lived and enjoyed painting and music.

In this article I will discuss them and my experiences there.

I was very happy to see something other than the standard Dostoevsky paintings, such as "The Sistine Madonna" and "Achis and Galateia. In terms of learning about Dostoevsky's painting preferences, the experience at the Dresden Picture Gallery was very gratifying, as we were able to compare various paintings.

(11) Dostoevsky leaves his wife and goes gambling in Homburg, the city of casinos - the door to hell begins to open...

Just as he was enjoying a peaceful and happy life in Dresden, the whispers of the devil finally began to peck at Dostoevsky.

The dreaded demon of gambling addiction, which had been tormenting them from this point on, finally began to show its face. It was the beginning of Dostoevsky, "the worst of the worst."

Dostoevsky had left his wife alone in a foreign city and gone to a casino.

(12) The Madness of Dostoevsky the Gambler in Baden-Baden - Five Weeks in Hell for Mr. and Mrs. Dostoevsky

Leaving his wife alone in Dresden, Dostoevsky went to Homburg to visit a casino. From there, he was completely engulfed by the fever of gambling...

They move to Baden-Baden, a famous holiday resort in western Germany. Dostoevsky is madly addicted to playing roulette in the casinos here.

In this article, we will look at such Dostoevsky's madness and the days of Mrs. Anna's despair.

(13) Touring places associated with Dostoevsky in Baden-Baden - Walking in one of Europe's most famous recreational areas, famous for its casinos

There is something I would love to share with you all in this article. I want to say this out loud to the whole world! That here in Baden-Baden we have some of the world's finest sculptural masterpieces!

Our days in Baden-Baden were some of the most powerful impacts of the trip. It is the highlight of the trip!

Dostoevsky's crazy casino, a walk in the mountains, and a sculpture of Dostoevsky standing on top of a hill, are articles that I would highly recommend to everyone.

(14) The marriage between Dostoevsky and Madame Anna can only be fate - why did Madame Anna love him and try to protect him?

Those of you who have been following this travelogue up to this point may be starting to think that it is time.

But why, then, does Madame Anna love Dostoevsky so much? Why doesn't she run away from him even though he has hurt her so badly?"

That's exactly right. I couldn't help but feel the same way again here in Baden-Baden. I felt it especially strongly when I experienced the casino on the last night and saw the house where Mrs. Anna would have cried and lived like this the next morning.

But after all, their marriage was meant to be. In this article I will tell you why I am so convinced.

(15) Dostoevsky is shocked by Holbein's "The Dead Christ in the Tomb" - a masterpiece that also had a great influence on "The Moron".

After five hellish weeks in Baden-Baden, Mr. and Mrs. Dostoevsky left for Geneva, Switzerland.

On their way to Basel, they will stay one night in a city called Basel to see a painting.

It was a painting titled "Dead Christ in the Tomb" by Hans Holbein.

The painting strongly shocked Dostoevsky and would have a profound influence on his full-length work, "The Idiot.

This article introduces such Holbein paintings and Dostoevsky in the city of Basel.

(16) Dostoevsky's days in Geneva - Start of writing "The Idiot" and birth of the famous manager, Madame Anna

Geneva is located on the shores of Lake Geneva. Dostoevsky stayed in this city famous for Rousseau and Voltaire.

The two of them survived the hell of Baden-Baden. Their relationship has clearly changed. It is clearly different from that of Mr. and Mrs. Dostoevsky at the beginning of their departure. Having endured days of hardship, a strong bond was formed between the two of them.

In this article, we would like to introduce some unintentionally heartwarming episodes of their friendship. We hope that many people will be able to learn more about their friendly relationship.

(17) Dostoevsky criticized communism and socialist revolutionaries - The reality of the International Peace Conference in Geneva

In my previous article, I introduced you to the friendship between Mr. and Mrs. Dostoevsky in Geneva, and in this article I will discuss a very important point when considering the character of Dostoevsky.

Dostoevsky's stay in Geneva provided the impetus for his opposition to communism and socialism.

I believe that the significance of the Dostoevsky couple's trip to Western Europe is immeasurable, considering that their experience there led to "Evil Spirits" and "The Brothers Karamazov" later on.

(18) The birth and untimely death of Sonya, the long-awaited first child of Mr. and Mrs. Dostoevsky - Heaven and Hell in Geneva

We have talked about Dostoevsky in Geneva twice before, and this time we will talk about the biggest event of his stay in Geneva: the birth of Sonya and her untimely death.

For the Dostoevskys, their greatest joy and their worst sorrow came almost simultaneously. We will now take a look at how it all happened. We are sure that you will be surprised to see how much Dostoevsky loves his beloved child.

(19) Touring Sites Associated with Dostoevsky in Geneva, the City of Reformation - Thoughts on the City that Became a Turning Point in the Couple's Journey

In our previous article, "The Birth and Premature Death of Dostoevsky and his wife's long-awaited first child Sonya - Heaven and Hell in Geneva," we saw the extremes of Dostoevsky's joy and sorrow.

It was during his stay in Geneva that he saw a completely different kind of rock bottom than the gambling hell of Baden-Baden.

We, too, will now walk in this city where Dostoevsky walked.

(20) Mr. and Mrs. Dostoevsky's stay in Vouvei: A summer in which they left Geneva in sorrow and mourned the death of their beloved daughter.

Their beloved daughter Sonya died when she was only three months old. Their grief is so great that they can no longer stay in Geneva, where Sonya's face remains.

This article is about the city of Vvei, where they spent their summer.

After the hellish days of Baden-Baden, they shared happiness and sorrow in Geneva and Vouvey.

I believe that this period in the marriage of Dostoevsky and his wife Anna is decisive in their relationship.

(21) Dostoevsky's favorite Milan Cathedral and the beginning of the couple's stay in Italy.

Mr. and Mrs. Dostoevsky are in grief over the loss of their beloved daughter. After spending a summer of grief in Vvej, they are finally on their way to Italy.

Their first stop was Milan. Here you will find Dostovsky's favorite cathedral, Milan Cathedral.

This article looks at how they lived here.

(22) Dostoevsky's favorite, Raphael's "Madonna in a Little Chair" and related places are introduced!

The couple saw rock bottom at Baden-Baden Geneva Vvay. They have nothing to fear anymore. They have no choice but to crawl back up.

They have shared their sorrows and sufferings, and now they are united in a strong bond. Their resurrection finally began here. Their life in Florence, where they liken themselves to Mr. and Mrs. Micawber, must have been a major point of this trip.

Ah, beautiful Florence! If I could, I would have stayed longer and longer too! Florence is indeed the city of flowers. I was in awe of the art in this city.

I would like to believe that for Mr. and Mrs. Dostoevsky, their stay in this city was an irreplaceable one.

(23) Visiting Venice, a Colorful City of Art: What did Dostoevsky think of this beautiful water city?

This article introduces Venice, which the Dostoevsky couple visited, and Bologna, where they stopped along the way.

Venice is the city of water that everyone longs to visit. Mr. and Mrs. Dostoevsky spent only a few days in Venice, but it seems that they had a pleasant time. I also walked around Venice, where they spent their time, and visited places associated with the city, thinking about their stay.

It was a marvelous city that produced beautiful photos wherever it was photographed.

(24) Mr. and Mrs. Dostoevsky wanted to stay in Prague - a near miss with that Smetana! They went to Dresden in tears. Their trip comes to an end.

Mr. and Mrs. Dostoevsky traveled from Florence to Prague for the birth of their daughter.

Prague had a community of Slavic intellectuals, and Dostoevsky hoped to interact with them. Above all, he and his wife were looking forward to staying in beautiful Prague.

However, they were not able to stay in Prague and had to move to Dresden.

History is a "what if" game, but if the couple had been able to stay here, Dostoevsky might have had a connection with Smetana and Dvořák.

(25) Dostoevsky's gambling addiction disappears in Wiesbaden, the city of casinos! What a miracle happened to him at the end of his trip!

The events in Wiesbaden, free from gambling fever, are some of the most significant incidents in Dostoevsky's travels. It may be said to be the event that restored his pride as a writer.

Protect your family with your own brush and your own work! I will no longer depend on gambling fortunes! declared Dostoevsky. This time it is not a lie. History bears witness to that. He was truly reborn.

And it was still Mrs. Anna who brought about this rebirth. After all, Mrs. Anna was Dostoevsky's guardian angel. She was his destiny. When I think of this, I cannot help but congratulate them both.

(26) Mr. and Mrs. Dostoevsky return to Japan after a four-year absence! What is the growth of Dostoevsky and his wife Anna, who has become more rounded after the trip?

Four years ago, their journey began in Dresden.

Dresden as a newlywed, the nightmare of Baden-Baden, heaven and hell in Geneva, days in Florence, and homesickness in Dresden. Many things happened. Too many things. The couple has overcome unimaginable days together.

The two people who started the trip are no longer with us.

Dostoevsky overcame his own darkness and madness and came back a much bigger writer. And his wife Anna will continue to play an outstanding role as a great manager supporting Dostoevsky.

These four years were truly a destiny-changing journey for Dostoevsky.

(27) Mrs. Anna's Warriors after returning home! She fights off debt collectors! Dostoevsky has full confidence in her!

In my last article, I talked about the point where the Dostoevskys finally returned to Russia.

In this article, we will introduce Mrs. Anna, who has grown up after such a trip. 4 years have passed, and they have returned as completely different people from the ones before their departure. What kind of life did they lead after returning home?

(28) Visit to a place associated with Dostoevsky in the spa resort of Bad Ems - Dostoevsky sends ardent love letters to his wife even 10 years after their marriage.

For me, Bart Ems is a symbolic place where I can feel Dostoevsky's love for his wife Anna.

Dostoevsky was passionately in love with his wife even after 10 years of marriage.

He continues to send ardent love letters from Ems to Mrs. Anna.

I would like to show everyone how delirious he is, which is hard to believe that he is a great writer who wrote that "Evil Spirit".

I feel that there is no better place to learn about Dostoevsky as a loving wife than here.

(29) The connection between the sudden death of his beloved child Alyosha and "The Brothers Karamazov" - Dostoevsky as the father of his children.

In our previous article, we introduced you to Dostoevsky, the loving wife.

And in this article I would like to conclude my travelogue by introducing Dostoevsky as a father.

Dostoevsky, the loving wife, Dostoevsky, the father of a child.

I will now share with you an episode that is absolutely essential to know Dostoevsky as he walked with his wife.

I believe that if you read "The Brothers Karamazov" with the knowledge of Dostoevsky's love for his children, something different will surely grow inside your heart.

My thoughts after "Dostoevsky's Journey" and future blog updates - in reply to the message to all visitors to this blog.

I like Dostoevsky. But above all, I love "Dostoevsky with Mrs. Anna. I would be very happy if the journey of these two men could be seen by as many people as possible.

After this, our blog will be updated with articles about Rome, but for me personally, I will now plunge into the study of Buddhism. Finally, I have returned to my main focus. I will be studying the history, thought, and culture of Buddhism along the route of its transmission from India, Asia, China, and Japan. My ultimate goal is to write a novel biography of Shinran Shonin. My research is now entering a new phase, and I have no regrets about my nearly four years of research on "Shinran and Dostoevsky.

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