--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Dostoyevsky wrote of the unconscious as…" description: "\"Dostoyevsky wrote of the unconscious as if it were conscious; that is in reality the reason why his characters seem 'pathological', while they are only..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/646/edwin-muir-32334_character_dostoyevsky-wrote-of-the-unconscious-as_2281811.png" --- # Dostoyevsky wrote of the unconscious as if it were… ![“Dostoyevsky wrote of the unconscious as if it were conscious; that is in reality the reason why his characters seem 'pathological', while they are only visualized more clearly than any other figures in imaginative literature... He was in the rank in which we set Dante, Shakespeare and Goethe.” quote by Edwin Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/646/edwin-muir-32334_character_dostoyevsky-wrote-of-the-unconscious-as_2281811.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/646/edwin-muir-32334_character_dostoyevsky-wrote-of-the-unconscious-as_2281811.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/646/edwin-muir-32334_character_dostoyevsky-wrote-of-the-unconscious-as_2281811.png) > “Dostoyevsky wrote of the unconscious as if it were conscious; that is in reality the reason why his characters seem 'pathological', while they are only visualized more clearly than any other figures in imaginative literature... He was in the rank in which we set Dante, Shakespeare and Goethe.” [Edwin Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-muir/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Dostoyevsky treats the unconscious as conscious, making his characters appear pathological yet vividly clear, placing him with Dante, Shakespeare, and Goethe. **In simple terms:** Dostoyevsky’s vivid characters stem from treating the unconscious as conscious. Key Takeaway Treating the unconscious as conscious creates vivid characters. Themes Explore subconscious depth in storytelling. Mood analytical thoughtful Type critical philosophical When to use this quote - novel writing - creative analysis - psychological study - academic research Key Concepts literature psychology characterization Questions to Reflect On - How does subconscious awareness shape character? - What techniques reveal hidden motives? A Different Perspective Focusing solely on consciousness may overlook other narrative layers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Characters Pathological](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters-pathological-5329065/) [Conscious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscious/) [Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dostoyevsky/) [Dostoyevsky Wrote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dostoyevsky-wrote-5329063/) [Figures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/figures/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Imaginative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imaginative/) [Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Reason why](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason-why/) [Seems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seems/) [Unconscious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unconscious/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Wrote Unconscious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrote-unconscious-5329064/) ## Related quotes > [I'm not reading what I write when I wrote. 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