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Ugliness Quote by Fyodor Dostoevsky

“One of them was a young fellow of about twenty-seven, not tall, with black curling hair, and small, grey, fiery eyes. His nose was broad and flat, and he had high cheek bones; his thin lips were constantly compressed into an impudent, ironical—it might almost be called a malicious—smile; but his…” quote by Fyodor Dostoevsky
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““One of them was a young fellow of about twenty-seven, not tall, with black curling hair, and small, grey, fiery eyes. His nose was broad and flat, and he had high cheek bones; his thin lips were constantly compressed into an impudent, ironical—it might almost be called a malicious—smile; but his forehead was high and well formed, and atoned for a good deal of the ugliness of the lower part of his face. A special feature of this physiognomy was its death-like pallor, which gave to the whole man an indescribably emaciated appearance in spite of his hard look, and at the same time a sort of passionate and suffering expression which did not harmonize with his impudent, sarcastic smile and keen, self-satisfied bearing. He wore a large fur—or rather astrachan—overcoat, which had kept him warm all night, while his neighbour had been obliged to bear the full severity of a Russian November night entirely unprepared. His wide sleeveless mantle with a large cape to it—the sort of cloak one sees upon travellers during the winter months in Switzerland or North Italy—was by no means adapted to the long cold journey through Russia, from Eydkuhnen to St. Petersburg.””

Fyodor Dostoevsky

About This Quote

Source Novel: Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky, 1866

A detailed physical description reveals a complex, contradictory character in a harsh winter setting.

In simple terms: A man’s appearance shows inner conflict amid cold.

Key Takeaway

Observe how appearance reflects inner turmoil.

Themes

literature character study contradiction environment

Mood

analytical descriptive

Type

literary psychological

When to use this quote

  • cold weather travel
  • social class differences
  • character introductions

Key Concepts

psychology physiognomy social contrast

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does the environment shape character perception?
  • What does the contradictory smile suggest about his psyche?
A Different Perspective

Physical description may not fully capture inner motives.

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