“He was completely crushed, and at the same time he felt that he was right, that he had been insulted, that he had been treated unjustly, and that he was suffering for no reason at all.”
Chapter 1: The Humiliation of Golyadkin
Yakov Petrovich Golyadkin, a low-ranking civil servant in St. Petersburg, attends a party at his superior’s house uninvited. He is awkward and anxious, fearing judgment. When he is publicly humiliated and ejected, he flees into the snowy night, consumed by paranoia and self-doubt.
Chapter 2: The Mysterious Double
On his way home, Golyadkin encounters a man who looks exactly like him—his doppelgänger, Golyadkin Jr. Initially friendly, the double quickly begins mimicking and undermining him. Golyadkin is both fascinated and disturbed, unsure whether the double is real or a figment of his unraveling mind.
Chapter 3: The Double’s Infiltration
Golyadkin Jr. infiltrates his workplace, charming colleagues and superiors while subtly discrediting the original Golyadkin. The protagonist grows increasingly isolated as his double takes over his social and professional life. His attempts to expose the impostor are dismissed as delusional ramblings.
Chapter 4: Descent into Madness
Golyadkin’s mental state deteriorates. He oscillates between rage and helplessness as his double manipulates situations to make him appear unstable. His paranoia intensifies, and he begins seeing conspiracies everywhere. His erratic behavior leads to further alienation from colleagues and acquaintances.
Chapter 5: The Final Breakdown
In a last desperate attempt to reclaim his identity, Golyadkin confronts his double publicly, only to be mocked and dismissed. The novel ends with him being forcibly taken away in a carriage, presumably to an asylum, as his double watches triumphantly.
Key Ideas
- The fragility of identity under social pressure
- The psychological torment of paranoia and alienation
- The destructive power of self-deception
- The absurdity of bureaucratic hierarchies
- The duality of human nature
Who should read this book?
- Readers interested in psychological depth and existential themes
- Fans of Dostoevsky’s exploration of madness and duality
- Those who enjoy darkly comedic critiques of bureaucracy