by Elizabeth King

Created on: July 31, 2008   Last Updated: May 08, 2010

Alienation and the Anti-Hero in Notes from Underground

Dostoevsky's classic, Notes from Underground, presents the reader with the persona of the "Underground Man" who literally and figuratively represents the loner, the loser, the figure oppressed by society. He becomes one of the most pathetic, and empathetic characters ever to exist in classic literature. The Underground Man shuns humanity, yet is convinced that humanity is superior to him. The narrative voice often contradicts itself, is self-effacing, and its ideologies are constantly in conflict. Notes from Underground features a prominent theme of alienation reflected in society's outcast, which is blended seamlessly with the romantic notion of the anti-hero.

The first part of the memoir introduces the reader to the Underground Man. He claims he is indifferent to others' opinions, but contradicts that very idea by addressing the readers, such as the line "However, if you're irritated by all this talk (and I can already sense that you are irritated)" (1256). By bringing up all the possible bad things people could think about him, and passing them off as a joke, it shows a defense mechanism that's hiding the fact that he's truly tormented and does feel the need to defend himself, to prove himself. The fact that he's writing everything down and is honest for the most part, shown in the very first line, "I am a sick man" (1255), shows sincerity and invokes some level of empathy from the reader.

Society has marginalized the Underground Man, and disgraced him. Because he has no voice within society, freedom is the only way he can rebel. He rebels against society itself, and the notion of absolute certainty, which is oppressive and formulaic, like the equation 2x2=4. He believes humanity is wrong for only striving for an ultimate goal, and shuns society's tendency to ignore the ineffable. "Two times two makes four stands there brazenly with its hands on its hips, blocking your path and spitting at you. I agree that two times two makes four is a splendid thing; but if we're going to lavish praise, then two times two makes five is sometimes also a very charming little thing" (1273).
Regarding absolute certainty, and humanity's efforts to succeed and perfect, the Underground Man claims that overt-consciousness is the disease that mankind suffers from (1257). He thinks that only ignorant people can be happy; spontaneous, men of action types. He says that men of action are active because they are stupid and limited,

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