Crime and Punishment & Other Great Novels of Dostoevsky
by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Contents
Notes from Underground — Part II A Propos the Wet Snow — Chapter III
Overview
The narrator barges into plans for Zverkov’s farewell dinner and forces an invitation, exposing his social desperation and debt. Overnight he rehashes school humiliations and his loathing of Zverkov, then obsessively prepares despite lacking money. He chooses humiliation over withdrawal, heading to the Hotel de Paris, setting up the impending confrontation.
Summary
The narrator visits Simonov and finds Ferfitchkin and Trudolyubov planning a farewell dinner for their schoolmate Zverkov. Treated with indifference and contempt, the narrator abruptly invites himself, insisting on contributing, hoping to win respect. They reluctantly accept, and Simonov awkwardly asks about his share, reminding him of an old debt.
Hearing Zverkov’s name triggers the narrator’s long-standing hatred: at school Zverkov swaggered on inherited wealth and shallow charm, which others admired. The narrator recalls past clashes, Zverkov’s easy laughter undoing his rare victories, and later public snubs once Zverkov gained rank and social success.
After leaving, the narrator rages at his own intrusion yet knows he will go to the dinner precisely because it is tactless and painful. A practical obstacle emerges: he has only nine roubles, must pay seven to his servant Apollon, and still owes Simonov fifteen; he resolves to go anyway and not pay Apollon.
That night, oppressive dreams and memories return: sent to school by cold relations, he met mockery, withdrew in proud isolation, excelled academically to force respect, yet remained estranged. His one friendship curdled into tyranny and rejection, revealing his drive to dominate and his self-sabotage.
The next day he obsessively prepares, fretting over shabby clothes and a stained knee, imagining the scorn of Zverkov, Trudolyubov, and Ferfitchkin, while fantasizing about dazzling and humiliating them. Torn between contempt and craving recognition, he spends his last half-rouble on a sledge and sets off at five for the Hotel de Paris, avoiding Apollon’s expected request for wages.
Who Appears
- Unnamed narratorIsolated ex–civil servant; invites himself to Zverkov’s dinner, recalls school humiliations, withholds servant’s wages, and heads to the Hotel de Paris.
- SimonovSchoolfellow hosting the planning; reluctantly accepts the narrator’s self-invitation and awkwardly raises the dinner subscription.
- ZverkovSchoolmate and army officer; subject of the farewell dinner; symbol of swaggering success and the narrator’s long-standing hatred.
- TrudolyubovTall, promotion-minded officer; cool, success-worshipping, reluctantly tolerates the narrator joining the dinner.
- FerfitchkinMocking, servile schoolfellow; derides the narrator and fawns over Zverkov, resenting the intrusion.
- ApollonThe narrator’s servant; expects his wages, which the narrator withholds to attend the dinner.