Mr. Prochartschin

Mr. Prochartschin ( Russian Господин Прохарчин ) is a short story by Fyodor Michailowitsch Dostojewski , which follows on from the successes of poor people and the double . It is part of Dostoyevsky's early work and appeared in 1846.

The main character of the story is Mr. Prochartschin named in the title, who is particularly characterized by his frugality. Towards the end of the work, Mr. Prochartschin passed away and his real wealth was revealed.

action

The title character, Mr. Prochartschin, lives in the Ustínja Fjódorowna guesthouse. He appears modest and down to earth. The most prominent character trait of the title hero is his frugality; Dostoevsky describes how he only half eats the plate at lunch in the guesthouse in order to pay only half the amount. His roommates in the pension suspect him - especially in his suitcase - of unimagined wealth. One evening Mr. Prochartschin remains missing; he does not return to the pension. Despite an intensive search, he remains undetectable for days. When he returned a few days later, a cab driver was carrying him. Mr. Prochartschin is passed out. He spends the next few days in bed until he dies (for no apparent reason). When the police superintendent is present, he dismisses death as irrelevant. Instead, he has said suitcase opened; in this, however, there are only all kinds of personal things. However, almost 2500 rubles are surprisingly discovered in the dead man's mattress. So to the reader the whole work of Mr. Prochartschin, as well as his life, seems completely forfeited.

literature

output

Fyodor M. Dostoevsky: The double. Early novels and short stories , Munich: Piper (2004). ISBN 978-3492242646