The Petty Demon

Historical Context and Significance

The novel "The Petty Demon" by Fyodor Sologub, published in 1905, is one of the key works of Russian Silver Age literature. The book is a satirical depiction of provincial life and the bureaucracy of the Russian Empire at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. The main character, teacher Peredonov, embodies pettiness, envy, and paranoia, making him a symbol of the degradation and moral decline of society at that time. The novel had a significant impact on the development of Russian literature, especially in the genre of satire and psychological novels. It also became an important source for studying the social and cultural issues of pre-revolutionary Russia.