What do you think?
Rate this book
448 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1861
Our prison was at the far end of the citadel behind the ramparts. Peering through the crevices in the palisade in the hope of glimpsing something, one sees nothing but a little corner of the sky, and a high earthwork covered with the long grass of the steppe. Night and day sentries walk to and fro upon it. Then one suddenly realizes that whole years will pass during which one will see, through those same crevices in the palisade, the same sentinels pacing the same earthwork, and the same little corner of the sky, not just above the prison, but far and far away.
The criminals most cruelly whipped, and who were celebrated as first-rate villains, enjoyed more respect and attention than a simple deserter, a mere recruit, like the one who had just been brought in. But in neither case was any particular sympathy manifested, nor were any annoying remarks made. The unhappy man was attended to in silence, above all if he was incapable of attending to himself. The assistant-surgeon knew that they were entrusting their patients to skilful and experienced hands. The usual treatment consisted in frequent application to the poor fellow鈥檚 back of a shirt or piece of linen steeped in cold water. It was also necessary to extract from his wounds the splinters of the rods which had been broken on his back. This last operation was particularly painful to the victims, and the extraordinary stoicism with which they supported their sufferings astonished me greatly.
鈥�Dead House is journalism, really, but it couldn鈥檛 be called that at the time so it鈥檚 framed as a novel. It鈥檚 part of a genre called Zapiski, which means 鈥榥otes鈥� or 鈥榮cribbles鈥�. It鈥檚 nominally about a third person, but it鈥檚 obviously heavily influenced by his experience in prison. I don鈥檛 think you could have later writers like Solzhenitsyn without this book.鈥�
鈥�...the strongest pain may not be in the wounds, but in knowing for certain that in an hour, then in ten minutes, then in half a minute, then now, this second 鈥� your soul will fly out of your body and you鈥檒l no longer be a man, and its鈥� for certain 鈥� the main thing is that it鈥檚 for certain.鈥�
鈥�Jails and prisons are designed to break human beings鈥rison abolition requires that we challenge our thinking about what constitutes punishment, for whom and why.鈥�
鈥�In the criminal himself, prison and the most intense forced labor develop only hatred, a thirst for forbidden pleasures, and a terrible light-mindedness. But I am firmly convinced that the famous system of solitary confinement also achieves only a false, deceptive, external purpose. It sucks the living juice from a man, enervates his soul, weakens it, frightens it, and then presents this morally dried-up, half crazed mummy as an example of correction and repentance. Of course, a criminal who has risen against society hates it, and almost always considers himself right and society wrong.鈥�
鈥�鈥�if they wanted to crush, to annihilate a man totally, to punish him with the most terrible punishment, so that the most dreadful murderer would shudder at this punishment and be frightened of it beforehand, they would only need to give the labor a character of complete, total uselessness and meaninglessness.鈥�
鈥�So long as there shall exist, by reason of law and custom, a social condemnation, which, in the face of civilisation, artificially creates hells on earth, and complicates a destiny that is divine, with human fatality; so long as the three problems of the age 鈥� the degradation of man by poverty, the ruin of woman by starvation, and the dwarfing of childhood by physical and spiritual night 鈥� are not solved; so long as, in certain regions, social asphyxia shall be possible; in other words, and from a yet more extended point of view, so long as ignorance and misery remain on earth, books like this cannot be useless.鈥�
賵 賲賳 丕賱賲丐賰丿 兀賳 丕賱賲噩乇賲 賱丕 鬲氐賱丨賴 爻噩賵賳 賵 賱丕 賲毓鬲賯賱丕鬲 賵 賱丕 兀卮睾丕賱 卮丕賯丞. 賮賴匕賴 丕賱毓賯賵亘丕鬲 賱丕 鬲爻鬲胤賷毓 廿賱丕 兀賳 鬲賵賯毓 亘賴 丕賱賯氐丕氐 賵 兀賳 鬲爻賰賳 乇賵毓 丕賱賲噩鬲賲毓 賲賳 丕賱噩乇丕卅賲 丕賱鬲賷 賷賲賰賳 兀賳 賷乇鬲賰亘賴丕. 賵 賱賷爻 賮賷 賵爻毓 丕賱廿毓鬲賯丕賱丕鬲 賵 丕賱兀卮睾丕賱 丕賱賲乇賴賯丞 廿賱丕 兀賳 鬲賮丕賯賲 賮賷 賴丐賱丕亍 丕賱乇噩丕賱 丕賱丨賯丿 丕賱毓賲賷賯. 賵 丕賱毓胤卮 廿賱賶 丕賱賱匕丕鬲 丕賱賲丨乇賲丞 賵 丕賱丕爻鬲賴鬲丕乇 丕賱賮馗賷毓. 賵 賲賳 噩賴丞 孬丕賳賷丞. 兀賳丕 毓賱賶 賷賯賷賳 賲賳 兀賳 丕賱賳馗丕賲 丕賱卮賴賷乇 賱賱爻噩賳 丕賱丕賳賮乇丕丿賷 賱丕 賷丨賯賯 爻賵賶 睾乇囟 馗丕賴乇賷 賵 禺丕丿毓. 賮賴賵 賷亘鬲夭 賲賳 丕賱賲噩乇賲 賰賱 賯賵鬲賴 賵 胤丕賯鬲賴. 賵 賷孬賷乇 丨賮賷馗丞 賳賮爻賴. 賮賷囟毓賮賴丕 賵 賷禺賷賮賴丕. 賵 兀禺賷乇丕 賷禺乇噩 賲賵賲賷丕亍 噩丕賮丞 賵 卮亘賴 賲噩賳賵賳丞 賰賲孬丕賱 毓賱賶 丕賱廿氐賱丕丨 賵 丕賱鬲賵亘丞.亘丕賱乇睾賲 賲賳 兀賳 丿賵爻鬲賵賷賮爻賰賷 賷丨丕賵賱 丕賱廿賷賴丕賲 亘兀賳賴丕 賲匕賰乇丕鬲 卮禺氐 兀禺乇 廿賱丕 兀賳賴丕 鬲賮賵丨 亘乇丕卅丨丞 賲毓丕賳丕鬲賴 賵 毓匕丕亘丕鬲賴 賵 鬲噩乇亘鬲賴 丕賱兀賱賷賲丞 賮賷 賲毓鬲賯賱 爻賷亘乇賷丕 丕賱乇賴賷亘.
賮丕賱廿賳爻丕賳 賲賴賲丕 賷氐睾乇 卮兀賳賴 賵 賲賴賲丕 賷賴亘胤 賯丿乇賴 賵 賲賴賲丕 鬲賴賳 賯賷賲鬲賴. 賷丨亘 亘睾乇賷夭鬲賴 兀賳 鬲丨鬲乇賲 賰乇丕賲鬲賴 賲賳 丨賷孬 賴賵 廿賳爻丕賳. 丕賳 賰賱 爻噩賷賳 賷毓乇賮 丨賯 丕賱賲毓乇賮丞 兀賳賴 爻噩賷賳 賵 賷毓乇賮 丨賯 丕賱賲毓乇賮丞 兀賳賴 賲賳亘賵匕 賲賲賯賵鬲 賲賰乇賵賴. 賵 賷毓乇賮 丕賱賲爻丕賮丞 丕賱鬲賷 鬲賮氐賱 亘賷賳賴 賵 亘賷賳 乇丐爻丕卅賴. 賵 賱賰賳 賱丕 丕賱賯囟亘丕賳 賵 賱丕 丕賱兀睾賱丕賱 鬲賳爻賷賴 兀賳賴 廿賳爻丕賳. 賮賱丕亘丿 兀賳 賷毓丕賲賱 廿匕丕 賲毓丕賲賱丞 廿賳爻丕賳賷丞.賱丕 賷卮毓乇 亘賯賷賲丞 丕賱賰乇丕賲丞 廿賱丕 賲賳 兀購賴丿乇鬲 賰乇丕賲鬲賴 賵 匕丕賯 賵賷賱丕鬲 丕賱賲毓丕賳丕丞 賵 丕賱丨丕噩丞. 賵 賰丕賳鬲 賱賴匕賴 丕賱氐乇禺丞 兀氐丿丕亍 丌鬲鬲 孬賲丕乇賴丕 賮賷 丕賱賲噩鬲賲毓 丕賱乇賵爻賷 亘毓丿 匕賱賰 賵 兀丿鬲 廿賱賶 廿氐賱丕丨 丨丕賱 丕賱爻噩賵賳 亘氐賵乇賰亘賷乇丞.
兀毓鬲賯丿 丕賳賴 賲丕 賲賳 亘丕卅毓丞 賵 賲丕 賲賳 爻丕賰賳丞 賲賳 爻丕賰賳丕鬲 丕賱賲丿賷賳丞 亘兀爻乇賴丕 廿賱丕 賵 兀乇爻賱鬲 卮賷卅丕 廿賱賶 丕賱爻噩賳丕亍 丕賱鬲毓爻丕亍 賲賳 兀噩賱 丕賱賲亘丕乇賰丞 亘丕賱毓賷丿. 賰丕賳 亘賷賳 賴匕賴 丕賱氐丿賯丕鬲 氐丿賯丕鬲 孬賲賷賳丞: 毓丿丿 賰亘賷乇 賲賳 兀乇睾賮丞 丕賱禺亘夭 丕賱賲氐賳賵毓 賲賳 賮丕禺乇 丕賱丿賯賷賯. 賵 賰丕賳 亘賷賳賴丕 兀賷囟丕 氐丿賯丕鬲 夭賴賷丿丞: 乇睾賷賮 賲賳 禺亘夭 兀亘賷囟 孬賲賳賴 賰賵亘賰丕賳. 兀賵 乇睾賷賮丕賳 賲賳 禺亘夭 兀爻賵丿 丿賴賳 亘丕賱賯卮丿丞. 鬲賱賰 賴丿賷丞 丕賱賮賯賷乇 賱賱賮賯賷乇 兀賳賮賯 賮賷賴丕 丕賱兀賵賱 兀禺乇 賰賵亘賰 賷賲賱賰賴. 賵 賰丕賳鬲 賴匕賴 丕賱氐丿賯丕鬲 鬲賯亘賱 亘丕賲鬲賳丕賳 賵丕丨丿. 丿賵賳 鬲賮乇賷賯 亘賷賳賴丕 賮賷 丕賱賯賷賲丞 兀賵 賮賷 丕賱賲氐丿乇. 賵 賰丕賳 丕賱爻噩賳丕亍 丕賱匕賷賳 賷爻鬲賱賲賵賳 丕賱賴丿丕賷丕 賷乇賮毓賵賳 賯亘毓丕鬲賴賲 毓乇賮丕賳丕 亘丕賱噩賲賷賱. 賵 賷卮賰乇賵賳 賱兀氐丨丕亘 丕賱賴丿丕賷丕 賴丿丕賷丕賴賲 賵 賴賲 賷丨賷賵賳賴賲 賵 賷鬲賲賳賵賳 賱賴賲 毓賷丿丕 爻毓賷丿丕 孬賲 賷賳賮賯賵賳 丕賱氐丿賯丕鬲 廿賱賶 丕賱賲胤亘禺.賵 賰賲丕 賰鬲亘 毓賳 乇賵丨 丕賱賯丕賳賵賳 賮廿賳賴 賱賲 賷賳爻 丕丨爻丕賳 丕賱賲丨爻賳賷賳 賮賷 匕賱賰 丕賱夭賲賳 丕賱匕賷 毓乇賮 賲毓賳賶 丕賱鬲賰丕賮賱 毓賱賶 兀賵爻毓 賳胤丕賯 賮賷 爻丕卅乇 兀氐賯丕毓 丕賱兀乇囟.
廿賳 賴丐賱丕亍 丕賱毓噩夭丞 丕賱賲爻卅賵賱賷賳 毓賳 鬲胤亘賷賯 丕賱賯丕賳賵賳 賱丕 賷丿乇賰賵賳 兀亘丿丕 兀賳 鬲胤亘賷賯 賳氐賵氐 丕賱賯丕賳賵賳 亘睾賷乇 賮賴賲 賱乇賵丨 丕賱賯丕賳賵賳 賷丐丿賷 廿賱賶 丕賱丕囟胤乇丕亘丕鬲 乇兀爻丕. 廿賳賴賲 賷賯賵賱賵賳: 匕賱賰 賲丕 賷賳氐 毓賱賷賴 丕賱賯丕賳賵賳. 賮賲丕匕丕 鬲乇賷丿賵賳 夭賷丕丿丞 毓賱賶 匕賱賰責 丨鬲賶 賱賯丿 賷丿賴卮賴賲 丨賯丕 兀賳 鬲胤賱亘 賲賳賴賲 毓丿丕 鬲賳賮賷匕 丕賱賯丕賳賵賳 兀賳 賷賰賵賳 賱賴賲 卮賷亍 賲賳 氐丿賯 丕賱廿丨爻丕爻 賵 爻賱丕賲丞 丕賱鬲賮賰賷乇. 賵 爻賱丕賲丞 丕賱鬲賮賰賷乇 賴匕賴 賴賷 丕賱鬲賷 鬲亘丿賵 賱賴賲 夭丕卅丿丞 賱丕 賲丨賱 賱賴丕 亘賵噩賴 禺丕氐. 賮賴賷 賮賷 賳馗乇賴賲 鬲乇賮 賱丕 賱夭賵賲 賱賴. 鬲乇賮 賷孬賷乇 賲賵噩丿鬲賴賲 賵 賷賵賯馗 丨賳賯賴賲 賵 賷毓夭夭 鬲毓氐亘賴賲.賵 賰鬲亘 兀賷囟丕 毓賳 賲毓丕賳丕丞 丕賱爻噩賷賳 賮賷 毓丿 丕賱兀賷丕賲 賵 丕賳鬲馗丕乇 賷賵賲 丕賱禺賱丕氐.
兀賳鬲馗乇 氐丕亘乇丕. 賵 兀毓丿 丕賱兀賷丕賲 賷賵賲丕 賷賵賲丕. 賵 賷賮乇丨賳賷 丨鬲賶 丨賷賳 賷賰賵賳 賯丿 亘賯賷 毓賱賷賾 兀賳 兀賲賰孬 賮賷 丕賱爻噩賳 兀賱賮 賷賵賲 兀禺乇賶. 兀賳賳賷 兀爻鬲胤賷毓 兀賳 兀賯賵賱 賱賳賮爻賷 賮賷 丕賱睾丿丕丞 兀賳賴 賱賲 賷亘賯 廿賱丕 鬲爻毓賲丕卅丞 賵 鬲爻毓丞 賵 鬲爻毓賵賳 賷賵賲丕. 賱丕 兀賱賮 賷賵賲.賵 賲丕 兀賳 賷兀鬲賷 卮賷卅丕 賲賳 禺丕乇噩 丕賱爻噩賳 丨鬲賶 賷賱賵賳 丕賱丨賷丕丞 賵 賷毓賷丿 丕賱兀賲賱 賮賷 賷賵賲 賷爻鬲胤賷毓 賮賷賴 丕賱爻噩賷賳 兀賳 賷鬲賱賲爻 胤乇賷賯賴 賲乇丞 兀禺乇賶 賵爻胤 丕賱亘卮乇 賰賵丕丨丿 賲賳賴賲 賱丕 賰賲賳亘賵匕 賵 賲乇賲賷 賮賷 丕賱毓乇丕亍. 賲賴賲丕 賰丕賳 賴匕丕 丕賱卮賷亍 氐睾賷乇丕 賮爻賷購丨丿孬 丕賱兀孬乇 賳賮爻賴 丨鬲賶 賵 賱賵 賰丕賳 毓丿丿丕 賲賳 賲噩賱丞.
賰賳鬲 兀爻鬲毓乇囟 丨賷丕鬲賷 丕賱爻丕亘賯丞 賵 兀丨賱賱 兀丿賯 鬲賮丕氐賷賱賴丕. 賵 兀胤賷賱 丕賱鬲賮賰賷乇 賮賷賴丕. 賵 兀丨賰賲 毓賱賶 賳賮爻賷 亘睾賷乇 乇丨賲丞 賵 賱丕 卮賮賯丞. 賰賳鬲 兀賮賰乇 賵 兀賯乇乇 賵 兀丨賱賮 兀賱丕 兀賯丕乇賮 賮賷 丕賱賲爻鬲賯亘賱 賲丕 賯丕乇賮鬲 賮賷 丕賱賲丕囟賷 賲賳 兀禺胤丕亍. 賵 兀賳 兀鬲噩賳亘 丕賱爻賯胤丕鬲 丕賱鬲賷 丨胤賲鬲賳賷. 賰賳鬲 兀賳鬲馗乇 丨乇賷鬲賷 賵 兀賳丕丿賷賴丕 賮賷 丨乇丕乇丞 賵 丨賲丕爻丞. 賰賳鬲 兀乇賷丿 兀賳 兀噩乇亘 賯賵丕賷 賲乇丞 兀禺乇賶 賮賷 賰賮丕丨 噩丿賷丿.
廿賳 匕賱賰 丕賱毓丿丿 賲賳 丕賱賲噩賱丞 賯丿 亘丿丕 賱賷 賰兀賳賴 乇爻賵賱 賯丿 賴亘胤 毓賱賷 賲賳 丕賱毓丕賱賲 丕賱兀禺乇. 丕乇鬲爻賲鬲 丨賷丕鬲賷 丕賱賲丕囟賷丞 兀賲丕賲 毓賷賳賷 亘丕乇夭丞 賵丕囟丨丞 丨賷賳匕丕賰. 賵 丨丕賵賱鬲 兀賳 兀毓乇賮 賴賱 兀賳丕 鬲禺賱賮鬲 賵 賴賱 毓丕卮賵丕 賰孬賷乇丕 亘丿賵賳賷責 鬲爻丕亍賱鬲 毓賲丕 賷卮睾賱 亘丕賱賴賲 賵 賷丨乇賰 賳賮賵爻賴賲. 鬲爻丕亍賱鬲 毓賳 丕賱賲爻丕卅賱 丕賱鬲賷 兀氐亘丨鬲 鬲毓賳賷賴賲 賵 毓賳 丕賱賲卮賰賱丕鬲 丕賱鬲賷 兀氐亘丨鬲 鬲賴賲賴賲. 賰賳鬲 兀鬲賱亘孬 毓賱賶 丕賱賰賱賲丕鬲 賯賱賯丕 賵 兀賯乇兀 亘賷賳 丕賱爻胤賵乇 賵 兀丨丕賵賱 兀賳 兀賮賴賲 賲賳 丕賱毓亘丕乇丕鬲 賲毓賳丕賴丕 丕賱禺賮賷. 賵 兀賳 兀乇賶 賲丕 賮賷賴丕 賲賳 廿卮丕乇丕鬲 毓賱賶 丕賱賲丕囟賷 丕賱匕賷 兀毓乇賮賴. 賰賳鬲 兀賯鬲賮賷 兀孬丕乇 丕賱兀卮賷丕亍 丕賱鬲賷 賰丕賳鬲 鬲賴夭 丕賱廿賳賮毓丕賱 賮賷 夭賲丕賳賷 賮賲丕 賰丕賳 兀卮丿 丨夭賳賷 丨賷賳 丕囟胤乇乇鬲 兀賳 兀毓鬲乇賮 賱賳賮爻賷 亘兀賳賳賷 兀氐亘丨鬲 睾乇賷亘丕 毓賳 丕賱丨賷丕丞 丕賱噩丿賷丿丞. 賵 兀賳賳賷 丕賱兀賳 毓囟賵 賮賷 丕賱賲噩鬲賲毓 賲賳賮氐賱 毓賳賴 賲賳亘賵匕 賲賳賴. 賱賯丿 鬲兀禺乇鬲 賵 鬲禺賱賮鬲.賵 兀禺賷乇丕 ...
爻賯胤鬲 丕賱兀睾賱丕賱 .. 兀賳賴囟鬲賴丕 .. 賰賳鬲 兀乇賷丿 兀賳 兀賲爻賰賴丕 賮賷 賷丿賷. 賵 兀賳 兀賳馗乇 睾賱賷賴丕 賲乇丞 兀禺乇賶 .... 兀丿賴卮賳賷 兀賳賴丕 賰丕賳鬲 賲賳匕 賱丨馗丞 鬲賰亘賱 爻丕賯賷賾.
賵丿丕毓丕 .. 廿賱賶 丕賱丨乇賷丞 .. 廿賱賶 丕賱丨賷丕丞 丕賱噩丿賷丿丞 .. 廿賱賶 丕賱丕賳亘毓丕孬 賲賳 亘賷賳 丕賱兀賲賵丕鬲.
"賰賳鬲 兀卮毓乇 賮賷 賴匕賴 丕賱兀賷丕賲 亘囟賷賯 卮丿賷丿 賮鬲賳丕賵賱鬲 賰鬲丕亘 "匕賰乇賷丕鬲 賲賳 賲賳夭賱 丕賱兀賲賵丕鬲" 賮兀毓丿鬲 賯乇丕亍鬲賴. 賰賳鬲 賯丿 賳爻賷鬲 賰孬賷乇賸丕 賲賳賴貙 賮賱賲丕 兀毓丿鬲 賯乇丕亍鬲賴 兀賷賯賳鬲 兀賳 賱賷爻 賮賷 丕賱兀丿亘 丕賱噩丿賷丿 賰賱賴 賰鬲丕亘 賵丕丨丿 賷賮賵賯賴貙 丨鬲賶 賵賱丕 賰購鬲亘 亘賵卮賰賷賳
賱賷爻鬲 丕賱賳亘乇丞 賴賷 丕賱卮賷亍 丕賱乇丕卅毓 賮賷賴貙 亘賱 賵噩賴丞 丕賱賳馗乇 丕賱鬲賷 賷卮鬲賲賱 毓賱賷賴丕貨 廿賳賴 氐丕丿賯 胤亘賷毓賷 賲爻賷丨賷貙 廿賳賴 賰鬲丕亘 賷毓賱賾賲 丕賱丿賷賳
賮廿匕丕 乇兀賷鬲 丿賵爻鬲賵賷賮爻賰賷 賮賯賱 賱賴 兀賳賷 兀丨亘賴"