The gambler

Author's name: Dostoevsky

Translated by: Sami Al-Daroubi

Although Dostoevsky dictated the novel to a secretary and finished it in less than a month, it was vibrant and met with a reception that surpassed most of what Dostoevsky had previously published, especially since it contained something of what he had lived and experienced himself.

In this novel, we see the turmoil of the hero, Alexei Ivanovich, who is captured by two wild loves: the first is his intense love for the cruel and eccentric Pauline, and the second is his overwhelming passion for the roulette table.

His love for Pauline is a mixture of a desire to surrender and a desire to escape. It is love and hate together. Alexei confesses to Pauline that he finds great pleasure in his slavery to her. He tells her that there is great pleasure in humiliation and falling, and the moment she accepts his love and reciprocates his feelings, he flees. As for his passion for gambling, Dostoevsky depicts it as a kind of infatuation, magic, delirium, and even a kind of challenge to fate.

But Dostoevsky's hero ends up considering that this wildness has corrupted his soul, so he finally abandons it.

The translation provided by Dr. Sami Al-Daroubi of this wonderful novel gives us the ability to enjoy this great work. It was an incomparable translation.