7 Secrets of Demons

How did Nikolay Stavrogin, demoted to a private, manage to become an officer in three months? What does Pyotr Verkhovensky mean when he tells the governor about the “seventh verst”? In what year does the novel take place? We explain the confusing fragments of the novel through seven quotes.

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1. The Secret of Chronology and Anachronisms

The novel Demons begins with an extensive and quite detailed biography of Stepan Trofimovich Verkhovensky:

“He returned from abroad and shone as a lecturer at a university chair right at the end of the forties. He managed to read only a few lectures… <…> He stopped his lectures on the Arabians because a letter to someone, outlining some ‘circumstances,’ was somehow intercepted by someone (obviously one of his retrogressive enemies), and someone demanded some explanations from him as a result. I don’t know if it’s true, but it was also claimed that at the very same time, some enormous, unnatural, and anti-state society, about thirteen people strong, was discovered in St. Petersburg, and it almost shook the entire building. They said they were supposedly going to translate Fourier himself.”

The action of the novel takes place in September, but the year is not mentioned in the text. However, we can calculate it thanks to the excerpt above. Verkhovensky Sr.’s university lectures took place in 1849. Dostoevsky, of course, does not name the date, but he mentions an event that happened practically at the same time: the discovery of some “unnatural and anti-state society.” This refers to the Petrashevsky Circle, which Dostoevsky himself belonged to. The political program of the participants in the meetings held by Mikhail Butashevich-Petrashevsky did indeed include both the destruction of the “current social structure” and the translation of works by the French philosopher Charles Fourier. The time of the action in Demons, as indicated by the chronicler (the narrator), unfolds exactly 20 years after this event, that is, in 1869.

However, the novel mentions many events from 1870–1871. For example, the characters refer to Alexander Herzen, who died on January 21, 1870, as deceased. Lyamshin, the local revolutionary, plays a humorous composition on the piano, “The Franco-Prussian War,” in which the French “Marseillaise” gradually transitions into the Austrian folk song “Mein lieber Augustin”—a hint at the French defeat that occurred in early 1871. The novel also mentions the Paris Commune, or rather its supporters, the “pétroleuses,” as the Russian press called them for the arson attacks during the street battles in May 1871.

Dostoevsky began writing the novel in 1870. Working on the text, the writer continued to read newspapers and observe what was happening in the world. He could not compromise his most important principle—to write about what was current and pressing, giving the reader many references to contemporary events. At the same time, it was equally important for him to set the novel’s action in the 1860s, the main feature of which he considered to be the growth of high-profile crimes and unrest among the youth.

2. The Secret of Multi-Barreled Revolvers

Practically every second character in Demons has a weapon—most often a firearm, but without specifying the make or model. With the exception of two revolvers, which are described quite thoroughly, but in a way that is unclear to the modern reader. Here is the first description:

“He rummaged again in the suitcase and pulled out another box with a six-barreled American revolver. — You have quite a lot of weapons, and very expensive ones. — Very. Extremely.”

And here is the second description—of another revolver, completely unrelated to the first:

“The shot was fired from a small three-barreled revolver directly into the heart.”

Why does Dostoevsky always describe revolvers as necessarily multi-barreled? And in general, what are multi-barreled revolvers—is this a mistake?

The owner of the first revolver is Aleksey Kirillov, an ideological character and future suicide who went to the USA as a laborer out of curiosity. In the 1860s, the time of the Civil War, Remingtons and Colts were especially popular there. The latter, more qualitative and expensive, were revolvers with a single barrel, not six, but with a cylinder for six rounds. Since Kirillov says his weapon is expensive, it can be assumed that he had a Colt, and Dostoevsky used the word “six-barreled” by mistake.

However, there is a second option. In the 19th century, there were revolvers with multiple barrels. They were called pepperboxes and began to be produced a century earlier. These models fired quickly but were not noted for accuracy, so they were used at short distances, for example, for self-defense. With the advent of American cylinder revolvers, which appeared in the 1830s, pepperboxes began to become obsolete and cheaper. Therefore, Kirillov, who lived in the USA and most likely saw the latest weapons models, would hardly have been interested in a pepperbox, let alone spent a lot of money on it.

But the small three-barreled revolver, which belonged to the young man sent from the village to the city for his sister’s dowry, was precisely a pepperbox. Its owner gambled away his family money “accumulated over decades” and committed suicide out of despair.

3. The Secret of the Public Marriage between Stavrogin and Lebyadkina

In the second chapter, Stavrogin visits Captain Lebyadkin to discuss his secret marriage to the Captain’s sister, Marya Timofeevna, concluded four and a half years earlier:

“…Nikolay Vsevolodovich informed him that any day now, perhaps even tomorrow or the day after, he intended to make his marriage known everywhere, ‘to the police and to society,’ and consequently, the question of family dignity, and along with it the question of subsidies, would end by itself. The Captain gaped; he didn’t even understand; it had to be explained to him. — But she is… half-witted? — I will make arrangements.”

Why does Stavrogin want to tell everyone that he is married to Marya Timofeevna? To save her from her brother. In 19th-century Russia, women were assigned to men—fathers, brothers, husbands: the relevant documents were filled out by police officers. Since Stavrogin’s marriage to Marya Timofeevna was kept secret, the woman was completely dependent on Lebyadkin. He does not let his sister, who tries to run away from him, out of his sight, beats her, and also uses her to blackmail Stavrogin.

If the marriage becomes public, Marya Timofeevna will be freed from her brother. He tries to dissuade Stavrogin, putting forward his sister’s insanity as the main argument. The fact is that in the Russian Empire, marriage with the insane was strictly forbidden. It was equated with forced marriage and considered a crime. However, proving the woman’s insanity, especially after several years, would have been difficult. Initially, the duty to ensure that both future spouses were of sound mind was placed upon the priest. It was assumed that if he performed the wedding, everything was in order. Determining the truth required additional proceedings. Moreover, the examination to declare someone insane was not the fastest procedure.

4. The Secret of the Seventh Verst

Talking to the governor, Pyotr Stepanovich Verkhovensky drops a few phrases about the liberal circle organized in the city:

“Well, there’s the visiting engineer, he was Stavrogin’s second, a maniac, a lunatic; your second-lieutenant is perhaps only in delirium tremens, and this one is completely insane—completely, I guarantee that. Ah, Andrey Antonovich, if the government only knew what kind of people they all are, they wouldn’t lift a finger against them. Send them all straight to the seventh verst; I saw enough of them in Switzerland and at congresses.”

What do the words “send them all straight to the seventh verst” mean? This is what residents of St. Petersburg in the 1860s called sending someone to an insane asylum. The psychiatric ward of the Obukhovskaya Hospital, or the Hospital of All Sorrows’ Joy, opened in 1832. The hospital was located at the eleventh verst on the Peterhof Road. Eleven versts is if you count from the Main Post Office in the city center. However, residents counted the distance to objects in the suburbs from the southern border of St. Petersburg, which ran along the Fontanka River. In 1835, the construction of the Obvodny Canal, which became the new southern border of the city, was completed, and the expression “to the seventh verst” appeared, understandable only to the capital’s residents. The cunning Pyotr Stepanovich deliberately uses it, letting the governor—an official sent from St. Petersburg—know that they are insiders.

5. The Secret of the Senator

During a charity event in support of governesses, organized by the governor’s wife, Yuliya Mikhaylovna, a scandal erupted: the crowd got out of control, and an unknown person burst onto the stage and began to criticize the state of affairs in the country. At this moment, Pyotr Stepanovich Verkhovensky informs the poor woman, who is already terrified, that her husband is facing dismissal:

“— And now they are shouting about the Senator. — About what Senator? Who is shouting? — You see, I don’t understand anything myself. Yuliya Mikhaylovna, do you know anything about a Senator? — A Senator? — You see, they are convinced that a Senator has been appointed here, and that you are being replaced from St. Petersburg. I’ve heard it from many people.”

Which Senator is being referred to? During the reign of Alexander II, Senators from the capital were sent to provincial cities to conduct scheduled inspections (revisions). Their task was to find local problems, understand how to solve them, and also identify abuses and collect arrears. There were also unscheduled inspections, and these required a truly serious reason, such as a protracted famine or popular unrest. The Senator was sent personally by the Emperor and then reported directly to him.

However, in the provincial city described in the novel, there was no reason for an unscheduled Senatorial inspection. Yuliya Mikhaylovna is not a stupid woman: after initially being frightened, she quickly pulls herself together and calls this rumor mean and foolish. Why does Verkhovensky talk about the Senator? To sow panic, confuse, and disarm the current authorities. He knows that the governor is highly dependent on his wife and her moods, and therefore intimidates Yuliya Mikhaylovna specifically.

6. The Secret of the Slap and the New Courts

Here is how the townspeople discuss the possible consequences of the slap Shatov gave Stavrogin:

“— Not only did he [Stavrogin] not challenge the student [Shatov], he put his hands behind his back, note that especially, your Excellency, — one of them pointed out. — And he didn’t drag him to the new court, — another added. — Despite the fact that in the new court he would have been awarded fifteen rubles for the personal insult to a nobleman, heh-heh-heh!”

Let’s figure this out. What is the “new court“? Is fifteen rubles a lot or a little for a slap? And most importantly, what is that “heh-heh-heh”? Let’s start with the new court. This refers to the judicial reform of 1864. If the case had been before the reform, the punishment for assaulting a nobleman would have been very severe, up to exile. However, the action of the novel takes place after the entry into force of the milder penal code.

Even after the reform, Shatov faced punishment: after all, it was not just a slap—he punched Stavrogin with his fist, and blood was drawn. Stavrogin could have filed both a civil and a criminal lawsuit. In the latter case, he would have had to declare that he had been assaulted, and the offender would have faced a prison sentence. Stavrogin could also have appealed to the Justice of the Peace and filed a complaint for insult—then Shatov would have been placed under arrest for several months and fined up to 50 rubles. Of course, it was not in Stavrogin’s character to get involved in such litigation, but the possibility was there.

The second question then arises. Why, if the punishment could have been quite severe, do the town gossips believe that Stavrogin’s only prospect is a 15-ruble fine? Because public opinion is on Shatov’s side. Although he is formally guilty, the gossips use this to ridicule Stavrogin: in reality, they are glad that he does not have the ability to send him to the “old court,” and they are also being ironic that the maximum he will get for his offense is 15 rubles.

7. The Secret of Stavrogin’s Military Service

Here is how the first years of Nikolay Stavrogin’s independent life and the problems he faced in the military service are described:

“…Prince Harry had two duels almost at once, was entirely to blame in both, killed one of his opponents outright, and crippled the other, and as a result of such actions was brought to trial. The matter ended with demotion to a private, with loss of rights and assignment to serve in one of the infantry army regiments, and even that was by special grace. In ‘sixty-three he somehow managed to distinguish himself; he was given a cross and promoted to unter-officer, and then somehow quickly to officer.”

In the 1860s, duels were, of course, forbidden. For killing an opponent in a duel, Stavrogin was liable for three to ten years of “imprisonment in a fortress.” For inflicting grievous bodily harm—one to six years. In both cases, the term depended on who initiated the duel. Nevertheless, Stavrogin was merely sent to serve in an infantry army regiment—most likely as a result of his mother’s efforts.

For what could he have received the “cross“—a soldier’s award for military valor—and the rank of unter-officer (non-commissioned officer)? Apparently, Stavrogin “managed to distinguish himself” during the suppression of the Polish Uprising (1863-1864). In addition, a special document was issued at that time, which allowed non-commissioned officers to be promoted to officers three months “after an exam on the regulations and certification by the authorities.” This can explain the speed with which Stavrogin left his past as a private behind.

Sources

Volkov S. V. The Russian Officer Corps. Moscow, 1993.

Dal V. I. Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language. In 4 vols. St. Petersburg, 1863–1866.

Dostoevsky F. M. Complete Collected Works in 30 vols. Vol. 10. Leningrad, 1974.

Dostoevsky F. M. Complete Collected Works in 30 vols. Vol. 12. Leningrad, 1975.

Saraskina L. I. “The Possessed” (“Demons”): A Warning Novel. Moscow, 1990.

Shokarev Yu. V. Weaponry. An Illustrated Dictionary. Moscow, 2003.

The “All Sorrowful” Hospital. St. Petersburg, 1834.

Armaments Collection. St. Petersburg, 1861.

Collection of Circulars and Instructions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. St. Petersburg, 1858.

Code of Laws of the Russian Empire. St. Petersburg, 1872.

Code on Criminal and Correctional Punishments. St. Petersburg, 1857.

Code on Criminal and Correctional Punishments of 1866: With Additions up to January 1, 1876. Compiled by Prof. N. S. Tagantsev of St. Petersburg University. St. Petersburg, 1876.

Statute on Punishments Imposed by Justices of the Peace. Compiled by Prof. N. S. Tagantsev of St. Petersburg University. St. Petersburg, 1873.