Noches blancas, publicada en 1848, es pese a su brevedad un virtuoso ejercicio de introspección psicológica y una peculiar muestra de los vínculos de su autor con el romanticismo. Su joven y solitario protagonista deambula por San Petersburgo azorado por la huida estival de sus habitantes, hallando de manera fortuita a la atormentada Nástenka. Noche tras noche, ambos se reunirán en el muelle y compartirán sus infortunios, a la espera de una cuarta velada que determinará su porvenir. Con su característica construcción literaria dialógica, Dostoievski hace orbitar esta novela en torno a la figura del héroe que triunfa en la derrota, pues es su salvación mirar de frente al desencanto.
Acompañan a este relato, los siguientes cuentos: El corazón débil, El ladrón honrado, El Árbol de Navidad y una boda, El pequeño héroe y El niño con la manita; en todas estas historias, Dostoievski observa con ternura a quienes no pueden vivir sin amor, pero tampoco pueden alcanzarlo.
ENGLISH DESCRIPTION
“I don’t know how to be silent when my heart is speaking.”
Set in the enchanting streets of St. Petersburg, this is a story of a young man who is a dreamer, and wanders on the city’s deserted lanes during long summer nights.
On a foggy night, under the hazy streetlights, a young man met Nastenka, who captured his heart with her beauty and innocence. They spent four consecutive nights together, as he becomes increasingly besotted with Nastenka, sharing his innermost thoughts and feelings.
Just as he was beginning to feel safe in their oasis, he discovers that Nastenka is in love with another man; a prince who has promised to return to her after a long absence. Yet, he is certain that even Nastenka is drawn to him, each grappling with their own sense of longing and desire for connection.
Through this vivid narrative of the intoxicating power of hope, the young man’s monologues reveal his absolute yearning for love, while Nastenka’s vulnerability and romantic idealism add layers of emotion to the story.
The stories included in this book are: A Faint Heart, The Honest Thief, A Christmas Tree and a Wedding, A Little Hero, among others.
