Drei Menschen

In the story 'Three People' (1900-1901), Maxim Gorky depicts the fate of three friends who have been at the bottom of Russian society since childhood, where, according to Gorky, 'many great souls are crushed to death.' In this narrative, Gorky critiques Dostoevsky's idea that a person and their actions can be explained by the traits of human nature and are independent of social conditions. He places his protagonists in situations that could also fit into Dostoevsky's works and poses the same questions that tormented Dostoevsky: about the meaning and purpose of human life. However, Gorky's answer is different. His characters bring different moral ideas into the world than Dostoevsky's: it is not humility and penance (Raskolnikov) that take center stage, but rather a sorrowful reconciliation with fate (Jakov), as well as daring revolt (Ilja) and ethical and political engagement (Pawel).