Undergraduate thesis exploring Fyodor Dostoevsky's portrayal of grief in his work, "The Idiot". When examining a work of art, it is crucial to look at the context surrounding the composition. "The Idiot" presents a fascinating example, in that Fyodor Dostoevsky wrote this novel immediately following the death of his five-month-old daughter, Sofya. This thesis examines the historical background, grief in Russian society, religious grief and guilt, grief in the characterization, and cyclical grief.