Author(s): Resmi S R

Abstract: This paper examines White Nights by Fyodor Dostoevsky through an existentialist framework, focusing on isolation, meaninglessness, and the fragile construction of human connection. The unnamed Dreamer, who exists on the margins of social life, embodies a form of existential alienation shaped by his retreat into imagination and his inability to engage with reality. His brief but emotionally intense relationship with Nastenka becomes a crucial site for examining the possibility of meaning within an otherwise indifferent world. While the Dreamer interprets love as an idealized, self-contained experience, the novella exposes the limitations of such a perspective by revealing its roots in passivity and emotional detachment. In contrast, Nastenka’s eventual movement toward a real and reciprocal relationship highlights the importance of action and lived experience in overcoming isolation. The paper argues that the text challenges the romanticization of unrequited love and presents meaning as ephemeral, contingent upon authentic engagement rather than fantasy. Ultimately, White Nights suggests that although moments of connection may be transient, they remain central to the human effort to create meaning in an uncertain existence.

Keywords: Alienation, existentialism, imagination and reality, White Nights

Article Info: Received: 17 Mar 2026; Received in revised form: 16 Apr 2026; Accepted: 21 Apr 2026; Available online: 26 Apr 2026

DOI: 10.22161/ijels.112.83