Uncle's Dream

Uncle's Dream is a satirical novel written by Fyodor Dostoevsky and first published in 1859.

Mixing humor and irony, Dostoevsky this time brings us a story set in a small town where the ambitious widow Maria Alexandrovna Moskalyova, intends to find a blissful match for her daughter Zinaida.

Her plan is to marry Zinaida to a wealthy old nobleman (the uncle) who is visiting the town, and although the gentleman is senile and very grotesque, the widow sees the perfect opportunity to make a place for herself in the high society of St. Petersburg and thus be able to move up in the social classes of the time.

The novel explores themes of social ambition, manipulation, the absurdities of high society, and the lengths to which people will go to achieve their goals.

"Maria Alexandrovna Moskaleva was the principal lady of Mordasoff—there was no doubt whatever on that point! She always bore herself as though she did not care a fig for anyone, but as though no one else could do without her. True, there were uncommonly few who loved her—in fact I may say that very many detested her; still, everyone was afraid of her, and that was what she liked!"