Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky is a seminal novella about a bitter, isolated, and hyper-conscious former civil servant (the "underground man") in 19th-century Russia, exploring themes of alienation, free will, suffering, and existentialism through his cynical internal monologues. The narrator rails against rationalism, societal norms, and utopian ideals, critiquing the pursuit of pure logic while being paralyzed by his own intelligence and self-loathing, making him a foundational figure in existential literature.