On the textual problems of publishing the novel “Demons” as a part of the Complete Works of F. M. Dostoevsky (1974 and 2021)

The article contains an analysis of the texts of two academic publications of F. M. Dostoevskyʼs novel “Demons” – as a part of the Complete Works in 30 volumes (1972–1990) and the currently published Complete Works in 35 volumes. The textual and historical-literary problems associated with these publications are analyzed, the methodology and errors characteristic of each of the publications are considered, the pros and cons of both publications are analyzed. The importance of the issue of the fundamental discrepancy between punctuation of the 19th century and the modern norm, based primarily on the structural and semantic principle of punctuation marks and developed in much more detail than the codes of the 19th century, is pointed out. The preservation of individual elements of archaic punctuation when reading a text by a carrier of a modern punctuation norm has a destructive effect on meaning. The article considers a number of examples showing the inapplicability of elements of old spelling and punctuation in the modern traditional academic tradition.