'Notes from Underground' is a seminal work by Fyodor Dostoevsky, often considered one of the first existentialist novels. It presents the unfiltered thoughts of a bitter, alienated, and self-loathing narrator, an unnamed former civil servant living in St. Petersburg. Through his soliloquies, Dostoevsky delves into complex themes of free will, rationality versus irrationality, the nature of suffering, and the rejection of utopian ideals. This powerful novella offers a chillingly prescient critique of modern society and a profound psychological portrait of a man trapped by his own consciousness, making it a foundational text for understanding the philosophical currents of the 19th century and beyond.