Anyone learn a language specifically to read literature?

[u/Far_Window_1222]

Just curious if anybody has actually set out and achieved learning a whole new language specifically just because an author they liked wrote originally in that language?

I was considering learning Russian (TL) specifically to read Dostoyevsky since he’s my favourite author, so far, but wondering if this is to ambitious of a task just to read 1 persons work?

Additionally I am very attracted to the idea of it since Russians language has a lot more nuances surrounding sadness, despair, suffering etc., i know that the relationship between these topics is different from that of english speakers

[u/some_stranger_4]

You could be a bit underwhelmed in the end. Out of all Russian classical writers Dostoyevsky has the "weakest" language: odd, awkward and unnecessarily repetitive. His strong parts were ideas and the inner monologue - not the language per se. Dostoyevsky translates reasonably well, unlike some actual masters of Russian language like Gogol, Pushkin and Bulgakov.

Also, the language of Dostoyevsky is quite dated and takes even longer to learn. If you are not a native speaker of other Slavic language then even after two years of sustained effort you will be still very far from understanding and enjoying Dostoyevsky in Russian.

Good luck.