The
Brothers Karamazov, considered by most scholars to be Dostoevsky’s greatest work in a canon of already great works, brings readers into the darkest recesses of the human heart, reveals the tragedy that can result from a coldly rational mind, and simultaneously basks in the glory of a selfless and caring individual who inspires and is loved by all. On the surface, this
novel is a thrilling murder mystery. Fyodor Karamazov is found brutally murdered, and the primary suspect in the case is his eldest son. Underneath, however, the reader discovers a
world of clashing ideologies about faith, humanity, and life. The three Karamazov brothers each reflect a different aspect of human nature. Dimitri, the eldest, lives a
life of sensual pleasures, often finding himself in financial trouble, and his lifestyle eventually leads to the accusation that he murdered his father. Meanwhile, his brother Ivan is a man of great intellectual ability who denounces Christianity and considers man’s right to free will to be the one force that will eventually destroy him. Standing opposite of Ivan is Alyosha, the youngest of the Karamazov brothers, who has dedicated himself to a life of faith and service through work at a monastery. All three brothers grew up virtually ignored by their father, even after the deaths of their respective mothers. The Karamazov family goes to the elderly monk Zosima, where Dimitri and Fyodor Pavlovich end up in a shouting match over an inheritance. With Zosima’s death, Alyosha leaves the monastery to try and help the world through personal involvement. Dimitri spends much of his time trying to repay debts, while Ivan, the most aloof of the brothers, finally makes an effort to get to know his family. Ivan presents his own ideas about Christianity to Alyosha through his poem “The Grand Inquisitor.” In spite of the ingenuity of his philosophy, Ivan finds himself facing the demons of his own disbelief before the novel is over. While the novel revolves around these three brothers, there are a number of other characters whose personalities and beliefs serve to make the story more complex, including Fyodor Karamazov’s illegitimate son Smerdyakov. No one has been able to prove that Smerdyakov is, indeed, Fyodor Karamazov’s son, but Karamazov has not gone out of his way to deny it either. This fourth brother proves cold and calculating, much like Ivan, and using many of the same justifications. Meanwhile, Alyosha befriends a group of young boys who come to look up to him, including the impressionable Kolya and Ilyusha, whom a minority of scholars considers to be the true hero of the novel. Ilyusha displays a courage and understanding, uncommon in the average human being, loving Alyosha in spite of wrongdoings done by Dimitri. In The Brothers Karamazov, Dostoevsky has created a masterpiece that appeals to readers both on the superficial level and on a deeper, darker echelon. While witty and exciting, this novel is pregnant with challenges to the many “truths” of society, thus bringing its readers to a more multidimensional outlook on the world.
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