NewThe Brothers Karamazov
A Family Torn Apart by Faith, Doubt, and Desire
by Fyodor DostoevskyPhilosophical FictionNovel
ΠΡΠ°ΡΡΡ ΠΠ°ΡΠ°ΠΌΠ°Π·ΠΎΠ²Ρ
Originally in Russian1880
96 chapters1,399 pages25h read
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About This Book
In a provincial Russian town, the vulgar and wealthy Fyodor Pavlovitch Karamazov is locked in a bitter struggle with his three remarkable sons β the passionate, reckless Dmitri, the brilliant, tormented intellectual Ivan, and the gentle, spiritual Alyosha β each embodying a different answer to the question of how to live. When the old man is found murdered, suspicion falls on Dmitri, but the true guilt runs far deeper, entangling the household's illegitimate servant Smerdyakov and Ivan's own dangerous philosophy that 'everything is permitted.' Dostoevsky's final and greatest novel is a seismic exploration of faith and doubt, free will and moral responsibility, the existence of God and the problem of evil β all wrapped in a gripping murder mystery that builds to one of literature's most devastating courtroom scenes.
Characters
View all 149 charactersAbout the Author
Fyodor Dostoevsky
1821β1881
Fyodor Dostoevsky was born in Moscow, Russia, in 1821 to a physician father and a devoutly religious mother. He began his education at a private school and later attended the Nikolayev Military Engineering Institute in St. Petersburg. After a brief career as an engineer, Dostoevsky turned to writing, publishing his first novel in 1846. His life was marked by political turmoil; in 1849, he was arrested for involvement with a group of utopian socialists and spent several years in Siberian exile, an experience that profoundly influenced his later work. After his return, Dostoevsky struggled with financial hardship, health issues, and a tumultuous personal life, yet he remained a prolific writer until his death in 1881.
Places and Terms in this Book
roublesβ The currency of Russia.
Moscowβ The capital city of Russia, where Mitya's grandmother and later a cousin reside.
the monasteryβ The monastery is the local Orthodox Christian religious institution, significant in the spiritual and social life of the town and central to Alyosha's journey.
Petersburgβ A major Russian city (now called Saint Petersburg), often associated with culture, education, and political life.
Mokroeβ A village or small town near the Karamazovs' home, known for its tavern and debauchery.
Siberiaβ A vast region in Russia, often associated with exile or remote monastic missions.
Vocabulary
elderβ A senior monk in the Orthodox tradition, often revered for wisdom and spiritual guidance.
betrothedβ A person to whom one is engaged to be married.
cellβ A small room in a monastery where a monk lives.
cassockβ A long, close-fitting garment worn by members of the clergy or those in religious orders.
parricideβ The act of killing one's own father.
pestleβ A heavy tool with a rounded end, used for crushing or grinding substances in a mortar.
