How many Karamazov brothers are there? Brothers Karamazov. I. Fatal day

Worked for three years. The final stage of work—artistic embodiment—lasted for three years. But spiritually he worked on it all his life. “The Brothers Karamazov” is the pinnacle from which the organic unity of the writer’s entire work is revealed to us. Everything he experienced, thought about and created finds its place in this huge synthesis. The complex human world of “The Karamazovs” grows naturally, over the course of decades, absorbing the philosophical and artistic elements of previous works: “ Writer's Diary“- the laboratory in which the ideology of the latest novel is finally formed; in “Teenager” the construction of a family chronicle is being prepared and the tragedy of “fathers and sons” is outlined; in “Demons” - the clash between the atheist Stavrogin and Saint Tikhon anticipates the tragic struggle of faith and unbelief (Elder Zosima - Ivan Karamazov); in “The Idiot” a plot scheme is developed that is close to “Karamazov”: at the center of the action is a criminal offense; the offended beauty Nastasya Filippovna resembles Grushenka, the proud Aglaya resembles Katerina Ivanovna: the motif of the dramatic meeting of the rivals is repeated in both novels.

Brothers Karamazov. Series. Episode 1

Brothers Karamazov. Series. Episode 2

"The Brothers Karamazov" is not only a synthesis of Dostoevsky's work, but also the completion of his life. In the very topography of the novel, childhood memories are combined with the impressions of recent years: the city in which the novel is set reflects the appearance of Staraya Russa, and the surrounding villages (Darovoye, Chermashnya, Mokroe) are associated with the father’s estate in the Tula province. Fyodor Pavlovich inherits some of the traits of the writer’s father and his violent death corresponds to the tragic end of Mikhail Andreevich. Dmitry, Ivan and Alyosha are three aspects of Dostoevsky’s personality, three stages of his spiritual path. The ardent and noble Dmitry, reciting the "Hymn to Joy", embodies romantic period the life of the author; his tragic fate, accused of parricide and exile to Siberia, is determined by the history of the innocent criminal Ilyinsky and is thereby associated with memories of the years of hard labor. Ivan, an atheist and creator of a social utopia, reflects era of friendship with Belinsky and passion for atheistic socialism; Alyosha is a symbolic image of the writer after the hard labor period, when a “rebirth of convictions” occurred in him, when he found the Russian people and the Russian Christ.

The novel "The Brothers Karamazov" reveals itself to us as a spiritual biography of the author and his artistic confession . But, transformed into a work of art, the history of Dostoevsky’s personality becomes the history of the human personality in general. The random and individual disappears, the universal and all-human grows. In the fate of the Karamazov brothers, each of us recognizes our own destiny. The writer depicts three brothers as spiritual unity . This is a conciliar personality in its threefold structure: the beginning of reason is embodied in Ivan: he is a logician and rationalist, a born skeptic and denier; the beginning of feeling is represented by Dmitry: it contains “the voluptuousness of insects” and the inspiration of eros; the beginning of the will, realizing itself in active love, as an ideal, is outlined in Alyosha. The brothers are connected by blood ties, growing from the same family root: a biological given - the Karamazov element - is shown in Father Fyodor Pavlovich. Every human personality carries within itself a fatal split: the legitimate brothers Karamazov have an illegitimate brother Smerdyakov: he is their embodied temptation and personified sin.

The concept of the conciliar personality determines the construction of the novel. All of Dostoevsky's works are personalistic: their action is always concentrated around the personality of the main character (Raskolnikov, Prince Myshkin, Stavrogin, Versilov). The main character of “The Karamazovs” is three brothers in their spiritual unity. Three personal themes develop in parallel, but in spiritual terms the parallel lines converge: the brothers, each in their own way, experience a single tragedy, they have a common guilt and a common redemption. Not only Ivan with his idea of ​​“everything is allowed,” not only Dmitry in his uncontrollable passions, but also the “quiet boy” Alyosha are responsible for the murder of his father. They all consciously or half-consciously wished for his death; and their desire pushed Smerdyakov to commit a crime: he was their obedient instrument. Killing thought Ivana turned into destructive passion Dmitry and in criminal act Smerdyakov. They are actively to blame, Alyosha is passively to blame. He knew and allowed could save my father and didn’t. The common crime of the brothers entails a common punishment: Dmitry atones for his guilt with reference to hard labor, Ivan with the disintegration of his personality and the appearance of the devil, Alyosha with a terrible, spiritual crisis. All of them are purified in suffering and gain new life.

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The architectonics of “The Karamazovs” are distinguished by extraordinary rigor: the author systematically follows the laws of balance, symmetry, and proportionality. It can be assumed that the harmonious philosophical schemes of Vladimir Solovyov influenced the technique of constructing the novel. This is the most “constructed” and ideologically complete of all Dostoevsky’s works. The human world of the novel is arranged in symbolic order: Dmitry is placed in the center of the plot - he is the bearer of action and the source of dramatic energy. His passion for Grushenka, rivalry with his father, affair with Katerina Ivanovna, an imaginary crime, trial and exile constitute the external content of the novel. On both sides of him stand Ivan and Alyosha; the first, with his ideas, prepares for parricide and thereby influences the fate of Dmitry: he is his ideological opponent and spiritual antipode, but is connected with him by blood, common hatred of his father and common guilt. Alyosha contrasts her “quietness” with Dmitry’s violence, her purity with his sensuality; but in his bashful chastity lives the “Karamazov element”; he also knows the bites of voluptuousness. They are different and similar: they are mysteriously united by an ecstatic feeling of life. Therefore, Dmitry’s sin is Alyosha’s sin.

Dostoevsky. Brothers Karamazov. Audiobook. Part 1

Behind the group of legitimate sons, located in the foreground, in the distance and half-light, stands the ominous figure of the illegitimate brother, the lackey Smerdyakov. He is separated from them by origin, social status, character; the spiritual unity of the family is torn apart by his evil separation. And yet how mysteriously deep is his connection with his brothers: mediumistically he carries out their subconscious suggestion; Ivan determines his fate with his ideas, Dmitry with his passions, Alyosha with his disgusting indifference. The theme of “children” is developed in four ideological aspects by four brothers; the theme of “fathers” is presented by Fyodor Pavlovich alone. It is united and simple: the impersonal natural element of life, the terrible power of the earth and gender.

A tragic struggle takes place between father and children. Only men fight, men’s ideas collide with each other. Dostoevsky's women do not have their own personal history - they are included in the biography of the heroes, they form part of their destiny. Each of the Karamazov brothers has their own addition in the female image: next to Ivan stands Katerina Ivanovna, next to Dmitry is Grushenka, next to Alyosha is Liza Khokhlakova; even Smerdyakov has his own “lady of the heart” - the maid Marya Kondratyevna. In the “love” plane, the indivisible unity of the brothers appears with particular clarity. The threads connecting them to their lovers cross and intertwine. Ivan loves Katerina Ivanovna, Dmitry’s fiancée, Alyosha momentarily becomes his rival, feeling stung by his passion for Grushenka; Katerina Ivanovna is a femme fatale for both Ivan and Dmitry; Grushenka unites Dmitry and Alyosha in her love. Finally, the unity of the Karamazov family is symbolically shown in the passion of Fyodor Pavlovich and Dmitry for one woman - Grushenka. The remaining characters are located around this central group. Fyodor Pavlovich is surrounded by his “world” of drinking buddies and dissolute women; Grushenka brings with her her admirers and a company of Poles; Mitya breaks in with gypsies, random friends and creditors. Alyosha’s world is richest of all: the “young lover of humanity” introduces two types of human communication into the novel: the monastic community and the “brotherhood of children.” He connects the dark kingdom of Karamazov with the world of the elder Zosima and Ilyusha Snegirev. Ivan alone does not have his own world: he does not accept God’s creation, human things are alien to him, he is disembodied. His only companion is a ghost, the spirit of nothingness, the devil.

The history of the conciliar personality of the Karamazov brothers is depicted in tragedy novel . Everything is tragic in this artistic myth about man: the enmity of children against their father, the struggle of brothers among themselves, and the internal struggles of each brother individually. The discovery of the metaphysical meaning of human destiny belongs to Dmitry. In the experience of the passions, he realized that “the devil is fighting with God, and the battlefield is the hearts of people.” Two abysses opened before him - above and below. But he is powerless to make a choice and this is his personal tragedy. In the group of brothers, he occupies a middle, neutral place. Ivan and Alyosha, standing on his left and right, have already made this choice. Ivan is irresistibly drawn to the lower abyss, Alyosha rushes to the upper one. One says no, the other yes. Fyodor Pavlovich, sitting over a cognac, asks Ivan: “Is there a God or not?” He answers: “No, there is no God.” He turns to Alyosha: “Alyosha, is there a God?” Alyosha answers: “There is a God.” Ivan’s personal tragedy is that his “mind and heart are not in harmony”: with his feelings he loves God’s world, although he does not accept it with his mind.

Of the three brothers, Alyosha is the most harmonious, but there is also a crack in his integral nature: he knows the temptations of Karamazov’s voluptuousness, and his faith passes through the “crucible of doubt.” The religious idea of ​​the novel - the struggle of faith with unbelief - goes beyond the Karamazov family. Ivan's denial gives birth to the sinister figure of the Inquisitor; Alyosha's statement mystically deepens in the image of the elder Zosima. The hearts of people are only a battlefield, and God and the devil are fighting. Beneath the psychological surface of personality, Dostoevsky reveals its ontology and metaphysics. The history of the Karamazov family is an artistic myth, in the shell of which is enclosed religious mystery : that's why in the center of it is "

November 1880

"The Brothers Karamazov"- the last novel by F. M. Dostoevsky, which the author wrote for two years. The novel was published in parts in Russky Vestnik. Dostoevsky conceived the novel as the first part of the epic novel “The History of the Great Sinner.” The novel was finished in November 1880. The writer died four months after publication.

The novel touches on deep questions about God, freedom, and morality.

History of creation

Dostoevsky began making the first sketches of the novel in April 1878. A well-known influence on him was the Russian thinker Nikolai Fedorov. It is worth noting that Dostoevsky expressed some ideas for the continuation of the novel publicly.

Structure

Although the novel was written in the 19th century, it contains many modern elements. Dostoevsky used several literary techniques, which allowed critics to accuse him of negligence. The narration is told in third person. As philosopher Mikhail Bakhtin argues (see "Problems of Dostoevsky's Work" (1929)), there is no author's voice in the novel, thereby increasing the verisimilitude of the narrative. Each of the characters has their own way of speaking, which enhances the individual's individuality.

Plot

The action of the novel takes place in the small Russian town of Skotoprigonyevsk (Dostoevsky took Staraya Russa as the basis). Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov, a 55-year-old prostitute, married a rich woman, Adelaide Ivanovna Miusova, and began to manage her fortune. Ultimately, his wife left him for St. Petersburg, leaving his father with a very young son, Dmitry. Without having time to dispose of her fortune, she died in St. Petersburg, and Fyodor Pavlovich received the opportunity to dispose of all the capital of the deceased. He happily forgot about his son, indulging in speculation and orgies of various kinds. After some time, he married a second time - to the beautiful orphan Sofya Ivanovna, a pupil of the noble widow of the old general Vorokhova, and had two children with her - the elder Ivan and the younger Alexei. Mocking his wife because of her lack of a dowry, and not stopping his dissolute life during the marriage, he ultimately drove her to insanity and drove her to the grave. As a result, Fyodor Pavlovich had three children left - Dmitry from his first marriage, Ivan and Alexey from his second.

The children were raised first by Karamazov's servant Grigory, then were given to guardians. When Dmitry grew up, he left the gymnasium, entered a military school, and then found himself in the Caucasus, served well, but got into a duel, was demoted, and then served again and began to go on a spree. Ivan and Alexey were sent to study at the university, and the first eventually became addicted to journalism, and the second, being a quiet and devout man, decided to become a monk. All this time, Fyodor Pavlovich did not remember his children. Dmitry inherited part of his mother’s fortune, in fact, he periodically received money from his father, however, not having an accurate idea of ​​​​the size of his inheritance, he quickly spent it all and, according to Fyodor Pavlovich, still owed him. During his studies, Ivan did not take money from his father and even managed to achieve financial independence. Alexei dropped out of high school and entered a monastery as a novice. His mentor, Elder Zosima, agreed to judge between father and son. Alyosha was most afraid that his relatives would behave unworthily in front of the elder - and that’s what happened. Their meeting in the monastery ended in a scandal caused by Fyodor Pavlovich. The feud between father and son, in addition to the material part, contained a conflict based on love: both were courting Agrafena Alexandrovna Svetlova (Grushenka), a wayward bourgeois woman with certain means. Almost immediately after the scandal, Elder Zosima dies, sending Alexei “to serve in the world.”

Dmitry reveals to Alyosha that he is burdened not only by a hostile relationship with his father and an uncertain relationship with Grushenka, but also that he has a debt to Ekaterina Ivanovna Verkhovtseva - his fiancee, whom he abandoned because he considers himself unworthy of her ( since she wants to become his wife in order to save Mitya “from himself,” considering herself obliged to him for helping her father avoid the shame of embezzling government money). She gave him three thousand so that he would transfer this money to her relative in Moscow, and he spent it on a spree with Grusha in the village of Mokroe. Now Dmitry hopes to receive three thousand from his father to compensate for what was not given to him, and Fyodor Pavlovich, out of anger, decided to use exactly this amount to seduce Grusha. He wrapped this money in paper, tied it with a ribbon, even wrote a touching inscription to Grushenka, and hid it, according to Dmitry, under the pillow.

Being in severe mental distress, and thinking that Agrafena will agree to come to Fyodor Pavlovich, Dmitry sneaks to his father’s house at night, runs up to the window with the intention of distracting him with a secret signal and finding out if Grushenka is there, however, at the last moment, bad thoughts leave him and he rushes headlong towards the fence. He is overtaken by his servant Gregory, who considered Dmitry a “parricide.” In a fit of impulse, Dmitry wounds Grigory on the head with a metal pestle. From this wound the servant loses consciousness, and Dmitry, thinking that he is dead, bitterly leaves him there by the fence. After some time, it turns out that Grigory’s suspicions about the death of master Fyodor Pavlovich are not in vain. He is actually found dead in his room, and, naturally, Dmitry Karamazov is accused of the crime.

Dmitry rushes to the village of Mokroe that same night, having learned that Grushenka has gone there to her lover, who, having deceived her, disappeared 5 years ago. Upon arrival, Dmitry discovers his beloved in company with “the only one,” as she herself calls him; however, Grushenka sits upset, because she has not had feelings for this person for a long time. Moreover, there was no trace left of the passionate, interesting officer she had known before. Dmitry offers the master (his beloved - a former officer) 3 thousand so that he will leave immediately and no longer look for Grushenka. Pan does not agree because Dmitry is not ready to give the entire amount at once. There is a scandal over a game of cards (Dmitry and Pan are playing), as Pan switches the deck. The master demands from Grushenka that she calm down Dmitry, Grushenka drives the master away. Village girls and men come to the inn where Dmitry, Grusha and the Polish gentlemen are, everyone sings and dances, money is handed out right and left - a drunken revelry begins. Grushenka tells Dmitry that she loves him and is ready to leave with him and start a new, honest life. Dmitry is inspired and asks God that old Gregory, whom he accidentally hit, will live.

Quite unexpectedly, the police appear and arrest Dmitry. A preliminary investigation begins, where Dmitry swears that he did not kill his father. Dmitry tells the investigators that he really was in his father’s garden, thinking that Grusha was with him. Making sure that she is not there, he rushes out of the garden; when he climbed over the fence, his servant Gregory grabbed him by the clothes, and Dmitry, being very excited, hit him on the head. Seeing the blood (that's where the blood on his hands came from), he jumped down to see if the old man was alive. When Dmitry is informed that Grigory is not dead, Karamazov seems to come to life and says “there is no blood on my hands.” After the incident in the garden (according to Dmitry), he rushed to Mokroe. When asked by the investigator where he got the money, Dmitry does not want to answer for reasons of honor, however, then he tells how he borrowed 3 thousand from Mrs. Verkhovtsova, but spent only half, and sewed the other half in the amulet around his neck. The catch is that during the first spree in Mokroye, Dmirty himself told everyone that he had brought exactly 3 thousand to spend (although in reality it was 2 times less), everyone confirms this. The investigator says that an envelope containing money that the old man had saved for Grusha was found at the crime scene. Dmitry says that he heard about this envelope, but he never saw it and did not take the money. But all the evidence and testimony of other people speaks against him. At the end of the interrogation, Dmitry is taken into custody and imprisoned.

Ivan returns, he is sure that the killer is his brother Dmitry. Alyosha is convinced that Dmitry is not guilty. Dmitry himself is sure that he killed Smerdyakov, who was in the house on the night of the murder, but Smerdyakov on that day simulates an epileptic seizure and his “alibi” is confirmed by doctors. Meanwhile, Ivan is tormented by his conscience; it seems to him that he is to blame for what he did, since he wanted his father to die, and perhaps influenced Smerdyakov (Ivan could not decide who killed). Ivan goes to see Smerdyakov, who is in the hospital due to a prolonged seizure of epilepsy; talks to Ivan brazenly, laughs. Ivan goes again and again. In the end, Smerdyakov says that it was he who killed the master, but the real killer is Ivan, because he taught Smerdyakov (“everything is permitted,” “what if one reptile devours another?”) and did not interfere with the crime, although he guessed that it will come true. Gives money (3 thousand). Ivan shouts in horror that tomorrow (on the day of the trial) he will hand over Smerdyakov. At home, Ivan begins to have a fever (continued by nervous attacks with hallucinations), Smerdyakov hangs himself.

At the trial, Katerina Ivanovna, Dmitry's ex-fiancee, presents to the court a letter written by Dmitry while drunk, where he promises to find the money he borrowed. He will definitely give it back, even if he has to kill his father, he will do it. Katerina Ivanovna does this to save Ivan, whom she loves. Ivan bursts in and shouts that the killer is Smerdyakov, but by this time Ivan is already going crazy, no one believes him. However, it would seem that the jury believes in Dmitry’s innocence, everyone is waiting for pardon, but the jury returns a verdict of “guilty.” Dmitry is sentenced to 20 years of hard labor.

The novel ends with Alyosha helping to develop Dmitry's escape plan, considering the sentence unfair.

Characters

Dramatizations

• The Brothers Karamazov (opera by Jeremias) (1932) - opera by Czech composer Otakar Jeremias.
• The Karamazovs and Hell (Sovremennik Theatre) (1996) - composition and direction by Valery Fokin, play by Nikolai Klimontovich, characters and performers: Papa Karamazov - Igor Kvasha, Elder Brother - Sergei Garmash, Middle Brother - Evgeny Mironov.
• The Brothers Karamazov (opera by Smelkov) (2008) - opera by Russian composer Alexander Smelkov.
• The Karamazovs (ballet) (1995) - ballet by Russian choreographer Boris Eifman.
• The Brothers Karamazov (musical) (2008) - Japanese musical, directed by Saitou Yoshimasa, composer - Terashima Tamiya.

Screen adaptation

Film adaptations of the novel have been produced since 1915.
Among them:

• Brothers Karamazov() (Russia, director Viktor Turyansky)
• Brothers Karamazov(German) Die Bruder Karamasoff , ) (Germany, directors Karl Fröhlich, Dmitry Bukhovetsky)
• Brothers Karamazov(Italian: I fratelli Karamazoff,) (Italy, director Giacomo Gentillomo)
• The Brothers Karamazov The Brothers Karamazov , ) (USA, director Richard Brooks)
• The Brothers Karamazov (TV film, 1969) (France, director Marcel Bluwal)
• The Brothers Karamazov (TV series 1969) (Italy, director Sandro Bolchi)
• The Brothers Karamazov (film, 1969) (USSR, directors Ivan Pyryev, Mikhail Ulyanov, Kirill Lavrov) -
• Boys (film, 1990) (USSR, director Renita Grigorieva) - based on the tenth book of the novel of the same name
• The Brothers Karamazov (TV series 2008) (Russia, director Yuri Moroz)
• The Karamazovs (film, 2008) (Czech Republic, director Petr Zelenka)
• The Brothers Karamazov (film, 2008) (USA)

Notes

Links

Fedor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky
Novels	Poor people Humiliated and insulted Crime and punishment Player Idiot Demons Teenager Brothers Karamazov
Novels and stories	Double | Notes from the House of the Dead | How dangerous it is to indulge in ambitious dreams | A Novel in Nine Letters | The village of Stepanchikovo and its inhabitants | Mr. Prokharchin | Mistress | White nights | Christmas tree and wedding | Sliders | Weak Heart | Someone else's wife and husband under the bed | Netochka Nezvanova | Little hero | Uncle's dream | Honest Thief | Petersburg dreams in verse and prose | Bad joke | Crocodile | Notes from the Underground | Eternal husband | Bobok | Man Marey | Centennial | Meek | Boy at Christ's Christmas tree | Funny man's dream
Journalism	Petersburg Chronicle | Winter notes about summer impressions | Writer's Diary | Two suicides | From the country walks of Kuzma Prutkov and his friend | Small pictures | Small pictures (on the road) | Dostoevsky's speech about Pushkin
Characters	Rodion Raskolnikov | Sonya Marmeladova | Prince Myshkin | Ivan Karamazov | Alyosha Karamazov | Smerdyakov
Translations	Eugenia Grande (novel by O. de Balzac)
Related Articles	Museums of F. M. Dostoevsky | Addresses of F. M. Dostoevsky | Petersburg by Dostoevsky | Mikhail Dostoevsky | Andrei Dostoevsky

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The novel “The Brothers Karamazov” by Dostoevsky, written in 1880, was conceived by the writer as the first part of the epic work “The History of the Great Sinner”. However, Fyodor Mikhailovich’s creative plans were not destined to come true - two months after the publication of the book, he died.

For a reading diary and preparation for a literature lesson, we recommend reading online a summary of “The Karamazov Brothers” in chapters and parts. You can also take a special test on our website to test your knowledge.

Main characters

Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov- the head of the Karamazov family, a small landowner, a depraved, greedy, selfish old man.

Dmitry Fedorovich (Mitya)- Karamazov’s eldest son, a drunkard, a carouser, a rowdy, a man with unbridled passions.

Ivan Fedorovich- the middle son, restrained, rational, in whose soul there is a struggle between faith in God and his denial.

Alexey Fedorovich- the youngest son, a sincere, honest, deeply religious young man.

Other characters

Katerina Ivanovna- Mitya’s bride, a proud, determined, sacrificial girl.

Grushenka- the cohabitant of a rich merchant, a vile, calculating young woman, the subject of enmity between the old man Karamazov and Mitya.

Zosima- an old man, Alyosha’s mentor, who foresaw Mitya’s difficult fate.

Smerdyakov- a young footman in the house of Karamazov Sr., his illegitimate son, a cruel, evil man.

Mrs. Khokhlakova- a widow, landowner, neighbor of the Karamazovs, whose daughter Liza is in love with Alyosha.

Petr Alexandrovich Miusov- Mitya's cousin, nobleman, enlightened intellectual.

Part one

Book one. The story of one family

I. Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov

Fyodor Pavlovich's first wife was a girl from the noble noble family of the Miusovs. The young woman fled from her oppressive husband to St. Petersburg, “leaving Fyodor Pavlovich in the arms of three-year-old Mitya,” and after a while she died of typhus.

II. Sent my first son away

The boy was taken in by his cousin, Pyotr Aleksandrovich Miusov. Having matured, Mitya tried to demand his mother's inheritance from his father. Fyodor Pavlovich began to “get off with small handouts and temporary expulsions,” and four years later he announced that all the money had run out.

III. Second marriage and second children

Having given Mitya up to be raised, Fyodor Pavlovich “very soon after that he married for the second time.” This time he chose an unrequited orphan who gave him two sons, Ivan and Alexei. After a while, the second wife also died, unable to withstand the difficult married life with Karamazov.

IV. Third son Alyosha

Everyone “loved Alyosha wherever he appeared, and this was even from his very childhood years.” Having matured, the “chaste and pure” young man decided to join a monastery as a novice. This choice was made by Alyosha under the influence of Elder Zosima.

V. Elders

The conflict between Dmitry and Fyodor Pavlovich over the inheritance is heating up to the limit. Then Alexey suggests that the whole family gather with Elder Zosima and discuss the problem together.

Book two. Inappropriate meeting

I. We arrived at the monastery

The entire Karamazov family gathers at the monastery, as well as Pyotr Miusov, Dmitry’s guardian. The whole company agrees to “behave decently here.”

II. Strict jester

In Zosima’s cell, a verbal altercation takes place between Pyotr Miusov and the elder Karamazov. Pyotr Alexandrovich asks the elder for forgiveness for Fyodor Pavlovich’s unworthy behavior.

III. Believing women

The elder asks those present for permission to go out for a while, “to bless those who were waiting for him.”

The small outbuilding is crowded with women who have come to the old man with their troubles. Zosima listens to everyone, consoles and blesses.

IV. Lady of little faith

The landowner Khokhlakova comes to the elder and admits that she has no true faith. The elder replies that faith is achieved by “the experience of active love.”

V. Wake up! Wake up!

During the absence of the elder in the cell, a heated argument breaks out between Ivan Fedorovich, Pyotr Miusov and two hieromonks on religious topics.

VI. Why does such a person live?

Fyodor Pavlovich makes a scandal, accusing his eldest son of wasting his mother’s capital and his love affairs - having brought with him his bride, Katerina Ivanovna, he, according to his father, “goes to a local seductress.”

“The scene that has reached the point of disgrace” ends with Zosima swearing at the feet of Dmitry.

VII. Seminarist-careerist

Left alone with Alyosha, Zosima orders him to leave the monastery after his death. He blesses him “for great obedience in the world” and predicts great happiness in great sorrow.

VIII. Scandal

Miusov and several hieromonks and a local landowner receive an invitation to dine with the abbot. Fyodor Pavlovich decides to do one last mischief. He bursts into the abbot’s office and insults everyone present, including the clergy.

Book three. Voluptuaries

I. In the servant's room

Fyodor Pavlovich is served by only three people: “old man Grigory, old woman Marfa, his wife, and servant Smerdyakov, still a young man.” Grigory is an honest and incorruptible servant who, despite his wife’s persistent entreaties, does not leave his master.

II. Lizaveta stinks

25 years ago, Gregory came across a local holy fool in the bathhouse - Lizaveta stinking, who had just given birth to a baby. Everything indicated that the baby was the illegitimate son of Fyodor Pavlovich. Karamazov allowed him to keep the child, and named him Pavel Fedorovich Smerdyakov. Having matured, the boy became a footman in the Karamazov house.

III. Confession of a warm heart. In verse

Alyosha meets his older brother, who admits that he “happened to plunge into the deepest shame of debauchery,” and in his hearts reads him a hymn to Schiller’s joy.

IV. Confession of a warm heart. In jokes

Dmitry talks about his acquaintance with Katerina Ivanovna. Having learned that her father, a lieutenant colonel, had embezzled government money, Dmitry offered the required amount in exchange for her maiden honor. To save her father, Katerina Ivanovna was ready to sacrifice herself, but Dmitry gave the girl the money for free.

V. Confession of a warm heart. "Heels Up"

Having become a rich heiress, Katerina returns the money to Dmitry. In addition, in the letter she confesses her love to him and proposes to marry her.

Dmitry agrees, but soon falls passionately in love with Grushenka, the old merchant’s selfish cohabitant. For her sake, Mitya is ready to leave his fiancée without hesitation, and even kill his father, his main rival for the attention of the charming woman.

He asks Alyosha to visit Katerina and tell her that everything is over between them, since Mitya is “a low voluptuous person and a vile creature with uncontrollable feelings”, who spent three thousand rubles of his bride on a spree with Grushenka.

VI. Smerdyakov

Dmitry learns that his father has a bag of money in store for Grushenka if she decides to come to him. He asks Smerdyakov to immediately warn him if Grushenka shows up at her father’s house.

Smerdyakov is a vile, cruel young man with his own mind, suffering from seizures, who does not feel heartfelt affection for anyone.

VII. Controversy

Alyosha goes to his father, where he finds his brother Ivan, Grigory and Smerdyakov, boldly discussing issues of faith.

VIII. For some cognac

Under the influence of cognac, Fyodor Pavlovich forgets that he is in the company of Ivan and Alyosha, and tells how he cruelly humiliated their mother. These words cause Alyosha to have a fit.

IX. Voluptuaries

At this moment, Dmitry bursts into the house, fully convinced that his father is hiding Grushenka from him. In anger, he beats the old man.

X. Both together

Alexey comes to Katerina and conveys Dmitry’s words about their breakup. However, Katerina Ivanovna already knows about everything from an unexpected guest - Grushenka.

A scene takes place between the women, during which Grushenka shows all the meanness of her nature.

XI. Another lost reputation

Alyosha receives a letter with a declaration of love from Lisa, the sick daughter of the landowner Khokhlakova. He rereads it three times and, happy, falls asleep in a “tranquil sleep.”

Part two

Book four. Tears

I. Father Ferapont

Father Ferapont, the main rival of Elder Zosima, lives in the monastery. This is a “great faster and silent person” who stubbornly ignores the elder.

II. At my father's

Fyodor Pavlovich shares his plans with Alyosha: he does not intend to give money to any of his sons, since he plans to live for a long time and indulge in “sweet filth.”

III. Contacted schoolchildren

On the way, Alyosha stumbles upon a “bunch of schoolchildren.” Six boys throw stones at one boy who desperately tries to fight them off. Alyosha wants to protect him, but the embittered boy bites his finger.

IV. At the Khokhlakovs

In the Khokhlakovs' house, Alyosha finds Ivan and Katerina - an explanation takes place between them.

Lisa is happy to learn that Alyosha took her love message seriously and is ready to marry her “as soon as the legal date comes.”

V. Tear in the living room

At the Khokhlakovs’, Alyosha becomes convinced that “brother Ivan loves Katerina Ivanovna and, most importantly, really intends to “recapture” her from Mitya.” Ivan confesses his feelings to her, but receives a refusal in response.

Although Katerina now despises Dmitry, she intends to remain faithful to him to the end, even if he marries Grushenka.

Alyosha learns from Katerina that the other day Dmitry Fedorovich publicly insulted retired staff captain Snegirev. She asks me to take him 200 rubles.

VI. Break in the hut

Having found “a dilapidated house, warped, with only three windows on the street,” Alyosha discovers in it the Snegirev family, mired in terrible poverty: the drunken head of the family, his feeble-minded wife, a crippled daughter and a son - a boy who bit his finger.

VII. And in the fresh air

Alyosha asks to accept 200 rubles from Katerina Ivanovna, but Snegirev fiercely tramples the bills - he does not intend to take payment for his shame.

Book five. Pro and contra

I. Collusion

Alyosha returns to the Khokhlakovs. He talks to Lisa about love, about their common future. This conversation is overheard by Mrs. Khokhlakova.

II. Smerdyakov with a guitar

While searching for Dmitry, Alyosha stumbles upon Smerdyakov. He informs him that both brothers, Ivan and Mitya, went to the tavern to talk about something.

III. Brothers meet

Ivan talks with Alyosha, and for the first time communicates with him on equal terms. He shares his plans - to go to Europe, start a new life.

IV. Riot

The brothers begin to talk about the Almighty, and Ivan is sure that “if the devil does not exist and, therefore, man created him, then he created him in his own image and likeness.” The deeply religious Alyosha only whispers helplessly: “This is a riot.”

V. Grand Inquisitor

Ivan tells Alyosha a poem about the Grand Inquisitor who imprisoned Christ. He asks the son of God to save humanity from the torment of choosing between good and evil. The Grand Inquisitor waits for objections from Christ, but he only silently kisses him.

VI. Still very unclear

Ivan finds Smerdyakov at his father’s, who advises the master to quickly leave this house, in which, apparently, trouble will soon happen. He hints that he will have a "long fit" tomorrow.

VII. “It’s interesting to talk to a smart person”

Ivan spends the whole night in painful thoughts, and the next morning he informs his father that he is leaving for Moscow in an hour. On the same day, the footman has a seizure.

Book six. Russian monk

I. Elder Zosima and his guests

Alyosha comes to the dying Zosima. The elder orders the young man to urgently find his older brother Dmitry in order to “prevent something terrible.”

II. From the life in God of the deceased hieroschemamonk Elder Zosima, compiled from his own words by Alexei Fedorovich Karamazov

The holy ascetic in the world belonged to a poor noble family. As an officer, he went to a duel, during which an epiphany descended on him, after which he went into a monastery.

III. From the conversations and teachings of Elder Zosima

Zosima talks about life and shares advice: do not forget about prayers, love your neighbor, ask God for fun, never judge anyone, work tirelessly.

Book seven. Alyosha

I. Corrupting spirit

After the death of the elder, people gather near his cell, accustomed to “considering the deceased elder, even during his lifetime, as an undoubted and great saint.” The fact of the elder’s rotting becomes a great disappointment for believers.

Ferapont is in a hurry to take advantage of this circumstance, whose righteousness and holiness are no longer in doubt.

II. Such a moment

For Alyosha, the day of Zosima’s death becomes “one of the most painful and fatal days” in his life.

In a depressed state, Alyosha is found by his friend Rakitin and persuades him to go to Grushenka.

III. Lukovka

Grushenka affectionately greets the young people. She is especially happy about Alyosha, and shamelessly jumps “on her lap like a caressing cat.” However, Alyosha does not react in any way to Grushenka’s advances - “the great grief of his soul absorbed all sensations.”

IV. Cana of Galilee

Meanwhile, Alyosha returns to the monastery, where he falls asleep at Zosima’s coffin. He dreams of an old man - he is happy and cheerful, and asks not to be afraid of death, not to fear the Lord.

Book eight. Mitya

I. Kuzma Samsonov

In an attempt to find the required amount, Dmitry Fedorovich turns for advice “to the merchant Samsonov, Grushenka’s patron.” He, in turn, wants to play a trick on his would-be suitor and advises him to sell the grove to a forest buyer nicknamed Lyagavy.

II. Lygavyy

After a long, tedious search, Mitya finally finds Lyagavy. After the conversation, Mitya realizes that they played a cruel joke on him. Incessant thoughts about Grushenka drive him back to the city.

III. Gold mines

Dmitry Fedorovich goes to Mrs. Khokhlakova in the hope of borrowing three thousand rubles from her. The landowner promises him “more, infinitely more than three thousand” - advice to go into gold mines.

IV. In the dark

Tormented by fierce jealousy, Mitya goes to his father.

Grigory notices Mitya running away and chases him all the way to the fence. Without thinking twice, Mitya inflicts a strong blow on the old man with a copper pestle, which he took from Grushenka.

V. Sudden decision

Dmitry, covered in blood, bursts into the office of the official Perkhotin, to whom he had previously pawned his pistols. He buys the weapon and goes in search of Grushenka to the neighboring village of Mokroe.

VI. I'm going myself!

At the inn, Dmitry finds Grushenka in the company of Poles. He shows the owner the money and orders to call the gypsies, music, champagne - Mitya is ready to party!

VII. Former and undisputed

Mitya makes it clear that he has only one night at his disposal, and he wants “music, thunder, din, everything that came before.” He joins the Poles and plays cards with them until the morning.

VIII. Rave

The night passes in a drunken frenzy, a mad revelry, it resembles “something chaotic and absurd.” Early in the morning, a police officer and an investigator appear at the inn, and Mitya is arrested on suspicion of murdering his father.

Book nine. Preliminary investigation

I. The beginning of the career of an official Perkhotin

The young official Perkhotin, impressed by the sight of the distraught, bloodied Dmitry Fedorovich, decides that “he will now go straight to the police officer and tell him everything.”

II. Anxiety

Perkhotin reports what happened to the police officer and insists on “covering the criminal before he, perhaps, actually decided to shoot himself.”

III. The soul's journey through ordeals. First ordeal

Mitya refuses to admit to killing his father. He rejoices when he learns that old Gregory remained alive after the injury.

During interrogation, Mitya frankly admits his hatred and jealousy towards his father, and this only aggravates his difficult situation.

IV. Second ordeal

Soon Mitya gets tired of the interrogation. He gets excited, screams, withdraws into himself, and insults those being interrogated. However, they explain to him the degree of harm he is causing himself by “refusing to give this or that testimony,” and the interrogation continues.

V. Third ordeal

Mitya tries to remember all the details of the terrible evening. He admits that he learned the conventional signs that Grushenka was supposed to give to his father from Smerdyakov.

VI. The prosecutor caught Mitya

The search of his personal belongings becomes humiliating for Mitya, but it is even harder for him to strip naked in front of strangers.

Irrefutable evidence of Dmitry's crime is a torn envelope containing three thousand, found in the bedroom of old Karamazov.

VII. The great secret of Mitya. Booed

Mitya is forced to admit that the money with which he caroused all night was received from Katerina Ivanovna.

He is already fully aware that he is “lost”, and now he is only worried about Grushenka’s fate.

VIII. Testimony of witnesses. Child

The interrogation of witnesses begins. Grushenka manages to convince Mitya that she is confident of his innocence. Thanks to this support, Mitya “wants him to live and live, to go and go on some kind of path, towards a new calling light.”

IX. They took Mitya away

After signing the protocol, Mitya learns that “he is a prisoner from now on and that they will now take him to the city, where they will imprison him in one very unpleasant place.” The investigation will continue in the city.

Book ten. Boys

I. Kolya Krasotkin

Kolya Krasotkin “was dexterous, had a persistent character, a daring and enterprising spirit.” He was an excellent comrade, and deservedly enjoyed the respect of his classmates.

II. Kids

Kolya is forced to look after two kids in the absence of their mother. This time this activity does not bring him joy - he is in a hurry about some important matter.

III. Schoolboy

Kolya meets with his friend. They discuss Ilyusha, who was stoned two months ago - the boy is seriously ill, and “he won’t even live a week.”

The friends head to Alyosha Karamazov, with whom they want to talk.

IV. Bug

Kolya tells Alyosha how Smerdyakov taught Ilyusha a “brutal joke, a vile joke” - to put a pin in a crumb of bread and feed it to a hungry yard dog. He fed such bread to the Bug, and for a long time he could not come to his senses, remembering the torment of the unfortunate animal.

Even when Ilyusha got sick, he remembered everything and called Zhuchka. They tried to find her, but they never found her.

V. At Ilyusha’s bed

Kolya visits Ilyusha and is amazed at how weak he is. The sick boy is very happy to see his friend, but his happiness knows no bounds when Ilyusha brings Zhuchka to him, healthy and unharmed.

VI. Early development

In the midst of the fun, the capital’s doctor, specially called by Katerina Ivanovna, comes to the Snegirevs. Kolya and Alyosha begin to talk about the meaning of life.

VII. Ilyusha

The doctor's verdict is disappointing. Before his death, Ilyusha asks his father to take in a “good boy, different” and never forget him.

Book eleven. Brother Ivan Fedorovich

I. At Grushenka's

Alyosha visits Grushenka, and she asks him to find out what secret appeared between Ivan and Dmitry, because of which the prisoner’s mood noticeably improved.

II. Sore leg

From Mrs. Khokhlakova, Alyosha learns that Katerina called a doctor from Moscow so that he could confirm Mitya’s insane state at the time of the crime.

III. Imp

Lisa tells Alyosha that she takes back her promise to become his wife. She admits to the young man that she still loves him, but does not respect him for his kindness and tolerance of human vices.

IV. Anthem and secret

Mitya understands that he will have to work hard in the mines for the rest of his life, and he comes to God - “it is impossible to be a convict without God.”

Mitya tells his brother his secret - Ivan invites him to run away, but everything will be decided after tomorrow's court hearing.

VI. First date with Smerdyakov

Upon arrival from Moscow, Ivan Fedorovich visits Smerdyakov in the hospital and finds out from him all the details of the mysterious attack and the crime committed.

VII. Second visit to Smerdyakov

When they meet again, the footman accuses Ivan of wanting “the death of his parent” and deliberately leaving for Moscow so as not to be present at the terrible tragedy. Ivan begins to suspect Smerdyakov of killing his father.

VIII. Third and last meeting with Smerdyakov

Smerdyakov confesses to the murder, which he decided to commit under the influence of Ivan’s atheistic reasoning. Having reinterpreted Karamazov’s words in his own way, Smerdyakov realized that “everything, they say, is allowed” to everyone.

The footman hands Ivan a stack of stolen bills and tells in detail how he committed the crime. At the same time, he constantly repeats that it is Ivan who is “the most legitimate killer,” and he only became an instrument in his hands.

IX. Crap. Nightmare of Ivan Fedorovich

Smerdyakov's confession deeply affects Ivan, and delirium tremens takes possession of “his body, which had long been upset, but stubbornly resisted the disease.”

X. “That’s what he said!”

Alyosha runs to Ivan and reports that “Smerdyakov took his own life” - he hanged himself. Ivan is not surprised - in his delirium he talked with the devil, and he told him about it.

Book twelve. Judgement mistake

I. Fatal day

On the day of judgment, Mitya repeats that he is guilty of debauchery, drunkenness and laziness, “but not guilty of the death of the old man, my enemy and father,” as well as of the theft of three thousand rubles.

II. Dangerous witnesses

The court hearing continues, the defendant's defense attorney and the prosecutor speak alternately. An exact count of the money spent by Mitya at the inn on the fateful night is being carried out.

III. Medical examination and one pound of nuts

The medical examination, which Katerina Ivanovna insisted on, “also did not really help the defendant.” Invited doctors testify that Dmitry Fedorovich “is in completely normal condition.”

IV. Happiness smiles on Mitya

During the interrogation, Alyosha confidently says that it was not his brother who killed his father, but Smerdyakov, but he has “no evidence other than some moral convictions.”

Katerina tells everything without concealment, from meeting Mitya to her last humiliating date with him. After her story in the courtroom, “something nice flashed in Mitya’s favor.”

V. Sudden catastrophe

Ivan Fedorovich hands over to the bailiff his father’s money, which he “received from Smerdyakov, from the murderer.” But after this statement, Ivan has a severe seizure, and he is taken out of the courtroom.

VI. Prosecutor's speech. Characteristic

The prosecutor makes an accusatory speech. He dissects with particular care the entire Karamazov family, in which he sees elements of a “modern intelligent society.”

VII. Historical image

The prosecutor describes in detail the events of the fateful evening, explaining the motives for the actions committed by Mitya.

VIII. Treatise on Smerdyakov

The prosecutor talks about Smerdyakov and his possible involvement in the murder of Karamazov. In the course of his reasoning, he comes to the conclusion that he is not guilty of anything.

IX. Psychology at full speed. Galloping threesome. Final speech of the prosecutor

The public really liked the prosecutor's speech, in which he devoted special attention to the psychology of crime. Many have no doubt that what he said is “everything is true, an irresistible truth.”

X. Speech of the defender. Double-edged sword

It’s the defender’s turn to speak. He presents facts that indicate Mitya’s innocence, and at the same time hints at “some abuse” of psychology in the prosecutor’s indictment.

XI. There was no money. There was no robbery

The main emphasis in his speech by the defense lawyer is on the fact that, in fact, there was no robbery - “you cannot be accused of robbery if you cannot indicate with precision what exactly was robbed, this is an axiom.”

XII. And there was no murder

The defense attorney is outraged that Mitya acts as the main suspect only because the prosecutors follow their logic: “Who killed if not him?”

XIII. Adulterer thoughts

The defense attorney is confident that if the victim were not the father of the accused, but some other person, the prosecutors would not be in a hurry “to ruin the fate of a person just because of prejudice against him.”

XIV. The men stood up for themselves

Mitya is given the floor, and he once again swears his innocence and asks for mercy. After a lengthy deliberation, the jury renders a verdict - “Yes, guilty!” .

Epilogue

I. Projects to save Mitya

Ivan Fedorovich suffers from a severe nervous disorder, and Katerina Ivanovna takes care of him. Together with Lesha, they discuss the project of Mitya and Grushenka’s escape to America, which Ivan had previously planned.

II. For a moment the lie became the truth

Mitya is in the hospital - after the verdict was announced, he “sick with nervous fever.” Alyosha invites his brother to run away, and he agrees.

Katerina Ivanovna comes to Mitya, and in tears they ask each other for forgiveness.

III. Ilyushechka's funeral. Speech at the Stone

His school friends and Alyosha come to Ilyushechka’s funeral. Near the stone where the boy loved to sit, they take an oath never to forget Ilyusha and each other. Alyosha encourages them to love life with all their hearts and do good deeds, since life is unimaginably beautiful, especially when “you do something good and truthful.”

Conclusion

Dostoevsky's work has a complex multifaceted structure. It is impossible to accurately determine its genre, since it contains signs of a social, everyday, philosophical, love and even detective novel.

After reading the brief retelling of The Brothers Karamazov, we recommend reading the novel in its entirety.

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Retelling rating

Average rating: 4.6. Total ratings received: 265.

The Brothers Karamazov" is an excellent example of the detective genre, which Dostoevsky persistently developed in other novels. This novel is long (more than 1000 pages) and interesting. There are many remarkable things in it, even the chapter titles. It is worth saying that the author not only understands well all the ornateness and fantasticality of his book, but seems to emphasize it all the time, teasing the reader, using every little detail to spur his curiosity. It is enough to take at least a cursory glance at the table of contents. As I said, the chapter titles are unusual and confusing; a person unfamiliar with the novel could easily be misled into thinking that this is not a novel, but rather a libretto for some eccentric vaudeville act. Chapter 3: “Confession of a warm heart. In verse". Chapter 4: “Confession of a warm heart. In jokes." Chapter 5: “Confession of a warm heart. "Heels up." Then in the second volume, chapter 5: “Tear in the living room,” chapter b: “Tear in the hut,” chapter 7: “And in the clean air.” Some headlines are striking with strange diminutives: “For cognac.” Most of the chapter titles do not even remotely convey their content, such as: “Another damaged reputation.” They are meaningless. Finally, some playful titles, with their good-natured teasing, feel like the titles of humorous stories. Only in the sixth part, oddly enough, the weakest part of the book, do the chapter titles correspond to their content.

Thus, teasing, mocking, the cunning author deliberately lures the reader. However, this technique is not the only one. He is always looking for various means to awaken and maintain reader interest. Look how he explains the name of the city where the action takes place from the very beginning of the novel (he gives it only at the very end): “Skotoprigonyevsk (that, alas, is the name of our town, I hid its name for a long time).” This constant glance at the reader, when he is seen, on the one hand, as a victim for whom the writer has prepared a trap, and at the same time as a hunter from whom the writer runs, twisting his tracks like a hunted hare - this is the attitude towards the reader on the part of the writer in some way. That least comes from the Russian literary tradition. Pushkin in “Eugene Onegin”, Gogol in “Dead Souls” often casually address the reader, sometimes with an apology, sometimes with a request or a joke. But such flirting with the reader is also borrowed from Western novels or, rather, their predecessors - criminal chronicles. So, in the best traditions of these chronicles, Dostoevsky resorts to a funny technique: with emphasized frankness, he reports at the very beginning that a crime has been committed. “Alexey Fedorovich Karamazov was the third son of the landowner of our district, Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov, so famous in his time... for his tragic and dark death...” Such deliberate frankness on the part of the author is nothing more than a literary device, his goal is to immediately intrigue the reader of this “ tragic and dark death." The book is a typical detective story, a wildly twisted crime novel, but the action unfolds slowly. The initial situation is this. Karamazov's father is a vile, dissolute old man, one of those unsympathetic victims carefully targeted for murder by a prudent detective author. He has four sons - three legitimate and one illegitimate, each of whom could be a murderer. The younger, kind Alyosha is clearly a positive hero, but having once accepted the world of Dostoevsky and his rules, we can assume that even Alyosha was capable of killing his father, at least for the sake of his brother Dmitry, whom he deliberately crosses the path of, or suddenly rebelling against the forces of evil that represents the father, or for any other reason. The plot develops in such a way that the reader is forced to wonder for a long time who the killer is; Moreover, even an innocent person appears before the court - the eldest son of the murdered man, Dmitry, while the real killer turns out to be Karamazov's illegitimate son, Smerdyakov.

Following his plan to draw the reader into solving the mystery, which is the main charm of the detective genre, Dostoevsky carefully prepares in the reader’s mind the portrait he needs of the alleged murderer - Dmitry. The deception begins from the moment when Dmitry, after a feverish and futile search for the three thousand that he so badly needs, rushes out of the house, taking with him a copper pestle. “Oh, Lord, he wants to kill whoever he wants! - Fenya clasped her hands.”

The girl whom Dmitry loves, another “infernal” heroine of Dostoevsky, Grushenka, becomes the object of desire of an old man who promises her money if she comes to him. Dmitry has no doubt that she accepted the offer. Convinced that Grushenka is with her father, he jumps over the fence into the garden and sees light in the windows: “He was standing behind a bush in the shade; the front half of the bush was illuminated from the window. “Viburnum, those berries are so red!” “he whispered, not knowing why.” When he went to the window, he saw that “Fyodor Pavlovich’s entire bedroom appeared before him in full view. It was divided across by screens. The father stood at the window “in his new striped silk robe, belted with a silk cord with tassels. From under the collar of the robe peeked out clean, smart underwear, a thin Dutch shirt with gold cufflinks.<…>... the old man almost climbed out of the window, looking to the right, to the side where there was a door to the garden.<…>Mitya looked from the side and did not move. The entire profile of the old man, so disgusting to him, his entire drooping Adam's apple, his hooked nose smiling in sweet anticipation, his lips, all this was brightly illuminated by the slanting light of the lamp on the left of the room. A terrible, furious anger suddenly boiled in Mitya’s heart,” and, losing self-control, he “suddenly snatched the copper pestle from his pocket.”

What follows is an eloquent phrase consisting of many dots, again in the best traditions of fascinating crime novels or bloody detective stories. Then, as if taking a breath, the author enters again, but from the other side. “God,” as Mitya himself said later, “was watching over me then.” This could mean that something stopped him at the last minute, but no, immediately after this phrase there is a colon, and after it a sentence, as if reinforcing the previous one: “just at that very time the sick Grigory Vasilyevich woke up on his bed " So the phrase about God, instead of meaning, as it might seem at first, that a guardian angel stopped him on his way to crime in time, can also only mean that God woke up the old servant so that he could see and identify the fleeing murderer. And here there is an interesting maneuver: from the very minute Dmitry runs away until his arrest at the provincial fair, where he went on a spree with Grushenka (75 pages pass from the murder to the arrest), the author builds the plot in such a way that the talkative Dmitry never never betrays his innocence. Moreover, when he remembers the servant Gregory, whom he hit with a pestle and perhaps even killed, Dmitry never calls him by name; just “old man,” which could easily be attributed to his father. The device is perhaps too artificial, revealing the author’s excessive desire to deceive the reader, making him believe that Dmitry is a parricide.

Later in the trial, it is important to understand whether Dmitry is telling the truth or lying, claiming that he had three thousand rubles on him before he went to his father. Otherwise, there would be every reason to suspect him of stealing three thousand that the old man had prepared for the girl, and this in turn would mean that he had broken into the house and committed murder. And suddenly, at the trial, the younger brother Alyosha remembers that when he saw Dmitry for the last time, before the night incident in the garden, he beat his chest and shouted that in this very place (that is, on his chest) there was something that he wanted. necessary to get out of his difficult situation. Then Alyosha thought that Dmitry meant his heart. Now he suddenly remembered that even at that moment he noticed that Dmitry was not beating himself in the heart, but much higher, where the amulet was kept. This memory of Alyosha became the only, albeit weak, evidence that Dmitry actually got the money earlier, which means he may not have killed his father. Another circumstance that could easily resolve all doubts and save Dmitry is completely ignored by the author. Smerdyakov admitted to Ivan, the middle brother, that he was the real murderer and that the weapon of the crime was a heavy ashtray. Ivan does everything possible to save Dmitry, but this most important circumstance is not mentioned even once at the trial. If Ivan had told the court about the ashtray, it would not have cost anything to establish the truth. It was only necessary to examine it properly, establish whether there were traces of blood on it, and compare its shape with the outlines of the fatal wound of the murdered man. But this was not done, an important mistake for a detective novel.

The above analysis is sufficient to trace the development of Dmitry's storyline. Ivan, the second brother, leaves the city, conniving at the murder; in fact, he pushes Smerdyakov to commit a crime, thereby becoming his accomplice. In general, Ivan is more drawn into the main intrigue than the third brother Alyosha. When it comes to Alyosha, we constantly feel how the author is torn between two independent plots: the tragedy of Dmitry and the story of the almost saintly Alyosha. In Alyosha one again sees, as in Prince Myshkin, the author’s love for the simple-minded hero of Russian folklore. The entire long, sluggish story of Elder Zosima could be excluded without any damage to the plot; rather, it would only give the book integrity and proportionality. And again, completely independently, contrary to the general plan, Ilyushechka’s story sounds, which in itself is wonderful. But even in this wonderful story about the boy Ilyusha, his friend Kolya, the dog Zhuchka, a silver cannon, the capricious antics of a hysterical father - even into this story Alyosha brings an unpleasant unctuous chill. In general, when the author depicts Dmitry, his pen acquires exceptional liveliness, Dmitry seems to be constantly illuminated by the strongest lamps, and with him everyone who surrounds him. But as soon as Alyosha appears, we immediately plunge into a completely different, lifeless element. Twilight paths lead the reader into the gloomy world of cold reasoning, abandoned by the genius of art.

THE WORD OF THE HERO AND THE WORD OF THE STORY

In The Brothers Karamazov, a new moment appears in the construction of the hero’s monologue, which we must briefly dwell on, although it is revealed in its entirety in the dialogue itself.

We said that Dostoevsky’s heroes know everything from the very beginning and only make a choice among completely available semantic material. But sometimes they hide from themselves what they actually already know and see. The simplest expression of this is the double thoughts characteristic of all Dostoevsky's heroes (even Myshkin and Alyosha). One thought is explicit, determining the content of speech, the other is hidden, but nevertheless determines the structure of speech, casting its shadow on it.

The story “Meek” is directly built on the motive of conscious ignorance. The hero hides from himself and carefully eliminates from his own words something that is constantly before his eyes. His entire monologue boils down to forcing himself to finally see and admit what, in essence, he already knows and sees from the very beginning. Two-thirds of this monologue is determined by the hero’s desperate attempt to bypass what already internally defines his thought and speech as the invisibly present “truth.” He first tries to “gather his thoughts to a point” that lies on the other side of this truth. But in the end, he is still forced to gather them at this terrible point of “truth” for him.

This stylistic motif was developed most deeply in the speeches of Ivan Karamazov. First, his desire for the death of his father, and then his participation in the murder are those facts that invisibly determine his word, of course, in close and inextricable connection with his dual ideological orientation in the world. The process of Ivan’s inner life, which is depicted in the novel, is to a large extent a process of learning and affirming for himself and for others what he has essentially known for a long time.

We repeat, this process unfolds mainly in dialogues and, above all, in dialogues with Smerdyakov. Smerdyakov gradually takes possession of Ivan’s voice, which he hides from himself. Smerdyakov can control this voice precisely because Ivan’s consciousness does not look in this direction and does not want to look. He finally gets from Ivan the deed and word he needs. Ivan leaves for Chermashnya, where Smerdyakov persistently directed him: “When he had already sat down in the tarantass, Smerdyakov jumped up to straighten the carpet.

You see... I’m on my way to Chermashnya... something suddenly burst out from Ivan Fedorovich, again like yesterday, just like yesterday, it just came out of its own accord, and with some kind of nervous laugh. He remembered this for a long time later.

This means that what people say is true, that it’s interesting to talk to an intelligent person,” Smerdyakov answered firmly, looking soulfully at Ivan Fedorovich.”

The process of self-clarification and gradual insight into the fact that he essentially knew what his second voice was saying constitutes the content of the subsequent parts of the novel. The process remained unfinished. It was interrupted by Ivan's mental illness.

Ivan's ideological word, the personal orientation of this word and his dialogical appeal to his subject appear with exceptional brightness and clarity. This is not a judgment about the world, but a personal rejection of the world, a rejection of it, addressed to God as the culprit of the world order. But this ideological word of Ivan develops as if in a double dialogue; In the dialogue between Ivan and Alyosha, a dialogue composed by Ivan (more precisely, a dialogized monologue) of the Grand Inquisitor with Christ is inserted.

In conclusion, we must touch upon another type of word in Dostoevsky - the hagiographic word. It appears in the speeches of the Lame Leg, in the speeches of Makar Dolgoruky and, finally, in the Life of Zosima. For the first time, perhaps, it appeared in Myshkin’s stories (especially the episode with Marie). A hagiographic word is a word without looking back, calmly content with itself and its subject. But in Dostoevsky this word is, of course, stylized. The monologically firm and confident voice of the hero essentially never appears in his works, but a certain tendency towards it is clearly felt in some few cases. When the hero, as Dostoevsky intended, approaches the truth about himself, comes to terms with the other and masters his true voice, his style and tone begin to change. When, for example, the hero of “The Meek,” according to plan, comes to the truth: “The truth irresistibly elevates his mind and heart. Towards the end, even the tone of the story changes compared to its chaotic beginning” (from Dostoevsky’s preface).

In the same style, similar words about paradise, but in tones of execution, are heard in the speeches of the “young man, the brother of the elder Zosima”, in the speeches of Zosima himself after his victory over himself (the episode with the orderly and the duel) and, finally, in the speeches of the “mysterious stranger” after his repentance. But all these speeches are to a greater or lesser extent subordinated to the stylized tones of the church hagiographic or church confessional style. In the story itself, hagiographic tones appear only once: in The Brothers Karamazov in the chapter “Cana of Galilee.”

A special place is occupied by the soulful word, which has its own functions in the works of Dostoevsky. According to the plan, it should be firmly monological, not a split word, a word without looking back, without loopholes, without internal polemics. But this word is possible only in a real dialogue with another, and the dialogue goes beyond the scope of this chapter.

In general, the reconciliation and merging of voices even within the same consciousness - according to Dostoevsky’s plan and according to his basic ideological premises - cannot be a monological act, but presupposes the inclusion of the hero’s voice in the chorus; but for this it is necessary to break and drown out your fictitious voices, interrupting and mimicking the true voice of a person. In terms of Dostoevsky’s social ideology, this resulted in the demand for the merger of the intelligentsia with the people: “Humble yourselves, proud man, and above all, break your pride. Humble yourself, idle man, and first of all work in the people’s field.” In terms of his religious ideology, this meant joining the choir and shouting “Hosanna!” with everyone. In this choir, the word is passed from mouth to mouth in the same tones of praise, joy and fun. But in terms of his novels, it is not this polyphony of reconciled voices that is deployed, but the polyphony of voices that are fighting and internally split. These latter were no longer given in terms of his narrow ideological aspirations, but in the social reality of that time. The social and religious utopia inherent in his ideological views did not absorb or dissolve his objective artistic vision.

A few final words about the narrator's style. The narrator’s word, even in later works, does not bring with it any new tones or any significant attitudes in comparison with the words of the heroes. It is still a word among words. In general, the story moves between two limits: between the dryly informative, protocol, and not at all descriptive word, and between the hero’s word. But where the story strives for the hero’s word, it gives it with a displaced or changed emphasis (teasingly, polemically, ironically) and only in the rarest cases does it strive for a single-accent fusion with it. Between these two limits the narrator's word moves in every novel.

The influence of the two limits is clearly revealed even in the titles of the chapters: some titles are directly taken from the words of the hero (but, like the titles of the chapters, these words, of course, are re-emphasized); others are given in the style of the hero; still others are of a business informational nature; fourth, finally, are literary-conventional. Here is an example for each case from The Brothers Karamazov: Ch. IV (second book) “Why does such a person live” (words by Dmitry); Ch. II (first book) “I sent my first son away” (in the style of Fyodor Pavlovich); Ch. I (first book) “Fedor Pavlovich Karamazov” (informative title); Ch. VI (of the fifth book) “Still very unclear) (literary conventional title). The table of contents for The Brothers Karamazov contains, like a microcosm, all the variety of tones and styles included in the novel.

Not a single novel brings this diversity of tones and styles to a single denominator. There is no dominant word anywhere, be it the author’s word or the word of the main character. There is no unity of style in this sense in Dostoevsky's novels. As for the setting of the story as a whole, it, as we know, is dialogically addressed to the hero. For the continuous dialogization of all elements of the work without exception is an essential moment of the author’s intention itself.

A story where it does not interfere, like an alien voice, in the internal dialogue of the characters, where it does not enter into an intermittent connection with the speech of one or another of them, gives a fact without a voice, without intonation or with a conditional intonation. A dry, informative, protocol word is like a voiceless word, raw material for a voice. But this voiceless and unaccented fact is given in such a way that it can enter the horizon of the hero himself and can become material for his own voice, material for his judgment of himself. The author does not put his own judgment or assessment into it. That is why the narrator does not have an excess of horizons, no perspective.

Thus, some words are directly and openly involved in the hero’s internal dialogue, others are potentially: the author constructs them in such a way that the consciousness and voice of the hero himself can take possession of them... their emphasis is not predetermined, free space is left for it.

So, in Dostoevsky’s works there is no final, concluding, once and for all defining word. Therefore, there is no solid image of a hero who answers the question “who is he?” There are only questions here - “who am I?” and who are you?". But these questions also sound in a continuous and incomplete internal dialogue. The word of the hero and the word about the hero are determined by an open dialogical relationship to oneself and to another. The author's word cannot embrace from all sides, close and complete the hero and his word from the outside. It can only address him. All definitions and all points of view are absorbed by the dialogue and are involved in its formation. Dostoevsky does not know an absentee word that, without interfering with the hero’s internal dialogue, would neutrally and objectively build his completed image. An “absentia” word that sums up a person’s final outcome is not part of his intention. There is no solid, dead, finished, unrequited person who has already said his last word in Dostoevsky’s world.

MM. Bakhtin. Problems of Dostoevsky's creativity. 1929

A CHILD'S TEAR

From the novel (Part 2, Book 5, Chapter “Revolt”) “The Brothers Karamazov” (1880) by F. M. Dostoevsky (1821 - 1881). Ivan Karamazov, talking with his brother Alyosha, a novice monk, says that he does not accept God, who allows innocent children to suffer in this world for the sake of some “higher harmony.”

He explains his position as follows: “Do you understand this when a small creature, not yet able to even comprehend what is being done to it, beats itself in a vile place, in the dark and in the cold, with its tiny fist in its torn chest and cries with its bloody , kindly, meek tears to the “god” so that he would protect him - do you understand this nonsense, my friend and my brother, you are my novice of God and humble, do you understand why this nonsense is so necessary and created! Without it, they say, man could not have stayed on earth, for he would not have known good and evil. Why learn this damn good and evil when it costs so much? Yes, the whole world of knowledge is not worth these tears of a child to the “god”... While there is still time, I hasten to protect myself, and therefore I completely refuse the highest harmony. It’s not worth the tear of even one tortured child who beat his little fist in his chest and prayed in a stinking kennel with his unredeemed tears to “God”!”

Usually the image of a “child’s tear” is used when talking about the problem of the relationship between a goal and the means of achieving it, when they want to say that one should not try to achieve any lofty goals at the expense of the suffering of innocent people.

"The Brothers Karamazov" by Dostoevsky is a masterpiece of world literature. In addition, this work repeated in a new way the motifs and images of the writer’s previous works. Dostoevsky worked towards creating the novel all his life. Here he raised the most important problems of humanity: the moral and spiritual foundations of human existence, the question of the meaning of life.

History of the novel

The author developed the idea for the novel long before writing it - after Dostoevsky met D. Ilyinsky, who was serving a sentence for the murder of his father. But this man was convicted for someone else's crime. In the fall of 1874, Dostoevsky decided to write a psychological drama about a crime based on this tragic story, but gradually the writer’s plan grew into a full-fledged novel.

The novel was created over three years and published in Russian Bulletin. Dostoevsky began sketching The Brothers Karamazov in the fall of 1878, and finished the novel in November 1880.

The author took a very serious approach to depicting what was happening in the novel, consulted with lawyers in order to describe the judicial procedure as realistically as possible, and consulted with doctors about the character’s illness. The location of the action reproduces Staraya Russa, where the author worked on his novel, and where both the writer’s house (in the novel Karamazov’s house) and the house of Agrippina Menshova (Grushenka’s house) have been preserved. Dostoevsky strove for realism not only in the everyday life of the characters, but also in the spiritual appearance of the heroes.

Purpose and main theme

Dostoevsky, in A Writer's Diary, detailed his intentions for The Brothers Karamazov. The author raised many problems in the work: the spiritual and moral development of Russia and society, the social role of the court, the relationship between fathers and children. Reflecting on people's Russia in the novel, I could not ignore the question of Orthodoxy. The author filled the novel with pressing issues of that time - there are many responses to events in public life. But the main component of the novel is the past, present and future of Russia.

Using the example of the heroes of the work “The Brothers Karamazov”, F. M. Dostoevsky showed the milestones of Russian history. The past of Russia is the passing generation: old man Karamazov, Polenov, Mrs. Khokhlakova, old man Zosima. The author contrasts them with representatives of the “present” time - the Karamazov brothers, Grushenka, Smerdyakov, Rakitin. Liza Khokhlakova, Smurov, Kolya Krasotkin are representatives of the younger generation, the “future” of the country.

And, of course, the Gospel plays an important role in the moral content of the novel: abundant quoting of texts from the Bible, constant debates and conversations of the characters about the Gospel texts, an epigraph that gives hope for the revival of Russia after decomposition.

Main characters

Dostoevsky in “The Brothers Karamazov” reveals to the reader the relationships in a family where the father does not care about how his sons grow up, that they find shelter in other families while he walks and lives for his own pleasure. The elder Dmitry “moved” from guardian to guardian and met his father at eighteen years old. He grew up eccentric, creating the appearance of a prosperous life, Dmitry mercilessly borrows money.

The average Ivan grew up observant from childhood, but withdrawn and unsociable. He studied well, graduated from school and gymnasium, earned his own living - he wrote articles and published them in various publications.

The younger Alyosha is a kind, shy person. Everyone loved him and treated him with respect. Even in the gymnasium, when he was teased, he remained calm and called on everyone to be understanding of human weaknesses and troubles. Alyosha always wanted to serve in the church, but he was blessed to live with his father and brothers, saying that he was much more needed there.

The characters in The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky, father and Dmitry, are in love with the same woman - Grushenka, but she did not reciprocate either of them. As a result, father and son quarreled, and the eldest son repeatedly threatened to kill his father.

When Karamazov Sr. was found with a broken head in his own house, no one doubted that this was the work of his eldest son. Moreover, the rejected Ekaterina Ivanovna, most likely out of revenge, presents a letter in which Dmitry writes about his intention to kill his father. The middle brother tried to prove his brother's innocence, since he had evidence that the killer was none other than their father's illegitimate son. Nobody believed Ivan, Dmitry was sentenced to 12 years of hard labor.

The work ends with Alyosha attending the funeral of Ilya Snegirev and calling on everyone to be kind and take care of each other - life is beautiful, and this is the best thing we have.

conclusions

Dostoevsky's novel "The Brothers Karamazov" teaches the reader to be more tolerant of each other, to listen to the grief of others, to show sympathy, to love one's neighbor. Sometimes everything that a person does not attach importance to - a look, a sigh, thoughts - can cause harm. And not only for yourself, but also for those who are nearby. A person is responsible for his words and actions, because sooner or later he will have to answer for them, even if they were thrown in anger.