The Brothers Karamazov
Author: Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Acquired in: May 2020
Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov is an old and wealthy landowner whose sole purpose in life is to get richer and woo women. This wastrel of a man even forgets to look after his sons, who then survive on the kindness of servants and strangers. This neglect by their father kindles hatred in the family and adds fuel to the father-son rivalry between Fyodor and his eldest son Dmitri, as both compete to win the hand of the same woman, Grushenka. But Grushenka too has her fun at their expense: she toys with the love-sick Dmitri to madden old Karamazov, then spurns the son to please the rich father. The other sons Ivan and Alexei seem to have no traits of their wicked father whatsoever, with atheistic Ivan inclined towards academics and Alexei living as a religious novice, waiting upon the respected monk Zossima. Also, Karamazov has an illegitimate son, Smerdyakov, a cunning man who serves as his father's attendant.
Nothing good ever comes out of family feuds; it is a fact that most of Shakespeare's works as well as daily life show us. And now, like a Shakespearean drama, the plot unfolds. Father found murdered, truant son accused. Religion, love and brotherly bonds questioned. Pride and dignity are integral to our characters; a small slight causes much animosity, alas, which only ends with the death of a child.
This book will make you question your faith in God but with Alexei's help, reaffirm it. Dostoyevsky has delved deep into the intricate labyrinth called the human mind and has emerged with fascinating insights that make you ponder the complexity of each person's thoughts, hidden behind a deceptive facade. Smerdyakov and Ivan are examples of the same. His mastery in this aspect is such that even Freud claimed to have drawn inspiration from his works. Ivan, the second son, is the most intriguing of the brothers. A fierce critic of the Church, he is tormented by the suffering of humanity, whom he considers forsaken by God. His mental agony even causes him to hallucinate Satan in his room, leading to the famous dialogue between Ivan and the Devil.
We must take into consideration the author's state of mind while he was writing this book; his beloved son had just died. The grief Dostoyevsky felt is so evident- even Alexei, the hero, is named after his son. The book is grave and cold, like Siberian winters, but thrilling nevertheless. I do believe that no one can beat Russian writers like Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky in writing dramatic epics, except Victor Hugo maybe. Are you looking for a breathtaking read that is worth taking the effort to understand every sentence? If yes, come aboard!
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