Brothers Karamazov - Revision history

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Brothers Karamazov

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= Brothers Karamazov =

The Brothers Karamazov is the last novel and the magnum opus of Fyodor Dostoevsky, originally published as a series in a newspaper.

Many intellectuals have nominated it as their favorite novel.

== Major Characters ==

=== Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov ===

Fyodor Pavlovich is the father of the family Karamazov. He is the archetype of a man lost in his sins, which have corrupted his thinking and ultimately no longer has any self-control. The ability to self-reflect on his own actions is almost completely gone, only his remark that his son Alexei does not judge him is keeping his grip on reality. Trough this remark, he has a faint idea remaining that he is deservedly under condemnation, but he can no longer face his own wickedness and repent from his own actions.

=== Dmitri Fyodorovich Karamazov ===

Dmitri is the first-born of the family. His heart is full of passions which drive him to bad choices troughout the novel. He is basically the same character type as his father, but he has not yet reached complete moral corruption. He still has the capacity to self-reflect on his actions, he knows what is the good, but troughout the novel he is ever so slightly losing his capacity to choose righteousness. Ivan sees this similarity, and trough his remarks has condemned them both in his heart as disgusting worshippers of their own passions.

=== Ivan Fyodorovich Karamazov ===

Ivan is the second son of the family Karamazov, an intelligent and educated man, and possbily the most famous atheist in literature. He is intellectually passionate and has convinced himself of atheism, his sword being the Problem of Evil. He despises his father and older brother, but has fondness for his little brother Alexei, and has a deep discussion with him, explaining his stance on God.

=== Alexei Fyodorovich Karamazov ===

Alexei is the youngest son of the family and is a novice in a monastery. He is Dostoyevsky's Christ figure, or ''perfect man'', almost. Alexei always acts from good motives and love, but is regularly smitten by the wickeness of other people. He is genuine, authentic and honest, the purity of his character makes other people love him and draws them to him.

=== Pavel Fyodorovich Smerdyakov ===

Smerdyakov is the ''black sheep'' of the familty trough the rape of his mother by his father. He embodies the archetype of man with bad relationship with his father, and how this fundamentally makes him rebel against all authorities.

== Themes ==

=== Wickness of man ===

Dostoevsky believes that wickedness has corrupted all mankind. Alexei is portrayed as the perfect man, yet he also in his heart has temptation, he has "stepped on the first ladder". This also plays part in his analysis and remedy for the Problem of Evil.

This analysis of sin is flawed, because sin is the words and actions of a person, and temptation itself is not a sin. Man can have any number of temptations, but only his commitment to wickedness trough words and actions make him guilty.

=== Nihilism ===

Ivan, at first, dares to be logical about his own atheism, and proclaims "If there is no God and immortality, everything is permitted". Nihilism is the logical endpoint from a universe without meaning or purpose, because without God, there simply cannot be any metaphysical standard for Good. And if for some reason there were some other standard, death destroys any hope for Cosmic Justice. Evil will not be punished in a world without God.

Smerdyakov holds Ivan as his prophet of Atheism and rejoices of this intellectual justification for his own schemes. Since everything is permitted, there is nothing keeping him from murdering his own father, and Ivan has given him the intellectual tools to nullify his own conscience. If you can get away with murder, then you can get away with murder.

Ivan is in shock after his father's murder, and Smerdyakov has several discussions with him, insinuating that he was working with Ivan's implicit permission and was given justification trough Ivan's atheism. Ivan is in inner turmoil, because he is facing his own contradiction: Ivan still belives in justice in a world where, according to him, there cannot be justice. Smerdyakov eventually hangs himself, dejected upon discovering that Ivan failed to understand and live up to the logic of his own nihilism.

=== Problem of evil ===

Problem of Evil is always formulated in a manner, where the wickedness of man is somehow God's fault. Because there is evil, and God knows this and does nothing, God must be at fault.

Dostoevsky's analysis, trough his character Alexei, is to answer back:

All mankind is guilty and under judgment, and therefore has not legal standing to complain. And yet, the solution is still to turn towards God, in love and compassion towards other people

== Legacy ==

The Brother Karamazov is the best book outside of the Bible, for these reasons.

* The Existence of God is the most fundamental question in all philosophy and human life
* The Problem of Evil is the most famous and serious argument against the Existence of God
* Outside of my own thinking, Dostoyevsky has given the best answer to the Problem of Evil

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:46, 7 March 2026
Line 9:		Line 9:
	=== Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov ===		=== Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov ===

	Fyodor Pavlovich is the father of the family Karamazov. He is the archetype of a man lost in his sins, which have corrupted his thinking and ultimately no longer has any self-control. The ability to self-reflect on his own actions is almost completely gone, only his remark that his son Alexei does not judge him is keeping his grip on reality. ~~Trough~~ this remark, he has a faint idea remaining that he is deservedly under condemnation, but he can no longer face his own wickedness and repent from his own actions.		Fyodor Pavlovich is the father of the family Karamazov. He is the archetype of a man lost in his sins, which have corrupted his thinking and he ultimately no longer has any self-control. The ability to self-reflect on his own actions is almost completely gone, only his remark that his son Alexei does not judge him is keeping his grip on reality. Through this remark, he has a faint idea remaining that he is deservedly under condemnation, but he can no longer face his own wickedness and repent from his own actions.

	=== Dmitri Fyodorovich Karamazov ===		=== Dmitri Fyodorovich Karamazov ===

	Dmitri is the first-born of the family. His heart is full of passions which drive him to bad choices ~~troughout~~ the novel. He is basically the same character type as his father, but he has not yet reached complete moral corruption. He still has the capacity to self-reflect on his actions, he knows what is the good, but ~~troughout~~ the novel he is ever so slightly losing his capacity to choose righteousness. Ivan sees this similarity, and ~~trough~~ his remarks has condemned them both in his heart as disgusting worshippers of their own passions.		Dmitri is the first-born of the family. His heart is full of passions which drive him to bad choices throughout the novel. He is basically the same character type as his father, but he has not yet reached complete moral corruption. He still has the capacity to self-reflect on his actions, he knows what is the good, but throughout the novel he is ever so slightly losing his capacity to choose righteousness. Ivan sees this similarity, and through his remarks has condemned them both in his heart as disgusting worshippers of their own passions.

	=== Ivan Fyodorovich Karamazov ===		=== Ivan Fyodorovich Karamazov ===
Line 25:		Line 25:
	=== Pavel Fyodorovich Smerdyakov ===		=== Pavel Fyodorovich Smerdyakov ===

	Smerdyakov is the ''black sheep'' of the familty ~~trough~~ the rape of his mother by his father. He embodies the archetype of man with bad relationship with his father, and how this fundamentally makes him rebel against all authorities.		Smerdyakov is the ''black sheep'' of the familty through the rape of his mother by his father. He embodies the archetype of man with bad relationship with his father, and how this fundamentally makes him rebel against all authorities.

	== Themes ==		== Themes ==
Line 33:		Line 33:
	Dostoevsky believes that wickedness has corrupted all mankind. Alexei is portrayed as the perfect man, yet he also in his heart has temptation, he has "stepped on the first ladder". This also plays part in his analysis and remedy for the Problem of Evil.		Dostoevsky believes that wickedness has corrupted all mankind. Alexei is portrayed as the perfect man, yet he also in his heart has temptation, he has "stepped on the first ladder". This also plays part in his analysis and remedy for the Problem of Evil.

	This analysis of sin is flawed, because sin is the words and actions of a person, and temptation itself is not a sin. Man can have any number of temptations, but only his commitment to wickedness ~~trough~~ words and actions make him guilty.		This analysis of sin is flawed, because sin is the words and actions of a person, and temptation itself is not a sin. Man can have any number of temptations, but only his commitment to wickedness through words and actions make him guilty.

	=== Nihilism ===		=== Nihilism ===

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:24, 6 March 2026
Line 17:		Line 17:
	=== Ivan Fyodorovich Karamazov ===		=== Ivan Fyodorovich Karamazov ===

	Ivan is the second son of the family Karamazov, an intelligent and educated man, and ~~possbily~~ the most famous atheist in literature. He is intellectually passionate and has convinced himself of atheism, his sword being the Problem of Evil. He despises his father and older brother, but has fondness for his little brother Alexei, and has a deep discussion with him, explaining his stance on God.		Ivan is the second son of the family Karamazov, an intelligent and educated man, and possibly the most famous atheist in literature. He is intellectually passionate and has convinced himself of atheism, his sword being the Problem of Evil. He despises his father and older brother, but has fondness for his little brother Alexei, and has a deep discussion with him, explaining his stance on God.

	=== Alexei Fyodorovich Karamazov ===		=== Alexei Fyodorovich Karamazov ===
Line 41:		Line 41:
	Smerdyakov holds Ivan as his prophet of Atheism and rejoices of this intellectual justification for his own schemes. Since everything is permitted, there is nothing keeping him from murdering his own father, and Ivan has given him the intellectual tools to nullify his own conscience. If you can get away with murder, then you can get away with murder.		Smerdyakov holds Ivan as his prophet of Atheism and rejoices of this intellectual justification for his own schemes. Since everything is permitted, there is nothing keeping him from murdering his own father, and Ivan has given him the intellectual tools to nullify his own conscience. If you can get away with murder, then you can get away with murder.

	Ivan is in shock after his father's murder, and Smerdyakov has several discussions with him, insinuating that he was working with Ivan's implicit permission and was given justification ~~trough~~ Ivan's atheism. Ivan is in inner turmoil, because he is facing his own contradiction: Ivan still belives in justice in a world where, according to him, there cannot be justice. Smerdyakov eventually hangs himself, dejected upon discovering that Ivan failed to understand and live up to the logic of his own nihilism.		Ivan is in shock after his father's murder, and Smerdyakov has several discussions with him, insinuating that he was working with Ivan's implicit permission and was given justification through Ivan's atheism. Ivan is in inner turmoil, because he is facing his own contradiction: Ivan still belives in justice in a world where, according to him, there cannot be justice. Smerdyakov eventually hangs himself, dejected upon discovering that Ivan failed to understand and live up to the logic of his own nihilism.

	=== Problem of ~~evil~~ ===		=== Problem of Evil ===

	Problem of Evil is always formulated in a manner, where the wickedness of man is somehow God's fault. Because there is evil, and God knows this and does nothing, God must be at fault.		Problem of Evil is always formulated in a manner, where the wickedness of man is somehow God's fault. Because there is evil, and God knows this and does nothing, God must be at fault.

	Dostoevsky's analysis, ~~trough~~ his character Alexei, is to answer back:		Dostoevsky's analysis, through his character Alexei, is to answer back:

	<em>All mankind is guilty and under judgment, and therefore has ~~not~~ legal standing to complain. And yet, the solution is still to turn towards God, in love and compassion towards other people</em>		<em>All mankind is guilty and under judgment, and therefore has no legal standing to complain. And yet, the solution is still to turn towards God, in love and compassion towards other people</em>

	== Legacy ==		== Legacy ==
Line 55:		Line 55:
	The Brother Karamazov is the best book outside of the Bible, for these reasons.		The Brother Karamazov is the best book outside of the Bible, for these reasons.

	* The Existence of God is the most fundamental question in all philosophy and human life		# The Existence of God is the most fundamental question in all philosophy and human life
	* The Problem of Evil is the most famous and serious argument against the Existence of God		# The Problem of Evil is the most famous and serious argument against the Existence of God
	* Outside of my own thinking, Dostoyevsky has given the best answer to the Problem of Evil		# Outside of my own thinking, Dostoyevsky has given the best answer to the Problem of Evil