"Verily, Verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit."
~John 12:24
Author: Fyodor Dostoevsky
Genre: Philosophical novel, Theological fiction, Detective novel
Originally Published: 1880
The Brothers Karamazov is a murder mystery, a courtroom drama, and an exploration of erotic rivalry in a series of triangular love affairs involving the “wicked and sentimental” Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov and his three sons―the impulsive and sensual Dmitri; the coldly rational Ivan; and the healthy, red-cheeked young novice Alyosha. Through the gripping events of their story, Dostoevsky portrays the whole of Russian life, is social and spiritual striving, in what was both the golden age and a tragic turning point in Russian culture. - Goodreads
Perhaps once in a lifetime, if we are lucky, we pick up a novel, so profound in thought, so masterful in execution, so transcendentally poetic, that it shakes us to our very core, and makes us question the capacity of such a mind that could conjure up such a tale. Very few novels, in my lifetime, have captured me in the same way as Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov.
In it's essence, and in it's beauty, The Brothers Karamazov (TBK) captures the complexities of the Russian heart and perhaps, the heart of every human being born into a world of suffering. It is a story about the juxtaposition of extremes. About the co-existence of faith and unbelief, of happiness and suffering, of chastity and indulgence. The three brothers are but a drop of the human heart in all its complexities and juxtapositions, but in that drop we see the ocean that is Dostoevsky's thought and reasoning. The Literary brilliance of the Novel lies not in the idiosyncrasies and juxtapositions of the characters among themselves, but within the characters themselves, such that the characters will act in ways that are in opposition to their archetype. This is what gives Dostoevsky's characters life, as if they were real people who had actually existed in the world. So eloquently and effortlessly does the dialogue flow between different characters, that the reader, no matter where they pick up the book, will immediately be transported into the throes of Russian society.
The development of the brothers themselves, from the atheist intellectual, Ivan, to the reserved novice, Alyosha, to finally the third and central brother, Dmitri, whose actions the story revolves around, are all captured in their dialogues and monologues more than their actions. Often characters will proclaim themselves that their "souls have grown". Contrary to Richard Pevear's commentary, characters and ideas do evolve and develop through the conflict of their beliefs and appearance simultaneously in decisive moments.
In Ivan Karamazov, we see the learned intellectual, with a reputation for fine reasoning and sharpness of thought. An article Ivan writes about the ecclesiastical courts is even discussed amongst the characters with varying opinions, some supporting the argument in the article, some rejecting it. Almost as if real person wrote it. Through Ivan, we hear the great "poem" of the Grand Inquisitor - less of an actual poem but rather a monumentally dark vision that completely shook me to my core. The idea of the Grand Inquisitor inspired many thinkers after Dostoevsky, not least Nietzsche with his firm antichristian stance. Yet in Ivan we see the tempting of the Luciferian Intellect, and subsequent "possession" by otherworldly and terrible ideas. The brilliance in Ivan's development is that initially, he leads us to believe he has a supreme compassion, as he laments about the suffering of children to Alyosha, bolstering the argument that a true God would not allow the suffering of innocent children to exist. But this pious compassion leads to a masked Nihilism. Ivan "does not accept the world" and this disconnection eventually leads to his decline.
In contrast, we see his brother Alexei (Alyosha) Karamazov, a novice at a monastery, a quiet, truly compassionate soul, described by the author himself to be 'the hero of the story.' As opposed to a darkness evident in other characters, in Alyosha we see a lightness of the human soul. A wilful innocence yet virtuous empathy and almost childlike personality - which incidentally, we see many scenes where Alyosha interacts with children. Though Alyosha may not have any solid rebuttals or arguments against Ivan's pointed, intelectual attacks, nonetheless, in his simplicity he stands above the other characters. In his divine love for mankind, for the Earth, for God, almost to the point of superfluity, captures the essence of the "essential unity of the whole." By playing the part of messenger and receiver, Alyosha allows the characters to come to life. In a metaphorical sense, Alyosha gives his life (by remaining a relatively undeveloped character) in order to give life to more developed characters. Immediately, the thought of Jesus giving his life to save the soul of mankind comes to mind.
Lastly, Dmitri Karamazov is the ideological middle of his two younger brothers. The 'sensual' man, poetic and fiery as can be. Dmitri greatly embodies the 'earthly Karamazov spirit and vitality' better than all else, and his fits of passion are the basis for the parricide investigation playing out in the second book of the Novel. In his soul we see true conflict, true contradiction, true human nature. A character that often proclaims one thing, then does another - does one thing, and says he meant to do another. He is extremes personified - and to him, we see and feel the most happiness and suffering.
Add to these brothers, a myriad of other interesting and substantial characters like the elder, Zosima, whose repeated teaching, "each of us are guilty before all and for all" is played out perfectly in the book as, often, many different characters proclaim themselves guilty for the murder that has happened. Dostoevsky reveals quirks and personalities in his characters in such effortless style, and even the most minute of characters is brough to life through a few simple descriptors or anecdotes.
For having to stop somewhere, I shall end the review here… but keep in mind, dear reader, that a book of such depth and complexity would require many textbooks to fully analyze, perhaps even, in the same vein as the Bible. Many questions arise from reading this book, questions about the world, about ourselves, about God - and yes, reading it thrice does not make these questions disappear, but always new questions seem to pop up… but as Dostoevsky himself so comically said, "Being at a loss to resolve these questions, I am resolved to leave them without any resolution."
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