[
The Brothers Karamazov; or
The Karamazov Brothers], published in serial form in 1879-80, is Dostoevsky’s last great novel – many consider it his greatest. The plot is more complicated than
Prestuplenie i nakazanie[
Crime and Punishment], in as much as a central hero, divided as he may be, has been replaced by three figures – brothers, who symbolically represent aspects of the human condition: Ivan – the intellect; Dmitrii – the emotions; Alësha [Alyosha] – spirituality.
Fëdor [Fyodor] Pavlovich, renowned for his debauchery, has fathered three legitimate sons by two wives, who are now dead, but also, as rumour has it, an illegitimate one, Smerdiakov, by a half-demented beggar woman, “Stinking Liza” (the smell is continued in the son’s name:
2859 words
Citation: Peace, Richard. "Brat'ia Karamazovy". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 17 August 2004 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=1367, accessed 25 November 2024.]
