The Brothers Karamazov - Fyodor Dostoyevsky

magnificient (818 words)
by pontecaille - written on 20/09/01, updated on 20/09/01 (Very useful, 97 readings)
Rating:

I won’t give you a full resume of this book as it would take me ages to put it into words but I will quickly introduce it. « The Karamazov » gathers a rising family drama of 3 brothers (Dimitri, burning and wild; Ivan, intellectual, idealist and intransigent; and Alexei, monk, devoted and naive) and of course the father, a horrible character that deserves only what occurs to him, because he forsakes his children and lives only in the vice and the lust. He is a cheap man and reluctant being. His sons somewhat disturbed by a sinister youth are very interdependent even when love divides them. Each one goes until the end (and beyond) of their desires, their feelings. This ...

The Brothers Karamazov - Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Oh, Brother! (441 words)
by nlingwood - written on 01/06/01, updated on 01/06/01 (Very useful, 856 readings)
Rating:

I'm back to Dostoievski once more, this time to opine on his last and longest novel. According to the preface, this was planned as a 'prequel' setting up the central character, Alexei, who would appear in a further book. Dostoievski's death left this dysfunctional family story to stand alone. The action begins in a provincial Russian town in the 1870's. Like a parable or folk story, the old miser Karamazov has three sons. The eldest, Dmitry, is physically strong but dissolute. The middle son, Ivan, is the intellectual who represents the liberal middle-classes. Alexei seems naïve but has the good nature and spiritual strength to cope with the family crisis. To ...