The Brothers Karamazov

fyodor dostoyevsky constance garnett

Dostoyevsky spent nearly two years writing The Brothers Karamazov, which was published as a serial in The Russian Messenger and completed in November 1880. The author died less than four months after its publication. The Brothers Karamazov was Fyodor Dostoevsky's last and greatest work, telling the tales the three brothers and their father, Fyodor it is, among many other things, a tale of patricide -- a love-hate struggle with profound psychological and spiritual implications. It is a search for faith, for God -- driven by intense, uncontrollable emotions of rage and revenge, the Karamozov brothers become involved in the brutal murder of their despicable father.

Genres fictionrussiaclassicsrussian literatureliteraturephilosophynovels19th centuryclassic literaturereligion

640 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1,1880

Series

The Brothers Karamazov

Places

russia,

This edition

Format: 640 pages, Hardcover
Published: January 1, 2004 by Wildside Pr
ISBN: 9780809598601
ASIN: 0809598604
Language: English

Characters More characters

Dmitri Fyodorovich Karamazov

Dmitri is 28 years old, Fyodors eldest son and the only offspring of his first marriage. Dmitri is a sensualist much like his father, and the two mens personalities often clash. Dmitri spends large amounts of money on nights filled with plenty...
Ivan Fyodorovich Karamazov

Ivan is the middle son and first by Fyodors second marriage. He is a 24-year-old rationalist, disturbed especially by the apparently senseless suffering in the world, depicted as highly intelligent. He says to Alyosha in the chapter "Rebellion" (Bk....
Alexei Fyodorovich Karamazov

Aleksey at age 20 is the youngest of the Karamazov brothers. The narrator identifies him as the hero of the novel in the opening chapter (as does the author in the preface). He is described as immensely likable.At the outset of the events, Alyosha is a no...
Pavel Smerdyakov

Smerdyakov was born of "Stinking Lizaveta", a mute woman of the street who died in childbirth. He was called "Son of the reeking one". He is widely rumored to be the illegitimate son of Fyodor Karamazov. He grows up in the Karamazov house as a...
Agrafena Alexandrovna Svetlova

Variously called Grushenka, Grusha, and Grushka, Agrafena Alexandrovna, a beautiful 22-year-old, is the local Jezebel and has an uncanny charm among men. She was jilted by a Polish officer in her youth and came under the protection of a tyrannical miser. ...
Katerina Ivanovna Verkhovtseva

Called Katya, Katka, and Katenka, Katerina Ivanovna is Dmitris beautiful fiancee, despite his very open forays with Grushenka. She became engaged to Dmitri after he bailed her father out of a debt. Katerina produces a further love triangle among the...