The Karamazov BrothersDostoevsky's last and greatest novel, The Karamazov Brothers (1880) is both a brilliantly told crime story and a passionate philosophical debate. The dissolute landowner Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov is murdered; his sons - the atheist intellectual Ivan, the hot-blooded Dmitry, and the saintly novice Alyosha - are all at some level involved. Bound up with this intense family drama is Dostoevsky's exploration of many deeply felt ideas about the existence of God, the question of human freedom, the collective nature of guilt, the disatrous consequences of rationalism. The novel is also richly comic: the Russian Orthodox Church, the legal system, and even the authors most cherished causes and beliefs are presented with a note of irreverence, so that orthodoxy, and radicalism, sanity and madness, love and hatred, right and wrong are no longer mutually exclusive. Rebecca West considered it "the allegory for the world's maturity", but with children to the fore. This new translation does full justice to Doestoevsky's genius, particularly in the use of the spoken word, which ranges over every mode of human expression. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
accused Aleksei Fyodorovich already Alyosha asked began believe brother course dear didn’t Dmitry Fyodorovich door earth everything exclaimed eyes face fact Father Paisy feel Fenya forgive Fyodor Pavlovich gentlemen Grigory Grigory Vasilyevich Grushenka hand happened he’s heard heart hieromonks hundred roubles I’ve Ilyusha Ivan Fyodorov Ivan Fyodorovich Kalganov Karamazov Katerina Ivanovna Khokhlakova kill kiss knew Kolya Krasotkin lady laughing Lise Listen look matter mind Mitya Miusov Mokroye monastery monk Moscow mother murder never night Nikolai Parfenovich once perhaps prosecutor Pyotr Aleksandrovich Pyotr Ilyich Rakitin remember replied Russian scoundrel shouted silent sitting Smerdyakov smile someone soul St Petersburg Staff Captain starets startsy stopped straight suddenly sure talking tears tell there’s thing thought three thousand roubles told town turned versts voice waiting wasn’t What's what’s whole woman word wouldn’t you’re young