“The Brothers Karamazov” by Fyodor Dostoevsky

In this part of the book, we cover the themes and symbols regarding the following emotional states:

- Faith and Trust

- Sadness and Guilt

- Loss and Grief

- Love and Passion

The question of guilt pervades the brothers Alyosha and Dmitri as they work their way through complex emotions that prove to get them into deeper turmoil than they were already in beforehand. The difference between them is that Alyosha's turmoil is purely internal, whereas Dmitri's seeks to become something he is known for amongst others.

Alyosha's turmoil regards the death of Father Zosima and so, when grieving, Alyosha's faith is often in question not as whether he believes or not, but instead whether he believes too strongly in certain situations. His trust in faith is heavy, but Alyosha often wonders whether this works to his advantage and within the following chapters, he symbolises his conflict by falling to the ground or kneeling upon the ground. His faith therefore is strong as it is seen as a force that pushes him downwards. In the first aspect, he falls to the ground in grief and in the second, he prays himself into a dream-state in which he sees the reason for his struggle - and ultimately accepts it must be a struggle.

Dmitri's turmoil regards the death of his father. When Dmitri's father dies, it is clear that there is talk amongst the town, especially among Dmitri's friends who see that he has recently come into money. When Dmitri goes to declare his love for Grushenka, things become even worse as he presents himself as an arrogant gambler as a first impression to people he doesn't know. Not making a wise first impression, when Dmitri is arrested, these people do not take his side when questioned individually by police. But, when Dmitri is ultimately taken away, they express this kind of disgusting sorrow that is shown as an almost feigned grief of loss since they do not actually know Dmitri that well at all.

Important Quotations:

"The point to bear in mind is that at that particular time and throughout the whole of the preceding year, all the love that had borne in his pure, young heart towards 'all and sundry' had appeared on occasion at times of spiritual crisis to be concentrated, however mistakenly, on one single individual, that is on his beloved starets, who was now dead." (Book 7, Chapter 2, p.426)

"And he felt that although his questions were devoid of rhyme or reason, that was precisely how he wanted to pose them, and that was in fact how they should be posed. And he also felt a totally unprecedented wave of emotion well up in his soul which brought him to the verge of tears and made him want to do something for everyone, something that would make the bairn stop crying, that would make its ashen-faced mother stop crying too, something that, from that moment on, would put an end to all the tears once and for all, and he wanted to do it then, immediately, without brooking the least delay and with truly Karamazovian impetuosity." (Book 9, Chapter 9, p.639)

The main questions regarding this section are:

- If Alyosha experiences a question of the overtly intense strength of his faith, then why does he experience grief so intensely as well? Should he not believe that Zosima's death was an inevitable act of God and therefore be accepting of it?

- If Dmitri did not pawn his pistol and then take it back, would there have been much talk in the town about the father's death and would Perkhotin been incited to visit Fenya about Grushenka? Is there a catalyst for all of this that ultimately gets Dmitri arrested and where did he make his biggest mistake?

Summary:

Book 7, Chapter 2 to Book 9, Chapter 9:

Book 7, Chapter 2:

Zosima, the elder, has died and now, Aloysha is feeling conflicted and he states that his confusion was not because of his faith being questioned but rather because he had too much faith. When Rakitin speaks to Alyosha about the rotting corpse of Zosima, there is something that Alyosha remembers he needs to tell his brother Dmitri, but the problem is that he cannot remember exactly what that is. They speak of how Ivan has left for Moscow and whilst Alyosha lies face down in the ground of the monastery, Rakitin suggests they go to Grushenka.

Book 7, Chapter 3:

Alyosha and Rakitin go to Grushenka’s house and find that she is dressed in smart evening attire and may be expecting to see someone. She states that she had told Dmitri she was going to spend the day accounting with Samsonov, but the truth is she is waiting for someone to give her a message regarding Kuzma Kuzmich. She talks about how scared she is of Dmitri now and Rakitin finds this increasingly odd behaviour as she tells Fenya to close the blinds so that she cannot be seen. After telling Alyosha to sit with her, she tells him that an officer is back in town that she once loved and now that this officer’s wife has died, he has come back looking for Grushenka in order to be in love with her again. Admitting that she thought that she might seduce Alyosha, she becomes more and more ashamed of her behaviour towards him and states that he is far too faithful to do that to. Rakitin states that Alyosha may seem upset because Zosima has died and Alyosha is still in the grieving process and Grushenka proceeds to tell him a story about a woman who once gave an onion to a beggar and that was the only good deed she had ever done. When the woman dies, she is sent to hell. In this moment, the guardian angel appears and states that the one good deed the woman did was give the onion to the beggar woman. God states that if the onion breaks upon the woman being pulled out of hell, then she will have to stay - but if she can be extended the onion and it doesn’t break, then she is saved. The onion breaks and she goes back into Hell. Grushenka relates that her break from the seduction of Alyosha is Grushenka’s own one act of kindness. She admits that she offered Rakitin 25 Roubles to bring Alyosha to her and then, proceeds to throw the 25 Roubles at him. Rakitin accepts slightly ashamed of himself. Grushenka expresses more joy over the officer returning and yet, she’s angry at the fact he left her for another woman. She states that she may bring a knife with her to the meeting just in case. The message from the officer then arrives and is says that the officer would like to meet her at Mokroye, this is Alyosha and Rakitin’s cue to leave. But Rakitin is still annoyed with the ‘goodness’ of Alyosha and leaves him by himself to walk grievingly back to the monastery.

Book 7, Chapter 4:

Alyosha visits Zosima’s cell where Father Paissy is reading the Gospels over the coffin and Alyosha kneels in prayer thinking that from this on-going conflict within himself, he has finally found a state of tranquility. Father Paissy reads from the Marriage at Cana where Jesus transforms water into wine and Alyosha begins to dream whilst he is still praying. He blends the day’s events with the words of Father Paissy, Dostoevsky is describing that Aloysha’s soul was “brimming with ecstasy” as he dreams and combines various things in his sleep. In this, Zosima appears to Alyosha and tells him that everyone is at the wedding in heaven, even those who only gave an onion in life. Aloysha, now awake, goes outside and kisses the ground and three days later, he leaves the monastery - just as Zosima told him to do.

Book 8, Chapter 1:

Dmitri, feeling ashamed of himself, resolves to return the money to Katerina even though he’s already spent the money on Grushenka. He states that this is the only way he can actually save his own honour and begin a life with Grushenka. He makes a plan to have Samsonov borrow the money to him so he can repay Katerina Ivanovna and because he is Grushenka’s accountant, it will be like taking the money back from his spending and returning it without much concern. Dmitri goes to Samsonov’s house and is taken to see the man. Samsonov seems to look almost machiavellian in his aspect but Dmitri shakes it off as an old man being in pain because of his infected leg. Dmitri asks Samsonov for the money by using a woodlot in Chermashnya as collateral (this is Dmitri’s inheritance) and even though Dmitri doesn’t have his inheritance, he promises it anyway. Secretly, Dmitri knows he will probably never have it because it is still in the hands of his father. Samsonov states that he cannot accept it, but then proposes that Dmitri visit a man called Lyagavy who has been trying to get the woodlot from Fyodor Pavlovich. Lyagavy is staying with a priest in Ilyinskoye. Dmitri leaves and tips Samsonov and yet, the narrator explains that the whole thing was just a joke played by Samsonov and that he was not happy at all about Dmitri’s visit.

Book 8, Chapter 2:

Dmitri pawns his watch because he has no money and then, he goes off to Ilyinskoye to meet with Lyagavy. But the priest Dmitri encounters states that Lyagavy, whom the priest states should be called by his preferred name (Gorstkin) is staying with a forester at Sukhoy Possyolok. When Dmitri gets there, Lyagavy is passed out because of drunkenness in his bedroom and Dmitri tries and fails to wake him up. He resolves to stand outside the room until Lyagavy awakens and the priest heads back to Ilyinskoye. Dmitri eventually falls asleep and when he wakes up, he realises that the room is filled with fuming. The forester helps Dmitri escape but Lyagavy sleeps still and silent. Dmitri falls asleep once again outside the room this time and when he wakes, it is already nine in the morning. Lyagavy has already started drinking again and Dmitri tries to engage him in conversation as Lyagavy accuses Dmitri of being a cheat. At this moment, Dmitri realises he is the victim of a cruel trick by Samsonov and then leaves - he makes his way to Grushenka’s house.

Book 8, Chapter 3:

Dmitri has left Grushenka’s and pawns off his gun to a young officer. He goes to visit his father’s neighbour, Maria Kondatrievna who tells him that Smerdyakov is sick. Dmitri goes home and decided he will borrow the money (3’000 Roubles) from Madame Khokhlakov who is thrilled to see him. Dmitri keeps asking for the 3’00 Roubles without much luck but finally succeeds. Madame Khokhlakov suggests that he work in the gold mines to earn the money he needs and puts a small, silver icon around his neck. Dmitri is very angry at this opinion and becomes increasingly impatient with Madame Khokhlakov. He walks out of the door distraught at the suggestion of working in the gold mines. Outside Madame Khokhlakov’s house, Dmitri begins to cry and walks towards the square, wandering around almost aimlessly. He recognises a woman who is the maid of Samsonov and she reveals that Grushenka left Samsonov’s shortly after Dmitri did. Furious at the lies, Dmitri heads to Grushenka’s house where he discovers Fenya and Fenya states that she has recently left for Mokroye. Dmitri leaves and stuffs in his pocket a brass pestle from the table.

Book 8, Chapter 4:

Dmitri is suspicious of Grushenka’s behaviour, thinking she may have gone to see Fyodor Pavlovich and he sneaks over the garden wall of his father’s house. He goes to the window and can see his father dressed up with bandages around his skull from when Dmitri battered him. To see whether Fyodor Pavlovich is waiting for Grushenka, Dmitri heads to the window and gives a secret tapping sound and his father immediately runs to the window and calls out for Grushenka. Dmitri pulls the pestle from his pocket and Grigory wakes up. Grigory remembers that the garden gate is still unlocked and so he goes to lock it. He notices that someone is running and grabs the leg of the man as he tries to jump over the garden wall. He is blown back unconscious as a result of this. Dmitri throws the pestle on the grass and tries to stop the blood flowing from Grigory’s head - he gives up and heads back to Grushenka’s house where a servant’s nephew tells him that she has gone to Mokroye.

Book 8, Chapter 5:

Dmitri goes to see Fenya about Grushenka and frightens him because of the fact he’s covered in blood. The grandmother confirms Grushenka’s whereabouts in Mokroye. Dmitri then goes to Pyotr Ilyich Perkhotin (the man he pawned the pistol to) and pays the loan for his pistols back. Perkhotin notices how Dmitri is flashing around his money, which he did not have before. Dmitri asks Perkhotin servant to order things he will use to get back Grushenka. Perkhotin helps Dmitri to wash the blood out of himself and his clothes and tries to get the story about what happened out of his friend but Dmitri won’t say. He talks about the suggestion of the gold mines, theft and a few other things are mumbles but Perkhotin remains completely baffled. Perkhotin goes with Dmitri to Plotnikov’s where Dmitri loads a cart with presents for Grushenka and heads off to Mokroye. Perkhotin suspects something of Dmitri because of his odd behaviour and wonders about how sudden this wealth is, since Dmitri was only really poor and pawning his own items some time before. He speaks to many people and everyone asks whether Perkhotin knows if Dmitri got around to killing his father. Perkhotin goes to Grushenka’s house to try to get the full story before passing a judgement.

Book 8, Chapter 6:

Dmitri is very excited to meet with Grushenka and yet, he talks about suicide and how it is still an option for him. He plans for his suicide at dawn. When he arrives at Mokroye, Trifon Borisich is pleased to see him and this is mainly because Dmitri spent so much money the last time he was there. Trifon leads Dmitri to Grushenka and Grushenka is in the room with her officer and his friends along with a few people called Kalganov and Maximov and Grushenka is so surprised, she almost screams at the sight of Dmitri.

Book 8, Chapter 7:

Dmitri states he is there to see Grushenka and Maximov tries to lighten the mood with stories about his own follies. Grushenka is annoyed with the polish people who keep speaking Polish to her and Dmitri then toasts to Russia to which everyone except the Polish people drink to. The Polish people annoy Grushenka once more by cheering for Poland. Maximov proposes they play cards and Dmitri immediately begins losing a lot of money to which Kalganov tries to intervene with his incessant gambling. Dmitri invites the Polish people to another room and states he will give them 3000 Roubles to leave Grushenka and the Polish people seems interested until Dmitri states he doesn’t actually have all the money on him. The Polish people denounce Dmitri’s behaviour and leave the other room. Grushenka tells the Polish people off and some peasant women begin to sing and dance whilst the innkeeper (Borisich) walks in and tells the Polish people to shut up, revealing that they cheat at cards. The Polish folk lock themselves in a room.

Book 8, Chapter 8:

The party has started and the peasant girls are still singing and dancing. Grushenka watches on, pulling Dmitri to her to whisper to him occasionally. Dmitri then goes to get some fresh air where he encounters Borisich who is clearly distracted and nervous. When Dmitri returns, Grushenka is not there and he finds her in another room, crying in the corner. She states that she loves Dmitri and they return to the party - Dmitri is happier than ever. The Polish people come out of the room and join the party but still don’t like Dmitri very much at all. Grushenka becomes tired and Dmitri takes her behind the curtain the splits the room in two. Grushenka and Dmitri dream of their new life together and the conversation is interrupted by the police commissioner and others who then proceed to arrest Dmitri for the murder of his father, Fyodor Pavlovich. Dmitri seems to have no idea what is going on and why.

Book 9, Chapter 1:

Perkhotin knocks at Morozov’s window where Grushenka is renting somewhere to stay. Fenya tells Perkhotin that Dmitri arrived earlier, covered in blood and even confessed he had just killed someone. Perkhotin starts to walk towards Fyodor Pavlovich’s house but then decides not to because he’s afraid of the scandal it may cause just in case someone did not actually murder him. He then heads to Madame Khokhlakov to find out what actually happened to Dmitri’s father. It’s 11pm and Madame Khokhlakov awakens to see Madame Khokhlakov at her door and she states she never lent any money to Dmitri and even writes a statement to say she never did. Madame Khokhlakov and Perkhotin know that they are both trapped in strange circumstances and notice that not everyone is telling the truth. Perkhotin then leaves Madame Khokhlakov and goes on his way.

Book 9, Chapter 2:

Perkhotin goes to the house of Mikhail Makarov - the commissioner of the police and notices that there is a party taking place. All the important officials and officers are there and he sees that they have been told about Fyodor Pavlovich’s murder by the servant, Marfa Ignatievna. The servant was awoken by a scream from Smerdyakov - the type that started one of his fits and then noticed that Grigory was missing. Marfa hears groaning from the garden where Grigory is discovered covered in blood. She wakes the neighbour, Maria Kondratievna, Maria’s daughter and the visitor Foma to come to Fyodor Pavlovich’s house where they then see his dead body. Marfa goes to the deputy commissioner in a state of intense distress. Perkhotin and the officials head to Fyodor’s house to investigate the scene and they dispatched the commissioner to Mokroye to keep an eye on Dmitri before they were to seal his arrest. This is also why the innkeeper looked so concerned - he had already been told that Dmitri was going to be arrested that night.

Book 9, Chapter 3:

Back in the present where Dmitri is being arrested for his father’s murder, Grushenka is pulled away from him and Dmitri is sat at the table where the interrogation by Parfenovich and Kirrilovich begins as another man takes notes. He is happy to know that Grigory is alright but Dmitri also denies murdering his own father and yet, he acknowledges that he had been talking about murdering his father for the last month or longer - which the police also knew. He protested for some time that his father owed him inheritance and that Dmitri often referred to the 3000 Roubles that his father kept for Grushenka at his house. Accepting these facts, Dmitri still denies murdering his own father. The happiness of learning that Grigory is fine is overshadowed by the sadness of his father’s death. Grushenka states she wants to be taken somewhere else because she cannot bear to listen to it any longer. The officer calms Grushenka and Dmitri, though confused and upset, is grateful to the police as she is placed in the care of Maximov.

Book 9, Chapter 4:

The men continue to interrogate Dmitri and Dmitri then gives a long and rambling speech about how the events of that day actually went for the past two or so days by the policemen are not entirely convinced by his story. They seem to be completely disinterested in the story and only want to know how much money he had and how much he needed - finally, they want to know why he grabbed the pestle and what importance this had, if any.

Book 9, Chapter 5:

The policemen ask him about the visit to his father’s house he made and Dmitri insists that the garden gate had been closed but the men state that it was left open. Dmitri then states that the secret tapping that only he, Smerdyakov and his father knew that would be done upon Grushenka’s arrival may give some clues. The men suggest that Smerdyakov could have done it but Dmitri rejects this idea entirely stating that he is far too weak to do anything of a sort. The interrogation goes on and they ask Dmitri to demonstrate how he sat on the wall of the garden and how he got his pistols back, his suicide plans and a note that he showed his friend - Dmitri tells them everything and then some. Reverting back to the money, they estimate that they may have found around 800 Roubles on his person at the moment, the amount he has spent is also know and so, he had roughly 1500 Roubles on his person, not 3000. Dmitri then refuses to tell them how or why he states he had 3000 Roubles. They ask Dmitri to strip down so they can search his every possession on his person.

Book 9, Chapter 6:

The prosecutor does not find any lost money but does discover that Dmitri has blood on his right cuff and they get some clothes from Kalganov for Dmitri to borrow. They tell him that what Grigory has said conflicts with Dmitri’s story and that the garden gate was open. Dmitri shouts out and this only then informs the prosecutor that he may be guilty. Angered by everything, Dmitri now suspects that it was Smerdyakov that killed his father and decides to confess something horrible.

Book 9, Chapter 7:

He states that he actually stole the money from Katerina Ivanovna and spent 1500 of it on Grushenka over a month before. He had saved the other half and sewed it into his clothes before he left for Mokroye thinking he could marry Grushenka with it. The policemen are skeptical because Dmitri doesn’t actually know where this sewn cloth actually is and he only remembers tearing it up in the town square. Asking him where he got the cloth, he states he may have stolen his landlady’s bonnet. Dmitri, realising he has been defeated is deflated whilst the police get on with other witnesses.

Book 9, Chapter 8:

Borisich is interrogated and states that he never counted the money at all and says that by sight, Dmitri was holding 3000 Roubles. He then states that Dmitri even said he would spend his 6000 roubles which the interrogators are interested in because that suggests the 3000 he stole from Katerina was added to the 3000 he stole from his father. The Polish people and the peasants are questioned as well and state that Dmitri tried to bribe them with 3000 Roubles. Afterwards, they call in Grushenka and she believes in Dmitri’s innocence. Dmitri has fallen asleep and dreamt that he was in a peasant’s cart, driving through a village. He asks why everyone is so poor and the why one of them is crying. He then wakes up to the sound of Grushenka stating she will stay with him forever. Dmitri signs the transcript of the interrogation without even reading it.

Book 9, Chapter 9:

They read Dmitri a resolution and place him under arrest formally. Dmitri says his goodbyes after he proclaims his innocence in a moving speech. Grushenka gives a saddened goodbye to Dmitri and promises to stay with him and believe in his innocence. As they put Dmitri in a cart to take him to town, Kalganov shakes Dmitri’s hand. Kalganov goes to sit in a corner and cry with his head in his hands as Dmitri leaves in the cart.