The Brothers Karamazov (Penguin Classics) [Paperback]

Fyodor Dostoyevsky (Author), David McDuff (Author)

Book Description

Series: Penguin Classics | Publication Date: August 1, 1993

The Brothers Karamazov, Dostoevsky's crowning achievement, is a tale of patricide and family rivalry that embodies the moral and spiritual dissolution of an entire society (Russia in the 1870s). It created a national furor comparable only to the excitement stirred by the publication, in 1866, of Crime and Punishment. To Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov captured the quintessence of Russian character in all its exaltation, compassion, and profligacy. Significantly, the book was on Tolstoy's bedside table when he died. Readers in every language have since accepted Dostoevsky's own evaluation of this work and have gone further by proclaiming it one of the few great novels of all ages and countries.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Russian

About the Author

Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky was born in Moscow in 1821. Between 1849 & 1854 he lived in a convict prison, and in later years his passion for gambling led him deeply into debt. He died in 1881. He is also the author of Crime & Punishment, The Idiot and The Devils. David McDuff has translated a number of 19th-century Russian prose works for Penguin Classics. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 960 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Classics (August 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140445277
• ISBN-13: 978-0140445275
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,368,658 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The whole package, May 27, 2004

By 

H. Huggins (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Brothers Karamazov: A Novel in Four Parts and an Epilogue (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)

This book is over 900 pages long, and it took me only 2 weeks to read it, while working full time, which is a true testament to its compelling plot and masterful prose. That being said, this is not an easy read, but demands much of the reader. Besides being the recounting of a fictional parricide and the ensuing courtroom drama, this is also Dostoevsky's greatest rumination on the meaning of life, the difference between good and evil, the phenomenon of human guilt, and the existence of God and the Devil. Phew.

The novel begins with introduction of the three Karamazov brothers (there is one other bastard son, but he is largely in the background), Alexei, Dmitry, and Ivan. All are unique and represent different parts of the human psyche. Alexei is benevolent and good, Dmitry is passionate and generous, Ivan is serious and intellectual. They all have their inner battles with God, which Dostoevsky brilliantly brings into the plot without losing the believability of the characters. About halfway through the book, their father, Fyodor Karamazov is murdered. Much like Dostoevsky's victim in "Crime and Punishment", Fyodor is an unsympathetic character who treated his sons horribly. Dmitry is the immediate suspect and a trial follows. Even though Dmitry is blamed for the murder, this novel circles around collective guilt in the eyes of God (if he exists, which is a question that clearly torments Dostoevsky). Who is responsible for the maltreatment of the Karamazov children? Who is responsible for tolerance of Dmitry's excesses? A rich cast of characters brings every possible aspect of personality into this debate, making this novel one of the most complete and well-rounded I have ever read. The theme of this book is the human condition...what it means to be human, to have freedom of choice, to have a moral conscience...issues that have been the subject of eternal debate, but find some of their clearest conveyence here in Dostoevsky's prose.

This book starts out a bit slow; Dostoevsky doesn't give the reader much of an intro before he launches into a treatise on religion and the state. But I promise that it picks up quickly and never lets go. Be prepared for your mind to travel to all sorts of different places. This book is entertaining, thought provoking, literary...it's the whole package.

One of the finest books I have ever read or will ever hope to read.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Intense Masterpiece, February 18, 2004

By 

Whitney R. (Johnson City, TN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Brothers Karamazov: A Novel in Four Parts and an Epilogue (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)

The Brothers Karamazov is a dramatic and insightful Russian novel written by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. In this novel, Dostoyevsky intricately weaves the actions and emotions of his characters to create a masterpiece that describes the flaws and complications of society. As well as drawing out an intricate plot of a patricide, Dostoyevsky also confronts discrepancies in religion, the contrast between social classes, the power of money and love, and the complexity of the human nature.
Although many people are discouraged by its length, I strongly recommend this novel because of Dostoyevsky's ingenious writing style. He depicts the culture of Russian society through the case of a disputed murder as well as debating the line between good and evil. He also challenges the morals and lifestyles of that time, revealing his inner struggles to the reader. Dostoyevsky uses a wide variety of people in society as his characters: from wealthy individuals to impoverished families, from atheists to religious elders, from bastards to legitimate children, and from buffoons to moral figures. Between the characters, he draws parallels and contrasts in order to emphasize hope in the midst of a severe and cruel society.
What I love most about this novel is the character development. In the very beginning of the book, Dostoyevsky introduces his main characters by describing each of their backgrounds and their development to the point of the central plot. Thus, the reader feels as if he has grown up with these characters and understands each of their personalities. Each character is viewed realistically: they have imperfections and strengths, as well as unpredictable and unique qualities that could be found in people today. The reader is torn by the differences between each character that eventually lead to disaster and confusion. Overall, Dostoyevsky paints an almost flawless picture of humanity, captivating the reader with his intensely detailed and overall beautiful piece of literature.
This book is not very easy to read; it requires much concentration and contemplation. However, its depth and incredible composition has placed it as one of literature's greatest works. I highly recommend this novel and encourage the reader to be persistent when the reading becomes tedious, because, in the end, they will never regret picking up the book, as I never will.

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The greatest philosophical novel of the 19th century, August 23, 2002

By 

Aaishik Kar "truthseeker" (India) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Brothers Karamazov (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)

There are certain accomplishments of human genius which arouse in mankind awe and reverence for the greatness which men are capable of. "The Brothers Karamazov" is one such gem of human thought and achievement.

What IS "The Brothers..." all about?
I do not feel competent enough to define precisely the central theme of the greatest, most profound & sophisticated, not to say difficult & complex novel of the 19th century.
All I can say is that it is a book rich with ideas - all pertaining to belief and disbelief. - man's faith in God, & what happens when man rejects faith, God & immortality of the soul.
In terms of the broader abstractions, the theme of TBK is: The "fall of man" & his spiritual re-birth & regeneration.
The "fall of man" comes about as a result of his loss of faith in God & immortality - his spiritual corruption begins from there, & leads to nothing but bloodshed, pain, disorder & destruction.
In the depth of this degradation, steeped in suffering, man learns the truth - the highest truth - God.
Thence begins the growth of faith & virtue in man, which assumes the form of man's taking upon himself guilt towards one & all, & active love towards mankind.

D's characterization in TBK is unsurpassed. Each character is the representative of an idea logically connected to the themes & ideas of the novel.
A few words on the three principal characters:

1. Ivan Karamazov - the most complex & intriguing character, Ivan is an atheist who rejects God for he cannot accept "God's order" and logically, becomes a "man-god". To such a man, no moral principles apply - "everything is permitted".
But Ivan is has a deep conscience. He realizes the complete consequences of his ideas - that without God, man can only achieve death & destruction - and so did he, though indirectly. The pangs of conscience & raging spiritual torments take toll of his mental equilibrium, but we are left with a vague promise of the spiritual & moral regeneration in him that lies as a possibility in the distant future.

2. Dmitri Karamazov - a passionate & violent man but honorable & conscientious. In the depths of his soul lies hidden a desperate yearning to become good & noble - to realize all that is sublime & beautiful within man. He too "falls" - the desire to shed the blood of his father & other rash, thoughtless actions become responsible for great misery - both his own & that of others, and thus becomes a medium of demonstrating why D advocates that a man must accept universal responsibility towards one & all. In his worst moment he finds a purpose in life - he finds God & love for all mankind - and sets out on the path of self-reform & redemption.

3. Alyosha Karamazov - the hero of the novel. A Christ-like figure, he acts as the conscience of the corrupt human soul. He is the ideal which all, in essence, want to believe in, reach, & which mankind itself is striving for. He is not free of vices, but overcomes them & reaches a state of spiritual perfection which is indestructible.
That Mitya & Ivan love him shows that somewhere within them, the truth, virtue, a love for life, & goodness - God - is alive, that the "dead in them can be resurrected".

And this is the final statement D makes on human nature - even in his most "stinking" sins & corruption, even though all seems lost & irredeemable, man is ultimately a good being within whom lies the capacity of understanding & realizing the truth - of becoming virtuous & heroic, of redeeming himself.
Man has the freedom to choose- but man chooses evil, sins, suffers, & at last understands that the truth (which lies in Jesus) is in fact the truth, & finally attains joy through redemption.

As far as plot-construction is concerned, that of TBK is superlative, though that of "Crime And Punishment" is better. The suspense is thrilling, though I think, again,in this respect, "The Possessed" is more blood-curdling.
The skill with which D integrates philosophy, psychology and a suspenseful thriller plot is simply brilliant.

A few words in connection to this novel:
1. DO NOT READ THE INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK - IT GIVES AWAY THE ENTIRE PLOT.
2. All admirers of Dostoevsky should not forget to acknowledge the influence of FRIEDRICH SCHILLER on the former. Schiller's plays, "The Robbers" & "Don Carlos" are the sources of most of the ideas explored with greater detail & depth in TBK. In fact D has even used some of the dialogues spoken by the characters in "The Robbers", while the Grand Inquisitor is a character originally from "Don Carlos", given greater depth & a different dimension by D.

In conclusion, I shall say that "The Brothers Karamazov" is the greatest novel of the 19th century, & one of the greatest literary masterpieces of all times. It undoubtedly ranks among works such as "Faust" by Goethe & "The Divine Comedy" by Dante. I say this in terms of its philosophical profundity, its analysis of complex ideas, its psychological depth (& complexity) and, above all, its scope & relevance. It is one of the rare novels of world history which can alter the course of human existence.