Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov

by Julian W. Connolly

Fyodor Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov is unquestionably one of the greatest works of world literature. With its dramatic portrayal of a Russian family in crisis and its intense investigation into the essential questions of human existence, the novel has had a major impact on writers and thinkers across a broad range of disciplines, from psychology to religious and political philosophy. This proposed reader's guide has two major to help the reader understand the place of Dostoevsky's novel in Russian and world literature, and to illuminate the writer's compelling and complex artistic vision. The plot of the novel centers on the murder of the patriarch of the Karamazov family and the subsequent attempt to discover which of the brothers bears responsibility for the murder, but Dostoevsky's ultimate interests are far more thought-provoking. Haunted by the question of God's existence, Dostoevsky uses the character of Ivan Karamazov to ask what kind of God would create a world in which innocent children have to suffer, and he hoped that his entire novel would provide the answer. The design of Dostoevsky's work, in which one character poses questions that other characters must try to answer, provides a stimulating basis for reader engagement. Having taught university courses on Dostoevsky's work for over twenty years, Julian W. Connolly draws upon modern and traditional approaches to the novel to produce a reader's guide that stimulate the reader's interest and provides a springboard for further reflection and study.

Genres: Fiction, Literature

160 pages, Paperback

First published February 7, 2013

Reviews

[Canaan · Rating 5 out of 5]

it is humanistic bible which invites you to be your own judge!

[Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Connolly's guide to The Brothers Karamazov has three major parts: the first covers the large themes and motifs that appear throughout the novel. The second part comments on the text in narrative order, often expounding on the major themes. And the third discusses the novel's critical reception over the years and its literary influences.

It is engagingly written, making clear points and providing helpful insights from Dostoevsky's biography, contemporary Russian culture, and other related works of literature, both past and future. (For example, without Connolly's pointing it out I wouldn't have realized the ways 1984 and Brave New World both draw from The Brothers Karamazov.)

Connolly's book is worth reading by anyone interested in gaining a richer appreciation of this great novel.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book helpful in clarifying some of the attitudes and events of The Brothers Karamazov as well as providing information on Dostoevsky's life.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Certainly a dense masterpiece..(maybe my mind space at the time but found it difficult to keep up with the different Russian names). Must go back and reread the pivitol "The Inquisitor" to see if the conclusion gives a deeper understanding of the meaning in senseless suffering. I found Crime and Punishment to be a more satisfying and easier read.

[spike スパイク · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't think I can write a review that does this work justice, and I'm pretty certain there's like a few thou somewhere out there :) like on goodreads especially.