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Summary and synopsis of Dostoevsky's last great work "The Brothers Karamazov
The Brothers Karamazov was Dostoevsky's last full-length novel, serialized from 1879 to 1880.
I read "The Brothers Karamazov" translated by Takuya Hara published by Shinchosha. Various editions of this work have been published, but I strongly recommend the Shinchosha edition for various reasons, including ease of reading.
Let's take a quick look at the book.
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The author had declared at the beginning of the book, "In the author's own words," that he would "continue and draw a contemporary version,
In other words, it is the last unfinished work.
Needless to say, the book has sold a total of 1.7 million copies to rave reviews from all walks of life throughout the ages.
Recently, "No. 1 book recommended by a teacher at the University of Tokyo to new students!" as well.
Three brothers, each with a different but strong bloodline from their greedy father, Fyodor Karamazov, are the heroes of the story. Dmitrii, a prodigal and passionate man, Ivan, a cool-headed intellectual, and Alyosha, a devout monk and the hero of the story. And Smerzhakov, rumored to be Fyodor's bastard son. In the hellscape of love and hate created by the interplay of these characters, the fundamental problem of God and man is set in place in one of the greatest masterpieces of world literature.
The Brothers Karamazov was Dostoevsky's last work, written in the last years of his life.
As the synopsis above indicates, Dostoevsky depicted the fundamental issue of "God and man," which he held unchanged throughout his life, and this work is the culmination of his worldview.
The biggest climax of this work appears at the end of the upper volumeChapter of the Grand Inquisitor."It is. Once you read it, it has such an impact that you will never forget it.
See our previous article below on the "Grand Inquisitor's Chapter."
The greatest climax of "The Brothers Karamazov" is certainly the "Grand Inquisitor" chapter.
But "The Brothers Karamazov" does not end there.
The story continues to unfold like a raging wave, drawing the reader in with an overwhelming power that leaves one breathless.
I feel that the episode surrounding the life and death of Elder Zosima, whom the main character, Alyosha, respects, is as famous a scene as the "Grand Inquisitor's Chapter".
The atrocious behavior of the people who are jealous of the respected Elder Zosima. And the people's so ungrateful and ugly behavior that it makes my hands shake as a person who loves Elder Zosima.
Of course, the protagonist, Alyosha, sees it all and is knocked into the depths of despair.
It was such a shock that even the good and pious Alyosha almost abandoned the path.
But after suffering, Alyosha rises from it. Elder Zosima shows him a new path. This scene is one of the most moving and heartbreaking scenes in the film.
Dostoevsky's works may have a strong image of being dark and heavy, but "The Brothers Karamazov" has many such redeeming qualities.
Yes, there are heavy scenes, such as the "Grand Inquisitor's Chapter" and the death of Elder Zosima, but this work also depicts a light that surpasses them.
The Brothers Karamazov" is not just a dark and heavy story. It is these lights that draw us more into the work.
impressions
The Brothers Karamazov" is a large work of about 1,900 pages in three volumes.
And if you're talking about Dostoevsky, then it must be difficult to read, right?"
Many may think so.
It's difficult, it's heavy, and it's over 1,900 pages long...
Frankly, I can't blame you for not reaching for this one. You have to be very prepared to read it. This is especially true when you are tired from work.
But as I mentioned in the summary and synopsis, this work is not just dark and heavy.
Moreover, the image of "difficult" is quite prevalent, but when you actually read the book, you will not find such difficult expressions. The language itself may even be said to be easy to read.
Indeed, the first half of the upper volume will require patience. To be honest, the first half is more like a prologue, a prelude to the excitement that will come in the middle of the book.
Perhaps this is where most people fall short.
However, if you persevere here, the engine will start to rev up quickly from the second half of the upper volume.
If you have been patiently reading this book up to this point, you will be swept away by the momentum of Dostoevsky's writing, as if the energy that has been building up until this point explodes.
The momentum does not stop when you enter the middle and lower volumes. I can assure you that you will be so immersed in the book that you will not be able to get out of it. It is that amazing. This work is that great.
Once you get through the first half of the upper volume, the rest of the book is a rage.
By no means is this work difficult. It is not difficult; it is deep.
There is a good reason why "The Brothers Karamazov" is still loved by many people 120 years after its publication.
I think it is because of the charm of the story itself, something that appeals to readers, that the story continues to be read in this way.
Read it and you will understand. You won't find sentences where the language is difficult or where you don't understand what is being said.
Yes, there are some parts around the "Grand Inquisitor's Chapter" that are difficult to understand without knowledge of Christianity, but overall, not that much expertise is required.
The story itself is outstandingly interesting and can be read easily.
Then, if there is something that interests you or that you would like to know more about as you read it, you can read the reference book.
In Dostoevsky's works themselves, being difficult to read or difficult is not really a big problem.
The problem lies in the fact that the text makes us think.
The Brothers Karamazov" poses a question for us.
In my case, it was the question "What is religion?" that I received from the "Grand Inquisitor" chapter.
I think it is up to each person to decide what questions he or she would like to ask from Dostoevsky.
The question is not so easy to solve. It is a question that we must keep thinking about.
In the sense that it poses such questions, this work is "not difficult, but deep.
The Brothers Karamazov is one of my favorite Dostoevsky works and one to which I have a strong emotional attachment.
Although it is difficult to pick up this work because it is a full-length novel, I heartily recommend it.
The above is a synopsis of "The Brothers Karamazov" - Dostoevsky's greatest work! What does man live on? What is God? What is life? That's all.
P.S. An article for those who want to know more about Karamazov!
In this article, we will discuss the actual context in which "The Brothers Karamazov" was written.
This work is often described as "difficult" or "hard to read," and we will also look into the reasons why people feel this way.
Knowing the background of this work, you will see "The Brothers Karamazov" in a different light. Karamazov is interesting! I highly recommend this article!
Postscript 2: The connection between "The Brothers Karamazov" and the death of their beloved child Alyosha.
In "The Brothers Karamazov," we see a glimpse of Dostoevsky as a father who loves his children.
The reason I venture to tell you this is that Dostoevsky lost his beloved son, Alyosha, during the writing of this work. He died suddenly of an epileptic seizure.
The impact of this sudden death on Dostoevsky was enormous.
As you may have noticed, the name of the main character in this work is also Alyosha.
Dostoevsky was writing this work even as he was thinking of his beloved child. Please refer to the following article for more details.
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