The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Loyal Books
Set in 19th century Russia, The Brothers Karamazov (Russian: Братья Карамазовы) is the last novel written by the illustrious author Fyodor Dostoyevsky who died a few months before the book's publication. The deeply philosophical and passionate novel tells the story of Fyodor Karamazov, an immoral debauch whose sole aim in life is the acquisition of wealth. Twice married, he has three sons whose welfare and upbringing, he cares nothing about. At the beginning of the story, Dimitri Karamazov, the eldest son who is now a twenty-eight year old war veteran, returns to his home town to claim the inheritance left to him by his dead mother. Fyodor is none too pleased to see him as he hates to part with money. The middle brother Ivan, a cold and unemotional man, is called in to settle the dispute but he fails. The youngest son, Alyosha, a gentle and learned soul is training to be a monk in a nearby monastery. He suggests that they consult the famous monastic elder Zosima who could work out a satisfactory solution. The plot winds through an amazing labyrinth of twists and turns, with the characters of the three brothers becoming more and more apparent to the readers. As different aspects of a human being, the three are completely different, yet bound by the irrevocable ties of common ancestry. The true hero of the story is the gentle Alyosha, whose spiritual journey and wonderfully humane qualities of kindness and compassion remain with the reader for ever. As one of the most compelling and fascinating explorations of the human heart, The Brothers Karamazov remains one of the world's greatest literary creations. A novel of great length (it is divided into twelve volumes) and breadth, its sheer scale and scope captures the imagination of readers. The book has had an enduring influence on writers all over the world. It was admired and loved by renowned intellectuals like Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, Sartre, Camus, James Joyce, Franz Kafka and a host of others. Pope Benedict XVI referred to it in his 2007 encyclical. It has been extensively adapted for stage, screen, TV and translated into many world languages. Dostoyevsky was one of literature's greatest observers of the human mind. His writings were shaped by his own experiences of political activism, imprisonment, questioning of faith and finding spiritual enlightenment towards the end of his life. The novel is as relevant today as when it was published in 1880 and though it is deeply complex, it was also strangely prophetic as it foretold the events that would take place under the Soviet Regime.
Categories: Education
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Previous episodes
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96 - 01 – Book 1 Chapter 1 – Fyodor Pavlovitch Karamazov Tue, 02 Jan 2024 - 0h
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95 - 02 – Book 1 Chapter 2 – He Gets Rid of His Oldest Son Mon, 01 Jan 2024 - 0h
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94 - 03 – Book 1 Chapter 3 – The Second Marrage And The Second Family Sun, 31 Dec 2023 - 0h
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93 - 04 – Book 1 Chapter 4 – The Third Son, Alyosha Sat, 30 Dec 2023 - 0h
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92 - 05 – Book 1 Chapter 5 – Elders Fri, 29 Dec 2023 - 0h
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91 - 06 – Book 2 Chapter 1 – They Arrive at the Monastery Thu, 28 Dec 2023 - 0h
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90 - 07 – Book 2 Chapter 2 – The Old Buffoon Wed, 27 Dec 2023 - 0h
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89 - 08 – Book 2 Chapter 3 – Peasant Women Who Have Faith Tue, 26 Dec 2023 - 0h
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88 - 09 – Book 2 Chapter 4 – A Lady of Little Faith Mon, 25 Dec 2023 - 0h
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87 - 10 – Book 2 Chapter 5 – So Be it! So Be It! Sun, 24 Dec 2023 - 0h
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86 - 11 – Book 2 Chapter 6 – Why Is Such a Man Alive? Sat, 23 Dec 2023 - 0h
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85 - 12 – Book 2 Chapter 7 – A Young Man Bent on a Career Fri, 22 Dec 2023 - 0h
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84 - 13 – Book 2 Chapter 8 – The Scandalous Scene Thu, 21 Dec 2023 - 0h
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83 - 14 – Book 3 Chapter 1 – In the Servants’ Quarters Wed, 20 Dec 2023 - 0h
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82 - 15 – Book 3 Chapter 2 – Lizaveta Tue, 19 Dec 2023 - 0h
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81 - 16 – Book 3 Chapter 3 – Confession of an Ardent Heart – in Verse Mon, 18 Dec 2023 - 0h
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80 - 17 – Book 3 Chapter 4 – Confession of an Ardent Heart – in Anecdote Sun, 17 Dec 2023 - 0h
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79 - 18 – Book 3 Chapter 5 – The Confession of a Passionate Heart – ‘Heels Up’ Sat, 16 Dec 2023 - 0h
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78 - 19 – Book 3 Chapter 6 – Smerdyakov Fri, 15 Dec 2023 - 0h
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77 - 20 – Book 3 Chapter 7 – The Controversy Thu, 14 Dec 2023 - 0h
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76 - 21 – Book 3 Chapter 8 – Over the Brandy Wed, 13 Dec 2023 - 0h
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75 - 22 – Book 3 Chapter 9 – The Sensualists Tue, 12 Dec 2023 - 0h
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74 - 23 – Book 3 Chapter 10 – Both Together Mon, 11 Dec 2023 - 0h
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73 - 24 – Book 3 Chapter 11 – Another Reputation Ruined Sun, 10 Dec 2023 - 0h
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72 - 25 – Book 4 Chapter 1 – Father Ferapont Sat, 09 Dec 2023 - 0h
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71 - 26 – Book 4 Chapter 2 – At His Father’s Fri, 08 Dec 2023 - 0h
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70 - 27 – Book 4 Chapter 3 – A Meeting with the Schoolboys Thu, 07 Dec 2023 - 0h
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69 - 28 – Book 4 Chapter 4 – At the Hohlakovs’ Wed, 06 Dec 2023 - 0h
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68 - 29 – Book 4 Chapter 5 – A Laceration in the Drawing-Room Tue, 05 Dec 2023 - 0h
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67 - 30 – Book 4 Chapter 6 – A Laceration in the Cottage Mon, 04 Dec 2023 - 0h
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66 - 31 – Book 4 Chapter 7 – And in the Open Air Sun, 03 Dec 2023 - 0h
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65 - 32 – Book 5 Chapter 1 – The Engagement Sat, 02 Dec 2023 - 0h
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64 - 33 – Book 5 Chapter 2 – Smerdyakov with a Guitar Fri, 01 Dec 2023 - 0h
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63 - 34 – Book 5 Chapter 3 – The Brothers Make Friends Thu, 30 Nov 2023 - 0h
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62 - 35 – Book 5 Chapter 4 – Rebellion Wed, 29 Nov 2023 - 0h
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61 - 36 – Book 5 Chapter 5 – The Grand Inquisitor Tue, 28 Nov 2023 - 0h
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60 - 37 – Book 5 Chapter 6 – For Awhile a Very Obscure One Mon, 27 Nov 2023 - 0h
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59 - 38 – Book 5 Chapter 7 – ‘It’s Always Worth While Speaking to a Clever Man’ Sun, 26 Nov 2023 - 0h
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58 - 39 – Book 6, Chapter 1 – Father Zossima and His Visitors Sat, 25 Nov 2023 - 0h
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57 - 40 – Book 6 Chapter 2 – The Duel Fri, 24 Nov 2023 - 0h
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56 - 41 – Book 6 Chapter 3 – Conversations and Exhortations of Father Zossima Thu, 23 Nov 2023 - 0h
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55 - 42 – Book 7 Chapter 1 – The Breath of Corruption Wed, 22 Nov 2023 - 0h
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54 - 43 – Book 7 Chapter 2 – A Critical Moment Tue, 21 Nov 2023 - 0h
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53 - 44 – Book 7 Chapter 3 – An Onion Mon, 20 Nov 2023 - 0h
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52 - 45 – Book 7 Chapter 4 – Cana of Galilee Sun, 19 Nov 2023 - 0h
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51 - 46 – Book 8 Chapter 1 – Kuzma Samsonov Sat, 18 Nov 2023 - 0h
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50 - 47 – Book 8 Chapter 2 – Lyagavy Fri, 17 Nov 2023 - 0h
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49 - 48 – Book 8 Chapter 3 – Gold-Mines Thu, 16 Nov 2023 - 0h
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48 - 49 – Book 8 Chapter 4 – In the Dark Wed, 15 Nov 2023 - 0h
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47 - 50 – Book 8 Chapter 5 – A Sudden Resolution Tue, 14 Nov 2023 - 0h