The Grand Inquisitor in Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky

It is disparaging, however, that as the true novelist of ideas and Christian love, Dostoevsky could harbor such ill will towards the Jews. Does this not discredit everything he has written? This paper will address Dostoevsky's anti-Semitism through an examination of Isay Fomitch Bumstein in The House of the Dead, the Messianic idea in The Devils, and 'the little demon' in The Brothers Karamazov.

From then on, Yakov’s experience in Kiev only went downhill. Despite already being outcasted from society for being a Jew, Yakov suffers from evidence that simply misdirects the public from the truth in which he is an innocent man, this only makes society as a whole despise him. While places in jail in wait for his trial, Yakov is met with a sense of being an individual versus the entire society. Also, deeming him an outcast, many who are attempting to convict Yakov found it odd that he doesn’t give up being a Jew if he claims he is only a Jew by birth, and that he does not believe in God.

In “The Grand Inquisitor” written by Fyodor Dostoevsky, Dostoevsky focuses on free will of humans being given up in exchange for a more secure “free will”. Ivan reads aloud a poem he wrote in which Christ is reborn and goes to Spain, and there he is healing the sick. After healing the sick and a dead child, the Cardinal Grand

Chris Chulos in his book Converging Worlds: Religion and Community in Peasant Russia 1861-1917 discusses Russian peasant society in the years 1861 through 1917. He attempts to inform us on Russian peasants understanding of Orthodoxy, local and national identities and how they evolved, along with the role of religion with peasant sought modern "nationhood". Chulos tries to show that religion was a major factor in the peasant lives, woven into the very fabric of the village life, and not just peasants following old superstitions that have no place in a modern society. He shows that religion provided the peasants with a sense of unity and a sense of "Russianness" that they otherwise lacked. Converging Worlds focuses on Russian Orthodox peasants in the province of Voronezh. "

In Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov, Rakitin responds to a central question throughout the novel, “What is permitted?” when he proudly states to Dmitry that “An intelligent man can do anything he likes as long as he’s clever enough to get away with it” (788). While Rakitin has found his answer to this question, multiple characters in the novel are still stuck on that question. Throughout the novel, Dostoevsky seems to separate these characters into two groups: the characters like Dmitry who wonder if all actions are permitted and the characters like Ivan who wonder if all thoughts are permitted. These groups seem completely separate until Book 10 when a boy named Koyla Krasotkin comes onto the scene who seems to be in both groups at once as he tests for himself exactly what thoughts and actions are permitted. In Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov, Dostoevsky uses Book 10 and Kolya to introduce the idea that the “free thinkers” and the “free doers” are one in the same in that they are wondering who will punish those who go beyond “what is permitted” and by extension sets up an argument between moral and legal punishment throughout the rest of the novel.

The denomination that I have chosen to research is Russian Orthodox. The reason that I chose to write on this religion is because I have been interested in learning about the Russian Orthodox religion and all that it entails. The main points of this research paper is a quick history, some of their beliefs, and how does their cross compare to the Roman Catholic cross.

The Grand Inquisitor reflects Fyodor Dostoevsky interest in religious and political issues. Dostoevsky uses the voices of his characters to express his views on the legitimacy of the Roman Catholic Church and role of religion in society. The story centers around the conflict between the Grand Inquisitor and Jesus. Jesus returns to Earth during the Spanish Inquisition, when in which Jews and Muslims were forced to convert to Christianity and were murdered if not devoted in their belief. The Grand Inquisitor examines the relationship between man and Christ through a unique narrative style that adds various depths of meaning to the story.

Through Dostoevsky’s use of motifs and descriptive character settings and physical characteristics, this novel investigates the realm in which society seeks to function within. The use of Sonia as a Christ Figure despite her background causes the reader to examine the true meaning behind one’s interpretation of religion and how it is easily unbalanced despite the faith within the system. Although with a superficial glance at Sonia she appears weak and timid, Dostoevsky uses of characterization ultimately serves as an effective technique to enhance the novel’s themes and fully articulate the Russian Orthodoxy paradigm that society circulated

Finally, Solzhenitsyn's novel expresses one of the most important Christian principles, hope for the future. In Christianity, since Christ paid the price for the sins of the world, there are no lost causes. Christians have faith that Christ will return someday and that there will be a heaven. In the same way, in the midst of the terrible conditions of the prison camp, Shukhov can be pleased at

Alyosha Karamazov was an extremely religious young man studying a lot to be a priest at a Russian Orthodox Christian monastery. He was the youngest of the brothers and has a completely opposite opinion to his atheist intellectual and budding writer named Ivan. In Ivan’s story, people follow a silent Christ because that is easier than take their own decision. Each time that Alyosha read the story of his brother, he also remains silent like the Christ, but his brother’s voice echoed in his consciousness. Alyosha was sent out to practice the love by the father Zosima with whom he continued his religion studies. The father Zosima was old and one day he died expectedly, but shocking. After this sad incident, the whole monastery was waiting for a

This fact is directly linked to the subject at hand, because through it he distinguishes and explains the cultural aspect of Russia. It is most essential for us to learn a bit; of what Dostoevsky went through and how does that affect this essay. Dostoevsky's views that are presented in this novel show his dedication to Christ and the ideals expressed by slavophilism. However, Dostoevsky in his early life had doubted Christianity and its ideals. He uses both of the stages in his life to create a greater picture of what he thought should be and should not be affecting Russia.

Imperial Russian society during the time of serfdom was characterized by constantly changing social order. The society experienced a complex social change at the threshold to emancipation. It was undergoing many changes with increasing westernization and serfdom culture that gave rise to formation of new classes (raznochintsy) during the nineteenth century. Many authors have reflected and emphasized this component of change in the structure of pre-emancipation Russian society. This paper will examine how two writers: Nikolai Gogol and Ivan Turgenev, in their novels, Dead Souls and Fathers and Sons depict the society’s constantly changing nature through the relationships between their characters and the development in their beliefs and ideas. Although both the novels explore societal change during the pre-emancipation of serfs, the emphasis of change is different in both the novels. In Fathers and Sons, Turgenev oversees shifting values prevalent in the society. He explores the shift in generational values by depicting the difference in beliefs of characters like Bazarov and Nikolai. On the other hand, in Dead Souls Gogol focuses on issues of morality in society. He depicts a struggle for morality and portrays a corrupt society through the landowners and the protagonist, Chichikov, in his book.

The author presents one view, Shukov, as his own, presenting many examples and reasons for his Christian existentialism. He then also compares this to the differing opinion of Alyoshka, who believes that God controls the world and everyone’s lives. The purpose of including these two opinions at the end of the novel is to show that no matter what one’s religion or philosophy is, it is not wrong compared to others and each can bring success to the believer. This was also included because it follows the theme of reaching a broad audience, since the book was written for those of the USSR. This use of how everyone’s philosophy is correct, and also how many different ethnicities are included and used as important identities, fits well with the idea of the book reaching out to the many oppressed

In this paper, I plan to explain Dostoevsky’s criticism of Western Individualism. Dostoevsky’s first criticism resides in the idea to “love life more than the meaning of it, “which is presented by the character Alyosha (Dostoevsky 3). Allowing this character to discuss this topic, along with the commentary of Ivan, demonstrates their mindset to solely focus on their own lives, opposed to caring for others. This leads to them living for the now, and not focusing on how their decisions will affect their future or others. Dostoevsky disapproves of this notion because living by this mentality encourages the guidance of logic, which is dangerous because it could tell you to kill yourself. From Dostoevsky’s Eastern Orthodox background, he believes that the only way from living from this situation is to deny it. By denying this way of living, the focus toward life will not be directed toward yourself, but toward the way you can impact the environment around you. Ivan clearly does not believe in these values, due to his intentions to commit suicide at the age of thirty. As said before, living by the idea to “love life more than the meaning of it” leads to death, and Ivan indulges in this to the fullest (Dostoevsky 3).

It is obvious to the reader that this retreat into his work is the soul means by which Ivan moves towards a personal goal of self-justification and righteousness. It is no