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Three brothers and their relations in 19th century Russia provide the base for a sweeping epic of human striving, folly and hope.
First published in 1880, The Brothers Karamazov is a landmark work in every respect. Revolving around shiftless father Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov are the fates of his three sons, each of whom has fortunes entwined with the others. The eldest son, Dimitri, seeks an inheritance from his father and becomes his rival in love. Ivan, the second son, is so at odds with the world that he is driven near to madness, while the youngest, Alexi, is a man of faith and a natural optimist. These personalities are drawn out and tested in a crucible of conflict and emotion as the author forces upon them fundamental questions of morality, faith, reason and responsibility. This charged situation is pushed to its limit by the addition of the unthinkable, murder and possible patricide. Using shifting viewpoints and delving into the minds of his characters, Dostoevsky adopted fresh techniques to tell his wide-reaching story with power and startling effectiveness. The Brothers Karamazov remains one of the most respected and celebrated novels in all literature and continues to reward readers beyond expectation.
Since our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book.
With thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.
About the author
The narrator-referred to in this SparkNote as the Underground Man-introduces himself. He describes himself as sick, wicked, and unattractive, and notes that he has a problem with his liver. He refuses to treat this ailment out of spite, although he understands that keeping his problems from doctors does the doctors themselves no harm.
The Underground Man explains that, during his many years in civil service, he was wicked, but that he considers this wickedness a kind of compensation for the fact that he never accepted bribes. He almost immediately revises this claim, however, admitting that he never achieved genuine wickedness toward his customers, but only managed to be rude and intimidating as a kind of game.
We learn that the Underground Man has retired early from his civil service job after inheriting a modest sum of money. He only held onto his low-ranking job so that he would be able to afford food, not because he got any satisfaction from it. He notes that he is filled with conflicting impulses: wickedness, sentimentality, self-loathing, contempt for others. His intense consciousness of these opposing elements has paralyzed him. He has settled into his miserable corner of the world, incapable of wickedness and incapable of action, loathing himself even as he congratulates himself on his own intelligence and sensitivity. He adds that the weather in St. Petersburg is probably bad for his health, but that he will stay there anyway, out of spite.
Summary
Three brothers and their relations in 19th century Russia provide the base for a sweeping epic of human striving, folly and hope.First published in 1880, The Brothers Karamazov is a landmark work in every respect. Revolving around shiftless father Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov are the fates of his three sons, each of whom has fortunes entwined with the others. The eldest son, Dimitri, seeks an inheritance from his father and becomes his rival in love. Ivan, the second son, is so at odds with the world that he is driven near to madness, while the youngest, Alexi, is a man of faith and a natural optimist. These personalities are drawn out and tested in a crucible of conflict and emotion as the author forces upon them fundamental questions of morality, faith, reason and responsibility. This charged situation is pushed to its limit by the addition of the unthinkable, murder and possible patricide. Using shifting viewpoints and delving into the minds of his characters, Dostoevsky adopted fresh techniques to tell his wide-reaching story with power and startling effectiveness. The Brothers Karamazov remains one of the most respected and celebrated novels in all literature and continues to reward readers beyond expectation.Since our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book. With thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.
