Brat’ia Karamazovy [The Brothers Karamazov; or The Karamazov Brothers], published in serial form in 1879-80, is Dostoevsky’s last great novel – many consider it his greatest. The plot is more complicated than Prestuplenie i nakazanie [Crime and Punishment], in as much as a central hero, divided as he may be, has been replaced by three figures – brothers, who symbolically represent aspects of the human condition: Ivan – the intellect; Dmitrii – the emotions; Alësha [Alyosha] – spirituality.
Fëdor [Fyodor] Pavlovich, renowned for his debauchery, has fathered three legitimate sons by two wives, who are now dead, but also, as rumour has it, an …
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