The Brothers Karamazov - Dostoyevsky Lecture Four (Books VII-VIII) (Patreon)

'In my whole life I've given just one little onion, that's how much good I've done.'

Today our journey through Dostoyevsky's The Brothers Karamazov continues, and we're talking about miracles, murder, and onions. We’re also getting deeper into the problems of suffering and responsibility as we take the pain of the world into our lofty hearts.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 the death of Zossima
• 2:00 the odour of corruption
• 5:22 death & the miracle of life
• 7:30 tension between written & spoken
• 9:30 observation & confirmation bias
• 11:00 loving the fall of a righteous man
• 12:00 the folly of engaging in debate
• 14:00 Dostoyevsky’s biblical allusions
• 16:00 ‘it is not for men to judge’
• 17:40 where the truth is to be found
• 21:00 discovering signs in silence
• 22:30 the issue with expecting miracles
• 23:40 on demanding ocular proof
• 25:30 where do miracles take place?
• 27:00 when pain leads to growth
• 28:00 the miracle of overcoming crisis
• 29:00 why is there suffering in the world?
• 30:00 how the departed continue to live
• 33:00 high ideals in human form
• 35:00 ‘I simply do not accept his world’
• 38:00 taking responsibility for another
• 40:00 what price do we put on our souls?
• 41:00 Grushenka spares Alyosha
• 45:00 Dostoyevsky’s dramatic irony
• 46:00 Grushenka gives Alyosha an onion
• 54:00 on complex characterisation
• 58:00 on the power of intention
• 1:01:00 what makes one a murderer?
• 1:09:00 appreciating a poetic passage
• 1:11:48 your thoughts on the book so far?

Supplementary Resources:

• Scripture: My recommendation is to reread and refresh your knowledge of the part of the New Testament detailing the Sermon on the Mount (Mathew 5-7) and think about it in terms of practically applicable life philosophy.
• Film Appreciation: For a sublime exploration of the agonies involved in faith and meaning in absence, I highly recommend Martin Scorsese's 2017 film Silence.
• Biographical Pairing: To appreciate the climate surrounding the writer's next instalments of this novel, I recommend chapter fifty-five ('Terror and Martial Law') in Joseph Frank's biography of Dostoyevsky,
• Shakespeare Appreciation: Dostoyevsky continues to beg our engagement with the works of Shakespeare. In addition to Hamlet, you might find the tragedy of Othello to be a rewarding dramatic avenue to explore.
• Article Recommendation: Scientific American has a fascinating interview with Francis Collins, one of the most powerful scientists in the world, about his belief in miracles. One wonders if he has read Dostoyevsky. You can read the interview here. 

Reading Assignment:

Congratulations on continuing to bring yourselves so fully to such a challenging novel. The next discussion will be on books nine to ten. This takes us up to page 562 in the Pevear and Volokhonsky.

Questions to Consider:

1) What does miracle mean to you? Have you experienced one? 

2) What were the defining events of your life? Did painful crisis ultimately lead to something positive?  

3) What do you make of how Dostoyevsky presents the murder?

4) Has your opinion of The Brothers Karamazov changed over the course of your reading experience? 

And please do continue to share with us your favourite passages and any ideas that have resonated with you from your reading so far.

Happy reading, everybody!