Dostoevsky: The Brothers Karamazov

Long recognized as a pinnacle of literary art and a canonical work of Western culture, Dostoevsky’s masterpiece, The Brothers Karamazov (1880) was the Russian author’s final towering achievement that sums up his life and work. The plot involves the mysterious murder of a depraved landowner, the subsequent investigation, sensational trial, and the involvement of his three very different sons in his murder. In a close reading, we will examine the genesis, background, and notebooks of this novel, its philosophical, religious, and psychological themes, and its narrative technique. Readings include Notes from Underground (1864) and Dostoevsky’s famous speech celebrating Pushkin. (1881). (Not open to students who have taken RUSS 0351)