Ivan Fyodorovich Karamazov

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Ivan Fyodorovich Karamazov (Russian: Ива́н Фёдорович Карама́зов) is a fictional character from the 1880 novel The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky. Mainly referred by his first name and various nicknames (Vanya, Vanka, and Vanechka,)[1] Ivan is the elder brother of Alyosha Karamazov, younger brother of Dmitri Karamazov, and the son of Fyodor Karamazov. Ivan is 24 at the start of the novel, and his relationship with his brothers, father, and Katerina Ivanovna are hugely important to the novel's plot.[1]

Characteristics[edit]

Ivan, like his brothers, has never had any relationship with his father. Having been raised by relatives of his mother, and working as a critic and journalist in Moscow.[2][1] The narrator finds Ivan's arrival to be something of great note and wonders about it himself, "Generally considered , it was strange that so learned, so proud, and seemingly so prudent a young man should suddenly appear in such a scandalous house, before such a father..." [1]Ivan stays for some time in his father's 'scandalous house' and, the two get along, 'famously.' [1]

Ivan is an atheist and argues his philosophy clearly with the monks and his father. Other characters in the book view Ivan as aloof, cold, and intellectual. [3] Ivan maintains a good relationship with Alyosha despite their differences in age and ideological beliefs. In Book 5, Chapters 3-5, Ivan and Alyosha have dinner, Ivan telling his brother why he does not 'accept the world.'[1] Throughout the novel we see Ivan wrestle with his own moral beliefs, as he insists there is no good and evil. When his father is murdered, he falls deeper into despair, eventually falling into complete madness after meeting Smerdyakov and being visited by the devil.[4][1]

Relationship with other characters[edit]

Relationship with Father[edit]

See also: Fyodor Karamazov

Ivan is initially described by the narrator as a 'mediator' between his father and brother Dmitri. [1] Fyodor seemingly respects Ivan, but Ivan maintains a strong dislike towards him. After Dmitri attempts to kill their father in Chapter 9, 'The Sensualists', Ivan tells Alyosha it would have served him right, despite having been the one to stop the attack.[1] Fyodor Karamazov goes as far as telling Alyosha that he's 'more afraid of Ivan than of the other one.'[1]

Despite his fathers pleads, Ivan leaves his family despite having a cryptic conversation with Smerdyakov which causes him to suspect some sort of plot. [2] Following his father's murder Ivan is racked with guilt partially because his beliefs gave Smerdyakov 'permission' to murder him. Ivan also feels guilty because he directly benefits financially from his father's murder.[2][1]

Relationship with Brothers[edit]

See also: Alyosha Karamazov and The Brothers Karamazov

With Alyosha[edit]

Ivan and his younger brother get along surprisingly well considering their philosophical differences. The two have dinner together where Ivan unbrudens his personal turmoil onto Alyosha, before reciting to him 'The Grand Inquisitor.' After finishing his poem Ivan sees Alyosha's struggle to accept his beliefs, "now I see that in your heart, too, there is no room for me my dear hermit. The formula, 'everything is permitted' I will not renounce, and what then? Will you renounce me for that? Will you?" [1][5] Alyosha says nothing, and kisses Ivan on the lips.

After Ivan starts to fall ill, and is visited by 'The Devil' Alyosha takes care of him, and does not condemn his brother for his beliefs. Alyosha talks to him until he falls unconscious, and puts him to bed. At the end of the book, we learn that Alyosha goes to visit his still unconscious brother, who is in the care of Katerina Ivanovna, twice a day. Though the book never explicitly says if Ivan will survive, both brothers are confident in their brother's recovery. [1]

With Dmitri[edit]

Ivan's relationship with Dmitri is less stable. Ivan seems to hate his carnal older brother, as much as his father. Dmitri is more goodhearted than his father, and he struggles with his passions and his conscience throughout the story. Ivan initially believes his brother to be his father's murderer, and visits him frequently while he's in prison.[1][6]

Dmitri and Ivan experience conflict over Katerina Ivanovna. She is Dmitri's fiancee, despite his open passion for Grushenka. Ivan falls in love with Katerina, her feeling the same way, but both of them are too prideful to act on their love. Katerina and Ivan both testify in favor of Dmitri at his trial. Ivan, however, is nearly mad at this point and is removed from the courtroom. And Katerina, who starts by portraying Dmitri as a noble man realizes her doing so may incriminate Ivan, so she ends up 'betraying' her fiancee. [1][7]

Ivan eventually recognizes that his brother is innocent and even plans his escape. He shares the plans with Katerina Ivanonva, as his own illness has left him unable to help. [1]

Relationship with Pavel Fyodorovich Smerdyakov[edit]

See also: The Brothers Karamazov

Rumored to be Fyodor Karamazov's illegitimate son, Smerdyakov immediately annoys Ivan. Smerdyakov takes an interest in, and starts to admire, Ivan and his cool intellectualism. Though Smerdyakov may have been viewed as intelligent, Ivan never recognizes this, likely because in doing so Ivan would recognize his own philosophical flaws.[8] Smerdyakov faintly suggests to Ivan that he may kill their father, and when Ivan does nothing to stop this he takes it as 'permission.'

"Ivan Karamazov and Smerdyakov are two phenomena of Russian nihilism, two forms of its mutiny.... Ivan is an evolving philosophical manifestation of the nihilist revolt: Smerdyakov is its mean and subaltern expression; the one moves on the plane of the intellect, the other in life's basement. Smerdyakov translates the godless dialective of his half-brother into action and embodies his interior punishment."[9]

Smerdyakov speaks with Ivan twice, and then kills himself. Ivan, despite this, still testifies against him. Ivan is ultimately driven mad by seeing his philosophy acted out in the extreme by Smerdyakov, who claims Ivan gave him permission to kill Fyodor Karamazov.[1]

Philosophical Significance[edit]

Nihilism[edit]

Dostoevsky uses Ivan as an embodiment of 19th century nihilism. This philosophy was spreading throughout Russia's youth at this time, and it is clearly portrayed in this novel and Ivan Turgenev's Fathers and Sons. Nihilism, in brief, is a rejection of God, immortality, and morals/authority leaving one to believe life is completely meaningless and that can do whatever they please.[10] Ivan comes off as a typical nihilist, but around his brother, Alyosha, he opens up more about why he rejected Christian doctrine.

'Everything is Permitted'[edit]

The phrase, 'Everything is Permitted' becomes a mantra for the entire book and Ivan's philosophical beliefs. Despite his bold claim Ivan does not fail to point out other's moral wrongs. Alyosha recognizes his brother's internal turmoil by saying, "Ah, Mishka, he (Ivan) is a stormy soul. His mind is held captive. There is a great and unresolved thought in him. He's one of those who don't need millions, but need to resolve their thought."[1]

Ivan, in short, cannot recognize Christ because he can not reconcile with innocent suffering, and he does not believe anyone is worthy of bringing eternal harmony. [1][8] This philosophical struggle drives him mad with guilt, to the point of delirium and brain fever, because of his guilt and inability to truly deny virtue or fully accept Christ.

See also: The Grand Inquisitor

Albert Camus[edit]

See Full Article : 'Albert Camus' Literary Criticism of Ivan Karamazov' Albert Camus' Literary Criticism of Ivan Karamazov - UBC Wiki

French-Algerian philosopher Albert Camus several times discusses Ivan. Considering him the ideal 'absurd man', an embodiment of his own philosophy: absurdism. In his 1942 work, The Myth of Sisyphus, he uses Ivan as an example of finding despair in all the freedom one can find in accepting nihilistic beliefs.[11] In his work The Rebel Camus includes an entire chapter devoted to Ivan's views on evil, "With Ivan, however, the tone changes. God, in His turn, is put on trial. If evil is essential to divine creation, then creation is unacceptable." [12] Camus even played Ivan in a stage adaption of the Brother Karamazov that he produced.[13]

Portrayals[edit]

  • Bernhard Goetzke: The Brothers Karamazov (1921, silent film)
  • Bernhard Minetti: Der Mörder Dimitri Karamasoff (1931, movie)
  • Andrea Checchi: I fratelli Karamazoff (1947, movie)
  • Richard Basehart: The Brothers Karamazov (1958, movie)
  • Kirill Lavrov: The Brothers Karamazov (1969, movie)
  • Anatoliy Belyy: Bratya Karamazovy (2009, TV series)

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Dostoevsky, Fyodor (2021). The Brothers Karamazov. Translated by Pevear, Richard; Volokhonsky, Larissa (Bicentennial ed.). New York: Picador Publishing (published 1880). ISBN 9781250788450.
  2. ^ a b c Wilson, Jennifer (2023-07-24). "The Cacophonous Miracle of "The Brothers Karamazov"". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
  3. ^ Rocquemore, Mia (2021-04-01). "Mia Forbes looks at The Karamazov Brothers". Wordsworth Editions. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
  4. ^ Ocean, Young (2019-04-04). "Crucible of Doubt: Ivan Karamazov Meets the Devil". Medium. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
  5. ^ Berman, Anna A. (April 2009). "Siblings in "The Brothers Karamazov"". The Russian Review. 68 (2): 263–282. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9434.2009.00524.x. JSTOR 20620993 – via JSTOR.
  6. ^ Thoughts, Loser’s (2019-10-28). "The Brothers Karamazov". Medium. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  7. ^ "Character profile for Katerina Ivanovna Verkhovtseva from The Brothers Karamazov (page 1)". www.goodreads.com. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  8. ^ a b Donley, Alex (2019). "Ivan and his Doubles: The Failure of Intellect in the Brothers Karamazov". Montview Liberty University Journal of Undergraduate Research. 6 (1) – via Digital Commons.
  9. ^ Berdyaev, Nikolai A. Dostoyevsky. Penguin Group USA, Incorporated, 1977.
  10. ^ "Nihilism | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy". Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  11. ^ Camus, Albert. The Myth of Sisyphus. Translated by Justin O'Brien, London, Penguin, 1975.
  12. ^ Camus, Albert, The Rebel. Translated by Anthony Bower, New York, Knopf, 1956.
  13. ^ "Albert Camus' Literary Criticism of Ivan Karamazov - UBC Wiki". wiki.ubc.ca. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
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