The goal of the course will be to read and examine in depth The Brothers Karamazov, often regarded as the most profound of all Dostoevsky’s writings. If his overarching concern in this novel is the conflict between rationality — expressed most eloquently in the chapter titled “The Grand Inquisitor” — and religious belief, then he also addresses such matters as the fragmentation of society and the nuclear family, the tension between moral and legal justice, the nature of individual freedom, and the path forward toward a more ordered and spiritual society.

The numerous characters through which these themes are expressed are not just vividly drawn, but in many cases are also psychologically complex, capable of developing in unexpected ways or carrying out actions that may appear contradictory. All this is presented not through dry exposition but in conjunction with an almost lurid plot that involves sexual rivalry, murder, suicide, and madness. Thus, there is a lot to explore in this book, and the sessions will primarily be devoted to discussion of the assigned chapters, which participants will be asked to read in advance.

While several fine translations of the novel are available, I would ask participants to read the Norton Critical Edition, which contains a wealth of background information that many will find useful.