~~~Bible of Humanity~~~~. Review on Brothers Karamazov, The - Fyodor Dostoyevsky

The Karamazov Brothers - Read it with your mind, body, Soul and devil and it will purify all. Dostoevsky, the father of modern humanity accumulated all of his wisdom, vision and passion to dream of the Kingdom of God, the ultimate promise but many died in its wait. Karamasov Brothers is a work plan for a new man and new universe, where the Devil meets the God, the master is the servant of the servant and where a mother can forgive and hug the murderer of her only son and destruction is a possibility for new creation. The novel is a search, reflection and guide for the reasons of human suffering, need of purification and hope of a better tomorrow.

Fyodor Pavlovitch Karamazov had lived a unique life, 'who was always of a voluptuous temper, and ready to run after any petticoat on the slightest encouragement' and had 3 legitimate sons and one son from a street girl. The elder, Mithya (Representing Body) the jealous sensualist who hold most of the father's characters is always in fight with his father for the property share which he believes belongs to him. Ivan (Representing Mind) is the intellect. He got a philosophy that everything is justified in the world where existence of God is questioned. Alyosha (Representing Soul) the innocent and perfect character is following an elder, the saint like Father Zossima and many believe his will be the successor for Fr. Zossima. The illegitimate son, smerdyakov (represents devil) maintained a low profile till his time has come. Two women enter the scene. Grushenka (Sensual pleasures and bodily ambitions) and Katherina (Kathya - pride, beauty and revenge). The father is been killed, as everybody was expecting it and the accusation is on the elder son, Mithya. A psychological journey of human characters begin where all of morality, believes, science, athiesm, habits, duties, passion and hope are discussed in direct and indirect means.

With 400,000 words, It is a huge novel. There are a lot of writing styles and approaches tested in the book and no wonder it is a research book for creative writing. Many of the situations are repeated to show it is part of human nature. This also works as a clue for the reader to correctly assume the direction in which the story is heading. The novel is not a plant but a garden which have many plants of similar nature and of different.

The prophet and saint

Fyodor Dostoevsky was considered as a prophet by some. The Karamasov Brothers makes him near to the saint status where the philosophy if correctly understood can work miracles and more. The author died within months after publishing the book, probably the heavens thought that permitting the writer to write more will leaves no secrets in heaven. His predication of totalitarian state comes true in modern Russia. If we have to create a heaven in this earth it will include the rascals and saints. There is a saint in everybody like a devil. Every one is responsible for other person's action is the conscience call the author tries to create. The author is open in his criticism on church for that matter even about Bible, but he brought a fire it was to purify the soul or spirituality. The beauty of the writing is that even when there is criticism the intention is good which made the act noble. An athiest may find his bible in it and so a saint. When rightly understood we realises that the author was preparing the reader to sow the seeds of humanity. All the progress of science is not worth a grain of conscience and all the equations of the world cannot solve the mystery of soul. God exists, and if God doesn't exist, we have to create one as humanity needs it.

The presence of:

Ivan in the novel directly arrives from the novel, Crime and Punishment with his 'higher man' thesis. Alyosha has arrived from the Idiot. Smerdykov and his mother Lizveta comes from Victor Hugho's The Hunchback of Notre Dome. Father Zossima directly arrives from Les Miserables. Grushenka is nobody else than Nastasya Philippanova of Idiot. Katherina, I believe arrives from Crime and Punishment, Douniya. But these are all bricks of the building not the building itself.

The novel had inspired, Kahlil Gibran to writer his famous book, 'The Prophet', read Fr. Zossima's retiring speach and then the Prophet. Rabindra Nath Tagore, in forming his philosophy - man in god and god in man. DH Lawrance's novels can see the growth of the child called Humanity and the call for a new sky and new earth. It also inspired Freud to form his theory, where the author asks, 'who doesn't ask the death of his father' and authors like Kafke too took their inspiration from it. Regionally, Padmarajan, one of the best of admirers of Dostoevksy made a movie called 'Njan Gandharvan', which have the author's thought from Ivan's meeting with the Devil. (Can it be a coincidence that the director too died while promoting the movie?) I can also see distance inspiration on Subramaniyapuram and Padamudra.

Bible: Influence of Bible is all evident in the noval as in the author's life. We can see images of Christ and Judas in most of the characters. The sacrifice of Christ in Mithya when he carries the cross in the end, in Ivan and Kathya when they give witness in court, Alyosha in most of the places, in Smerdykov when he do service to his brother even when he insults. One can find the devil too in all of them. In Mithya, when he humiliate the captain in street, in Ivan when he desert his father knowing that death if the result if he leaves, Alyosha, when Fr. Zossima dies and the results don't match to his expectation, Kathya, in the court when Ivan accepts a part by himself. Ritikin's accepting money to trap Alyosha gives direct hint of Judas. Smerdykov's suicide too clues to Judas. The scenes of lunch in Monastery looks like 'the last supper' and here Pavlovich become the Judas. The blow to Saol to convert as St. Paul too has influence on Mithya's mind.

Russia and Russians:

When we tries to connect the novel and its characters to the entire humanity, we cannot ignore the presence of Russia in it. The character of Karamazov often represents the character of a Russian. The author proudly announce, “They have their Hamlets, while we have only Karamazovs" and one may notice, the novel ends with 'Hurrah for Karamazov!'. I think this is more of a call to Russia to find its soul and rise again.

Conclusion: This is a wonderful book which has power to heal. This is one book I can recommend to anybody who looks for a serious reading for the suspense, story & philosophy. Dostoevsky belongs to the rare genre of a true Prophet, Saint and genius who visits the world once in hundreds of years if not in thousands, The Karamasov Brothers is the best of Dostoevsky.