Free Will In The Brothers Karamazov

Set in late nineteenth century Russia, The Brothers Karamazov recounts the history of Karamazov family, a lineage infamous for drunkenness, thievery, lust, and the like. Toward the beginning of the novel, it is discovered that the oldest brother, Dmitri, has troubles with his father, Fyodor, concerning a mutual lover, Grushenka. This tension transpires into physical brawls between Dmitri and Fyodor, warranting responses from the other two Karamazov brothers. The youngest brother and a pious monk, Alyosha strives to be a mediator between his obscene father and aggressive brother. The middle brother and a skeptic, Ivan is indifferent to the situation; his disbelief in human morality doesn’t warrant any attention toward his family’s troubles.

One evening, Fyodor is murdered, and authorities immediately place the blame on Dmitri due to their apprehension of the fighting that occurred. After a tumultuous trial, Dmitri is found guilty of all counts and is sentenced to the mines. Though, at the end of the story, the Karamazov dynasty continues to be tainted by an immoral father, Dmitri’s redemption into a new man coupled with Alyosha’s unending kindness begin to shape a new name for the Karamazov legacy.
Initially torn between conflicting wills, Dmitri learns to accept suffering, translating to a unified will to practice morality. Early on, Dmitri is described as an impulsive man, one who acts rashly without consideration for others. Nevertheless, it is also written that Dmitri finds himself yearning to live an honest and moral life, a life absent of recklessly harming others. Evidence of these conflicting wills is exemplified through Dmitri’s secret visit to Fyodor’s house on the night of Fyodor’s murder. As Fyodor heedlessly leans out the window, hoping to spot Grushenka, Dmitri’s evil will realizes the perfect moment to kill his father. He understands that killing his father would solve a plethora of problems; he could retrieve the inheritance from his mother and take Grushenka for his own. However, Dmitri’s goodwill prevents him from killing his father. Later on, this goodwill grows and matures as Dmitri is questioned and put on trial for his father’s murder, eventually overtaking his immorality. Upon realizing he will be convicted of his father’s murder, Dmitri decides to use his suffering and misfortune in prison to resurrect a fiery passion for God and a deeper love for his family and loved ones, leading to a unified will for good.
Throughout the novel, free will is vilified by skeptics and praised by believers.

Of the many examples of free will’s dangers in the novel, perhaps the most memorable concerns Ivan’s poem The Grand Inquisitor. This inciteful work argues that Jesus’ failure to follow Satan’s three temptations is what landed humankind with free will’s curse. The Inquisitor suggests that humankind naturally desires security found in an accepted truth. However, Christ failed to demonstrate his divinity when Satan gave him the opportunity, and this failure entailed confusion amongst humankind concerning Christ’s authenticity. The Inquisitor argues that this lack of clarity ushered in free will, as humankind is plagued with choosing between a host of securities hoping the selected one is right. To find a seemingly non-existent security, humankind selfishly latches onto to objectives other than Christ, such as money and fame, to leading to a will to do evil. However, the novel succeeds in mentioning the true meaning of free will: to desire God’s love out of true faith. God didn’t create free will to cause confusion in the world but rather to determine if humanity truly loved Him. Using Alyosha as an example, his unwavering faith in God doesn’t come forcefully from a place of obligation but rather a place of desiring to live a life for God. Free will isn’t a curse to Alyosha, but it is a way for him to demonstrate his true faith in

God.
Despite its antiquity, The Brothers Karamazov continues to prevail as one of the greatest works of literature in history, as it succeeds in effectively using amiable characters to provide truths about humanity that still ring true today. One of the most prominent examples displaying the novel’s success consists of Dmitri’s use of free will to overcome his evil will. Dmitri’s first description in the novel concerning his conflicting wills resonates with most readers, as everyone is plagued with conflicting wills: a will for good and a will for evil. However, Dmitri’s restoration into a new, moral man succeeds to convince the reader that this transformation can happen to anybody. One of many, Dmitri’s relatability coupled with a vital truth about humanity’s free will contributes to the novel’s success.