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- Herausgeber: Lebooks Editora
- Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
- Sprache: Englisch
The Grand Inquisitor is a central passage within Dostoyevsky's The Brothers Karamazov, presented as a parable narrated by Ivan Karamazov. The story is set in Seville during the time of the Inquisition, where Christ returns to Earth and is recognized by the people because of His miracles. However, He is soon arrested by order of the Grand Inquisitor, who accuses Him of threatening the established order of the Church. The Inquisitor argues that humanity, weak and fearful of freedom, does not wish to bear the responsibility of choosing between good and evil. According to him, people prefer to submit to an authority that guarantees bread, security, and guidance, rather than live with the uncertainty of spiritual freedom. In his speech, he claims that the Church has corrected Christ's work, assuming the power to govern in the name of obedience and stability, even at the cost of betraying the original message. The narrative exposes fundamental tensions between freedom and authority, faith and power, truth and convenience. Christ, confronted with the Inquisitor's harsh words, remains silent, responding only with a gesture of love: a kiss. This act encapsulates the radical opposition between coercive power and mercy, leaving open the reflection on humanity's fate and the essence of Christianity. Since its publication, The Grand Inquisitor has been interpreted as one of the most profound meditations on the nature of religious power, human frailty, and the dilemma of freedom, establishing itself as one of the most emblematic and debated passages in world literature.
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Seitenzahl: 48
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025
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Fyodor Dostoyevsky
THE GRAND INQUISITOR
Original Title:
““Вели́кий инквизи́тор””
First Edition
Contents
INTRODUCTION
THE GRAND INQUISITOR
INTRODUCTION
Fyodor Dostoyevsky
1821-1881
Fyodor Dostoyevsky was a Russian novelist, considered one of the most influential figures in world literature. Born in Moscow into a middle-class family, Dostoyevsky is known for his works exploring human psychology, existential suffering, faith, guilt, and the moral struggle between good and evil. His ability to delve into the depths of the human soul established him as one of the great masters of 19th-century realist fiction.
Early Life and Education
Fyodor Dostoyevsky was born in 1821, the son of a strict military doctor and a devout mother. His childhood was marked by a rigorous education and deep religiosity, as well as a complex family environment. After his mother’s death, he was sent to the Military Engineering School in Saint Petersburg, where he studied mathematics and engineering. However, from a very young age, he showed a strong inclination toward literature, dedicating himself to writing after completing his studies.
Career and Contributions
Dostoyevsky’s literary career began with the novel Poor Folk (1846), which brought him immediate recognition in Russian literary circles. However, his life took a dramatic turn when he was arrested for participating in an intellectual circle accused of subversive activities against the tsar. Sentenced to death in 1849, he was pardoned at the last moment and sent to forced labor in Siberia, an experience that profoundly shaped his vision of humanity and society.
Among his most important works are Crime and Punishment (1866), in which the protagonist Raskolnikov struggles with the moral weight of a murder; The Idiot (1869), presenting a kind and pure prince confronted by a corrupt world; The Devils (1872), a reflection on nihilism and Russia’s political tensions; and The Brothers Karamazov (1880), considered his masterpiece, in which he explores the conflict between faith, reason, freedom, and moral responsibility.
Impact and Legacy
Dostoyevsky’s work revolutionized narrative by placing psychological and moral conflict at the center of the novel. He was a precursor of existentialist literature and influenced thinkers such as Friedrich Nietzsche, Sigmund Freud, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Albert Camus. His ability to portray tormented characters facing ethical and spiritual dilemmas opened new possibilities for modern literature, anticipating philosophical and psychoanalytic debates of the 20th century.
Dostoyevsky combined intense, passionate storytelling with a tragic vision of the human condition. His characters, caught between faith and despair, crime and redemption, reflect humanity’s eternal struggle between good and evil.
Fyodor Dostoyevsky died in 1881 in Saint Petersburg, after a life marked by illness, financial hardship, and profound spiritual crises. Despite these difficulties, he left a monumental body of work that continues to be studied and admired worldwide.
Today, Dostoyevsky is regarded as one of the great universal novelists, whose exploration of human psychology and existential dilemmas transcends cultures and eras. His influence endures in literature, philosophy, psychology, and the arts, securing his place as a fundamental pillar in the world literary canon.
About the Work
The Grand Inquisitor is a central passage within Dostoyevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov, presented as a parable narrated by Ivan Karamazov. The story is set in Seville during the time of the Inquisition, where Christ returns to Earth and is recognized by the people because of His miracles. However, He is soon arrested by order of the Grand Inquisitor, who accuses Him of threatening the established order of the Church.
The Inquisitor argues that humanity, weak and fearful of freedom, does not wish to bear the responsibility of choosing between good and evil. According to him, people prefer to submit to an authority that guarantees bread, security, and guidance, rather than live with the uncertainty of spiritual freedom. In his speech, he claims that the Church has corrected Christ’s work, assuming the power to govern in the name of obedience and stability, even at the cost of betraying the original message.
The narrative exposes fundamental tensions between freedom and authority, faith and power, truth and convenience. Christ, confronted with the Inquisitor’s harsh words, remains silent, responding only with a gesture of love: a kiss. This act encapsulates the radical opposition between coercive power and mercy, leaving open the reflection on humanity’s fate and the essence of Christianity.
Since its publication, The Grand Inquisitor has been interpreted as one of the most profound meditations on the nature of religious power, human frailty, and the dilemma of freedom, establishing itself as one of the most emblematic and debated passages in world literature.
