Alexey Karamazov, the character of Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel The Brothers Karamazov: Characteristics

Alexey Karamazov is the key character of the last novel by F. M. Dostoyevsky "The Brothers Karamazov". This hero does not seem to be the main one, since the main events are related to the figure of his older brother, but this is only the first impression. From the very beginning, the writer has prepared Alyosha a great future. Unfortunately, the reader had to learn about him from the continuation of the novel, but the second part was never written because of the author's unexpected death.

A little about the work

"The Brothers Karamazov" are considered the pinnacle of Dostoevsky's writing skills. We can say that the author went to write this work all his life. The creation of the masterpiece took two years, the work was completed in 1980.

The novel touches on very serious topics - morality, freedom, faith in God, the human essence. Dostoevsky raised all these questions in his works, but they never sounded so large.

Alexey Karamazov is not just a hero of the novel, it is the most ideal character that he dreamed all his life to create an author. Fyodor Mikhailovich conceived to show his formation. And in the first part of The Brothers Karamazov he is at the beginning of his journey, nothing has been experienced yet, he has not yet attained spiritual perfection, only made the first step on his way to it. But the second part of the novel was not destined to appear.

Prototype

Alexey Karamazov had a real prototype. This is the younger son of the writer, the namesake of the hero, who died at the age of ten from epilepsy, which was passed on to him from his father.

In addition, the literary critic L. Grossman assumed that this character goes back to the hero of George Sand's novel Spyridon, who was a monk and was named Alexei. Among real people also point to Alexei Khrapovitsky, who became a metropolitan.

The life of the hero before the beginning of the novel

So, if Karamazov Alexei Fyodorovich is declared the main character, then why is he not very similar to him? The writer himself answers this question in the preface, saying that Alexei is still "an indefinite figure". His role will manifest with all his strength in the second part of the novel, which will be the main one. Therefore, the character also remained somewhat unfinished.

But back to the origin of our hero. He is the youngest of the three Karamazovs and is Ivan's one-half-brother. His mother, Sofya Ivanovna, was a "meek" cleric. It was from her that the young man inherited religiosity. One episode from his childhood very well remembered the hero of the novel by FM Dostoevsky. It was a quiet summer evening, sunlight penetrating through the open window into the room. In the corner was an image with a lit lamp, before which a sobbing mother was on her knees. She holds a small Alyosha in her arms and with prayer hands him to the face of the Mother of God. In this scene there is a great sacral meaning. Sofya Ivanovna gives her son under the protection of the Mother of God. From that moment on, he became an initiate, under the blessing of the higher powers.

His education was carried out by strangers, because his mother died early. Not finishing the gymnasium course, Alyosha returned to his native city to find the grave of his mother. The old man Karamazov was greatly impressed by the reason for the appearance of his youngest son in his house. Fyodor Pavlovitch generally treated Alyosha in a special way, singling it out among his offspring.

Soon after returning home our hero went to the monastery as a novice to the elder Zosima, who was known as a sage and healer.

Appearance

After such a past, it may seem like a fanatic and exalted freak Alexey Karamazov. The description of appearance, however, speaks about something else. Dostoevsky specifically endows his hero with health, so that the reader does not have an erroneous opinion. Alexei is completely different from Prince Myshkin, with whom he was often compared by readers and critics.

Karamazov, junior, differs in physical and spiritual health: "handsome, red-cheeked, pompous with health, with a bright gaze ... a nineteen-year-old teenager." The young man is very handsome, of medium height, slender, with dark blond hair, dark gray shining eyes, regular facial features. Often he could be seen about something thoughtful.

Alexey Karamazov from the work "The Brothers Karamazov" has a special gift - he easily disposes of people. The young man is friendly, kind with all, does not remember offenses, is not greedy, very chaste and shy. Despite the fact that in major events he does not take an active part, his image stands out strongly against the background of other characters.

Alexey Karamazov: Characteristics

Alyosha is the new ideal hero of Dostoevsky. Before that, the author chose patients and sufferers. In Karamazov, however, there is no sign of illness. This is his power. He is spiritually and physically perfect. At the same time he is a realist, standing firmly on the ground, he has Karamazov power. And if it destroys his brothers and father, then our hero uses it only for good.

Alexey Karamazov is a character-figure. In the novel, he acts as an assistant, he is trusted by other heroes, and he does not deceive their expectations. Here is how the author writes about this: "I was always active ... I could not passively love ... I fell in love and immediately began to help." In this he is not similar with the previous heroes of Dostoevsky, who were dreamers, wanted to do, but could not.

Enoch

The image of Alesha Karamazov is associated with a new type of Christian spirituality for the 19th century - monastic ministry in the world. For this, a person undergoes a monastic asceticism, but instead of remaining in a monastery, he leaves and lives among ordinary people. This path to the hero before his death predicts Zosima: "He is coming from these walls ... in the world will be like a monk ...". Also, the elder predicted Alyosha many trials and misfortunes along the way, but they will bring him happiness and let him know what is most important in life. It was such a fate prepared for the character Dostoevsky, but it was to be realized in the second part of the novel. The first acts as a preface.

Alyosha's relationship with his brothers

The Karamazov brothers are very different, but they have something in common. This is an incredible force that comes from the earth and pushes them to recklessness. Most of all it is from Dmitry, so he comes into conflict with his father. In Ivan, it manifests itself in another way - in its atheistic ideas and doubts. Only Alexei can deal with it and send it to a peaceful channel.

Dmitry, like Fedor Pavlovich, patronizes the hero, but they face Ivan. The reason for this is faith, and in this issue can not cede any of them. The brothers have a different approach to the perception of the world. Alyosha, thanks to his faith in God, loves both people and the surrounding reality. Ivan first needs to understand and comprehend it. He can not take anything for granted, he needs to provide evidence. Here the author demonstrates the clash of cold reason and Christian love.

But Alexei is not strong enough to be sure. Dostoevsky always very subtly approached the psychological description of his characters, and the Brothers Karamazov were no exception. Dmitry, Alexei and Ivan face in their lives with spiritual trials. The younger one doubts the higher justice. This happens after the death of Zosima. Everyone expected that the body of the old man would not be subject to corruption, thereby a miracle would be revealed. But that did not happen. Alexei begins to doubt what Zosima told him. The hero does not understand, where is the transfiguration of nature and the highest justice? He even starts to think about the fact that Ivan might be right in his statements. The hero begins to feel a spiritual intimacy with his brother-atheist. More and more often they remember their conversation.

However, Alyosha's rebellion, like Ivan, ends. And if the elder Karamazov denies God and is plunged into madness, then to the younger one comes the vision of resurrection.

Grushenka

The image of Alesha Karamazov is connected with Grushenka, which caused the conflict between Dmitry and his father. To her our hero gets by accident - it brings Rakitin, represented by Dostoyevsky, a real Mephistopheles.

As soon as Alexey saw the girl, Karamazov's voluptuousness awoke in him. Grushenka spurs his interest, sitting down on his knees and offering champagne. But as soon as the beauty finds out about the death of Zosima, then immediately transformed. Grushenka jumps from Alyosha's knees in fright and starts to be baptized. At this point, the hero sees the true essence of the girl. He exclaims, pointing to her: "I found a treasure - a loving soul." Grushenka's compassion helped Alexei's soul to be healed. And his sympathy for her, supported the girl. So the heroine talks about Karamazov, the younger: "He turned my soul to me ... I regretted the first ... all my life as you expected ... which would have pity me."

In criticism, the episode of their meeting is considered a mystical betrothal of the bride-land with the groom. Here Dostoevsky demonstrates the victory of reviving highly spiritual love over voluptuousness, earthly feeling. Souls of heroes realize their kinship and mystical unity. They take the blame for each other - "everyone is to blame for all." It is sin that unites people, making the whole world brothers and sisters.

After that Grushenka becomes ready to share with Mitya his redemptive feat, and Alexey opens for a mystical vision.

The meeting with this girl only changes the state of mind of Karamazov, Jr.. The whole protest in him disappears, he no longer blames the higher forces for anything and does not require an answer. Leaving Grushenka's house, the young man returns humbly to the monastery, where he stands at the grave of the old man and begins to pray.

The Insight of Another's Soul

In how quickly Alyosha managed to understand the essence of the girl, who was considered an evil libertine, the similarity of the hero to Myshkin, its original predecessor, can be traced. The prince had only one glance at Nastasya Filippovna to understand her sufferings.

Dostoevsky not in vain endows his main characters with the gift of seeing human souls. This feature tells readers that these characters can see the truth where no one can recognize it. Hence their religiosity - they do not need evidence to know the truth, which is that God exists.

Monologues of Alyosha in The Brothers Karamazov

As we found out, Alexei is the central hero of the novel, so all his speeches and arguments are extremely important for understanding Dostoevsky's intention. The character pays most attention to questions of faith and attitude to life and peace. The main thing for him is love: "All must first of all love life ... to fall in love with logic first." These words he speaks in a dispute with Ivan. In this case, we mean spiritual love, higher, not bodily.

Another famous speech about children, in which he says that these are the purest and innocent creatures. It is no coincidence that the hero closely converges with schoolchildren.

Alexey is the mouthpiece of Dostoevsky himself, proclaiming the principles and ideals of the writer.

Divine Insight

"The Brothers Karamazov" were conceived as a description of the spiritual becoming of Alexei. Therefore, the brightest stage of the novel is the enlightenment of the hero. This happens after the Divine vision descends on him.

After that, he leaves his cell, falls to the ground and kisses her. At that moment he felt "the threads of all the gods of the world came together in his soul," he wanted to forgive everyone and ask forgiveness for himself. Alexei comprehends the "world harmony", to which all the heroes of Dostoevsky so desire. The writer himself calls him "the new Adam," who, sobbing and crying, kisses Mother Earth, defiled by his fall.

Karamazov's power of Alyosha is transformed into a divine one. He finds the answer to the question "how can I forgive the death of a child", which Ivan tortured so much. Everything is simple - everyone will be forgiven in the perfect world.

A new mystical experience transforms not only the hero, but also the world that surrounds him. In the novel, we can only see the beginning of this - Alexey founded the "all-human brotherhood" on the grave of Ilyusha, which includes only children. In contrast to social anthills, the new community is built on love and personal freedom. Sincere affection for the deceased boy united his friends and laid the foundation for their brotherhood.

The novel, despite the fact that Dmitry is innocently accused of killing his father, ends with the triumph of faith in the resurrection.

A bit about other characters

As the first part of the cycle thought of Dostoevsky "The Brothers Karamazov." The main characters had to go through a path of spiritual perfection or degradation. The author shows us the revival of Grushinka and Aleksey, just as we see Ivan perishing in madness and choosing the way of suicide Smerdyakov. But the fate of Dmitry is not completely clear. The author gives him the hope of a transformation - his catharsis he will have to survive in penal servitude.

The fate of Alexei, Mitya and Grusha is clear to the reader, only Ivan's future remains hidden. So it remained unknown, whether Dostoevsky wanted to give his hero a second chance or doomed him to ultimate self-destruction.

What awaited Alexei in the second part

In conclusion, let's talk about the future of the main character. The second novel was to begin at the time when Alexei was 33 years old. This figure further assures us that Karamazov, the youngest, is a Christlike character. If you connect the life of the hero with the evangelical events, then the description of his youth can be correlated with the temptation of faith.

AS Suvorin, a friend of the writer, in his memoirs said that Dostoevsky planned to execute Alesha. The quest for truth was to be brought to the scaffold of the hero. However, not all critics agree with this and believe that many of the author's own remarks exclude such a finale. Literary critics for a long time treated the image of Alyosha without due attention, carried away by such bright heroes as Dmitry and Ivan.

Nevertheless, the author's foreword to the novel is placed all in its place and clearly points to Karamazov, Jr. as a key character.