The Brothers Karamazov (version 3)

Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821 - 1881)
Translated by Constance Garnett (1861 - 1946)

Originally published in serial form in 1879-80, “The Brothers Karamazov” is recognized as one of the very greatest masterpieces of world literature. It is the last and finest novel of Fyodor Dostoyevsky, who died before writing a planned sequel.

The story is organized initially around the efforts of adult sons to deal with their cantankerous and exasperating father. More important, they also have to deal with the problem of how to live in a world where it is difficult to be sure of the truth — whether that be “truth” about others, about oneself, or about deep questions such as faith, doubt, free will, guilt, and responsibility.

Dostoyevsky’s technique underlines the difficulty of attaining sure knowledge. The novel’s psychological and philosophical depth sets the stage for modern novelists such as Joyce, Kafka, and Woolf. “The Brothers Karamazov” has been a favorite book for readers as diverse as Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, Joseph Stalin, Vladimir Putin, and Hillary Clinton. - Summary by Bruce Pirie

Genre(s): Literary Fiction

Language: English

Section Chapter Reader Time
Play 01 01.01 Fyodor Pavlovitch Karamazov Bruce Pirie
00:09:39
Play 02 01.02 He gets rid of his oldest son Bruce Pirie
00:08:55
Play 03 01.03 The second marriage and the second family Bruce Pirie
00:17:54
Play 04 01.04 The third son, Alyosha Bruce Pirie
00:24:14
Play 05 01.05 Elders Bruce Pirie
00:25:27
Play 06 02.01 They arrive at the monastery Bruce Pirie
00:12:59
Play 07 02.02 The old buffoon Bruce Pirie
00:24:35
Play 08 02.03 Peasant women who have faith Bruce Pirie
00:22:11
Play 09 02.04 A lady of little faith Bruce Pirie
00:20:46
Play 10 02.05 So be it! So be it! Bruce Pirie
00:27:19
Play 11 02.06 Why is such a man alive? Bruce Pirie
00:27:04
Play 12 02.07 A young man bent on a career Bruce Pirie
00:24:06
Play 13 02.08 The scandalous scene Bruce Pirie
00:24:50
Play 14 03.01 In the servants' quarters Bruce Pirie
00:15:57
Play 15 03.02 Lizaveta Bruce Pirie
00:11:10
Play 16 03.03 The confession of a passionate heart — in verse Bruce Pirie
00:22:15
Play 17 03.04 The confession of a passionate heart — in anecdote Bruce Pirie
00:21:56
Play 18 03.05 The confession of a passionate heart — ''Heels up'' Bruce Pirie
00:22:42
Play 19 03.06 Smerdyakov Bruce Pirie
00:15:04
Play 20 03.07 The controversy Bruce Pirie
00:14:51
Play 21 03.08 Over the brandy Bruce Pirie
00:20:06
Play 22 03.09 The sensualists Bruce Pirie
00:14:39
Play 23 03.10 Both together Bruce Pirie
00:32:04
Play 24 03.11 Another reputation ruined Bruce Pirie
00:21:57
Play 25 04.01 Father Ferapont Bruce Pirie
00:28:23
Play 26 04.02 At his father's Bruce Pirie
00:12:54
Play 27 04.03 A meeting with the schooboys Bruce Pirie
00:12:28
Play 28 04.04 At the Hohlakovs' Bruce Pirie
00:15:06
Play 29 04.05 A laceration in the drawing-room Bruce Pirie
00:30:02
Play 30 04.06 A laceration in the cottage Bruce Pirie
00:21:31
Play 31 04.07 And in the open air Bruce Pirie
00:26:37
Play 32 05.01 The engagement Bruce Pirie
00:28:34
Play 33 05.02 Smerdyakov with a guitar Bruce Pirie
00:16:36
Play 34 05.03 The bothers make friends Bruce Pirie
00:25:38
Play 35 05.04 Rebellion Bruce Pirie
00:33:40
Play 36 05.05 The Grand Inquisitor Bruce Pirie
00:59:16
Play 37 05.06 For awhile a very obscure one Bruce Pirie
00:29:52
Play 38 05.07 ''It's always worth while speaking to a clever man'' Bruce Pirie
00:22:46
Play 39 06.01 Father Zossima and his visitors Bruce Pirie
00:42:21
Play 40 06.02 The duel Bruce Pirie
00:59:19
Play 41 06.03 Conversations and exhortations of Father Zossima Bruce Pirie
00:42:24
Play 42 07.01 The breath of corruption Bruce Pirie
00:36:19
Play 43 07.02 A critical moment Bruce Pirie
00:17:08
Play 44 07.03 An onion Bruce Pirie
00:50:19
Play 45 07.04 Cana of Galilee Bruce Pirie
00:14:53
Play 46 08.01 Kuzma Samsonov Bruce Pirie
00:33:20
Play 47 08.02 Lyagavy Bruce Pirie
00:20:01
Play 48 08.03 Gold-mines Bruce Pirie
00:33:25
Play 49 08.04 In the dark Bruce Pirie
00:16:03
Play 50 08.05 A sudden resolution Bruce Pirie
00:40:11
Play 51 08.06 ''I am coming, too!'' Bruce Pirie
00:21:12
Play 52 08.07 The first and rightful lover Bruce Pirie
00:44:59
Play 53 08.08 Delirium Bruce Pirie
00:36:34
Play 54 09.01 The beginning of Perhotin's official career Bruce Pirie
00:18:33
Play 55 09.02 The alarm Bruce Pirie
00:18:48
Play 56 09.03 The sufferings of a soul, the first ordeal Bruce Pirie
00:24:22
Play 57 09.04 The second ordeal Bruce Pirie
00:19:55
Play 58 09.05 The third ordeal Bruce Pirie
00:29:12
Play 59 09.06 The prosecutor catches Mitya Bruce Pirie
00:21:51
Play 60 09.07 Mitya's great secret. Received with hisses Bruce Pirie
00:30:48
Play 61 09.08 The evidence of the witnesses. The babe Bruce Pirie
00:27:23
Play 62 09.09 They carry Mitya away Bruce Pirie
00:10:47
Play 63 10.01 Kolya Krassotkin Bruce Pirie
00:15:12
Play 64 10.02 Children Bruce Pirie
00:15:27
Play 65 10.03 The schoolboy Bruce Pirie
00:20:15
Play 66 10.04 The lost dog Bruce Pirie
00:20:50
Play 67 10.05 By Ilusha's bedside Bruce Pirie
00:43:47
Play 68 10.06 Precocity Bruce Pirie
00:18:53
Play 69 10.07 Ilusha Bruce Pirie
00:10:46
Play 70 11.01 At Grushenka's Bruce Pirie
00:26:20
Play 71 11.02 The injured foot Bruce Pirie
00:27:49
Play 72 11.03 A little demon Bruce Pirie
00:17:08
Play 73 11.04 A hymn and a secret Bruce Pirie
00:38:36
Play 74 11.05 Not you, not you! Bruce Pirie
00:16:06
Play 75 11.06 The first interview with Smerdyakov Bruce Pirie
00:28:24
Play 76 11.07 The second visit to Smeryakov Bruce Pirie
00:27:21
Play 77 11.08 The third and last interview with Smerdyakov Bruce Pirie
00:42:47
Play 78 11.09 The devil. Ivan's nightmare Bruce Pirie
00:55:38
Play 79 11.10 ''It was he who said that'' Bruce Pirie
00:15:41
Play 80 12.01 The fatal day Bruce Pirie
00:19:33
Play 81 12.02 Dangerous witnesses Bruce Pirie
00:26:23
Play 82 12.03 The medical experts and a pound of nuts Bruce Pirie
00:15:58
Play 83 12.04 Fortune smiles on Mitya Bruce Pirie
00:26:57
Play 84 12.05 A sudden catastrophe Bruce Pirie
00:27:58
Play 85 12.06 The prosecutor's speech. Sketches of character Bruce Pirie
00:28:48
Play 86 12.07 An historical survey Bruce Pirie
00:13:58
Play 87 12.08 A treatise on Smerdyakov Bruce Pirie
00:27:49
Play 88 12.09 The galloping troika. The end of the prosecutor's speech Bruce Pirie
00:32:02
Play 89 12.10 The speech for the defense. An argument that cuts both ways Bruce Pirie
00:11:57
Play 90 12.11 There was no money. There was no robbery Bruce Pirie
00:19:03
Play 91 12.12 And there was no murder either Bruce Pirie
00:24:23
Play 92 12.13 A corrupter of thought Bruce Pirie
00:23:39
Play 93 12.14 The peasants stand firm Bruce Pirie
00:18:18
Play 94 Ep.1 Plans for Mitya's escape Bruce Pirie
00:14:46
Play 95 Ep.2 For a moment the lie becomes truth Bruce Pirie
00:21:30
Play 96 Ep.3 Ilusha's funeral. The speech at the stone Bruce Pirie
00:27:38