The Grand Inquisitor and the Voice of Freedom

The rich philosophical vision of Fyodor Dostoevsky is punctuated, in his masterpiece The Brothers Karamazov, by a dynamic narrative full of psychological realism, highlighted by complex characters. Even a virtuous character like Alyosha has his own weaknesses—he is tempted by Rakitin’s offer of vodka and sausages and experiences a certain disturbance upon encountering the alluring Grushenka. Still, the main protagonist is looking to retrieve Paradise Lost. His guide to heaven is not the famous poet Virgil, but an anonymous monk, Zosima.