The Idiot

The Idiot

by

Fyodor Dostoevsky

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on The Idiot makes teaching easy.
Antip Burdovsky is a young nihilist who tries to trick Myshkin out of his inheritance by claiming to the be the illegitimate son of Pavlishchev. Myshkin exposes Burdovsky as a fraud, though out of kindness and generosity still offers him money. Humiliated, Burdovsky refuses the offer, but later apologizes to Myshkin and asks for forgiveness.
Get the entire The Idiot LitChart as a printable PDF.
The Idiot PDF

Antip Burdovsky Character Timeline in The Idiot

The timeline below shows where the character Antip Burdovsky appears in The Idiot. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part Two, Chapter Seven
Innocence v. Foolishness Theme Icon
Social Hierarchy, Authority, and Rebellion Theme Icon
Absurdity and Nihilism Theme Icon
...on their beliefs. The one claiming to be Pavlishchev’s son is actually named is Antip Burdovsky, and he is about 22 years old, with a speech defect. The next of the... (full context)
Part Two, Chapter Eight
Innocence v. Foolishness Theme Icon
Money, Greed, and Corruption Theme Icon
Social Hierarchy, Authority, and Rebellion Theme Icon
Absurdity and Nihilism Theme Icon
...been able to sort out the business via Ganya. The men grumble indignantly in response. Burdovsky shouts at Myshkin: “You have no right!” At this moment, Mrs. Epanchin demands that the... (full context)
Innocence v. Foolishness Theme Icon
Money, Greed, and Corruption Theme Icon
Social Hierarchy, Authority, and Rebellion Theme Icon
Absurdity and Nihilism Theme Icon
Burdovsky repeats the word “demand,” turning bright red. Although Lebedev supports Myshkin in this whole affair,... (full context)
Innocence v. Foolishness Theme Icon
Money, Greed, and Corruption Theme Icon
Social Hierarchy, Authority, and Rebellion Theme Icon
Absurdity and Nihilism Theme Icon
...the “slander” directed toward others. Myshkin explains that he found it hard to believe that Burdovsky would reveal his mother’s shameful secret (that his stepfather was not actually his real father).... (full context)
Innocence v. Foolishness Theme Icon
Money, Greed, and Corruption Theme Icon
Social Hierarchy, Authority, and Rebellion Theme Icon
...ever spent on him, as Schneider only charged 600 roubles a year. He believes that Burdovsky is innocent, and that Chebarov, his lawyer, has “duped” him (and the other men) into... (full context)
Innocence v. Foolishness Theme Icon
Money, Greed, and Corruption Theme Icon
Social Hierarchy, Authority, and Rebellion Theme Icon
Absurdity and Nihilism Theme Icon
Despite his conviction that Burdovsky is not Pavlishchev’s son, Myshkin will give him the 10,000 roubles anyway, as he had... (full context)
Part Two, Chapter Nine
Innocence v. Foolishness Theme Icon
Money, Greed, and Corruption Theme Icon
Social Hierarchy, Authority, and Rebellion Theme Icon
Absurdity and Nihilism Theme Icon
At Myshkin’s request, Ganya takes over the negotiations. He begins by pointing out that Burdovsky has lied about his own date of birth in Keller’s article. He then gives additional... (full context)
Innocence v. Foolishness Theme Icon
Money, Greed, and Corruption Theme Icon
Social Hierarchy, Authority, and Rebellion Theme Icon
Absurdity and Nihilism Theme Icon
Ganya also found that Burdovsky’s father (who he claimed was his stepfather) drank away the money he gained from Burdovsky’s... (full context)
Innocence v. Foolishness Theme Icon
Money, Greed, and Corruption Theme Icon
Social Hierarchy, Authority, and Rebellion Theme Icon
Absurdity and Nihilism Theme Icon
...resemble a “madhouse.” Ganya points out that there are only 100 roubles in the packet Burdovsky gave back. Doktorenko at first insists that it’s “all the same,” but after Ganya disagrees,... (full context)
Part Two, Chapter Ten
Innocence v. Foolishness Theme Icon
Social Hierarchy, Authority, and Rebellion Theme Icon
Absurdity and Nihilism Theme Icon
...is sick or not. At this moment, Ippolit stands and staggers toward the door, where Burdovsky and Doktorenko are standing. Myshkin says he feared this would happen, and Ippolit screams that... (full context)
Part Two, Chapter Twelve
Innocence v. Foolishness Theme Icon
Money, Greed, and Corruption Theme Icon
Social Hierarchy, Authority, and Rebellion Theme Icon
Mrs. Epanchin tells Myshkin she’s sure he begged Burdovsky to accept the 10,000 roubles, which Myshkin promises he didn’t. She then shows Myshkin a... (full context)
Part Three, Chapter One
Innocence v. Foolishness Theme Icon
Social Hierarchy, Authority, and Rebellion Theme Icon
Absurdity and Nihilism Theme Icon
Passion, Violence, and Christianity Theme Icon
...young people who have fallen “under the influence of perverse ideas.” Evgeny points out that Burdovsky surely falls into this category, but Mrs. Epanchin interjects to say that Burdovsky recently apologized... (full context)
Part Three, Chapter Seven
Innocence v. Foolishness Theme Icon
Social Hierarchy, Authority, and Rebellion Theme Icon
Absurdity and Nihilism Theme Icon
Passion, Violence, and Christianity Theme Icon
...grumble, “He won’t shoot himself.” Kolya joins Vera in holding Ippolit, as do Keller and Burdovsky, though Burdovsky asserts that Ippolit has the right to kill himself. Ivolgin repeats that Ippolit... (full context)
Part Four, Chapter Nine
Innocence v. Foolishness Theme Icon
Money, Greed, and Corruption Theme Icon
Social Hierarchy, Authority, and Rebellion Theme Icon
Absurdity and Nihilism Theme Icon
Passion, Violence, and Christianity Theme Icon
...Keller, Lebedev, and another friend in charge of planning. Keller will be Myshkin’s groomsman, while Burdovsky, at Nastasya’s request, will attend to the bride.  (full context)