Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Idiot, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Innocence v. Foolishness
Money, Greed, and Corruption
Social Hierarchy, Authority, and Rebellion
Absurdity and Nihilism
Passion, Violence, and Christianity
Summary
Analysis
Quite unexpectedly, the dignitary mentions Pavlishchev, catching Myshkin’s attention. General Epanchin comes over and explains that one of the guests, whose name is Ivan Petrovich, was Pavlishchev’s cousin. After being introduced to him, Ivan comments that he remembers meeting Myshkin when he was a child. Ivan and Myshkin speak about what a wonderful man Pavlishchev was. During the conversation Myshkin becomes increasingly nervous, to the point that he can barely speak. He attracts more and more attention to himself, and soon the dignitary—among others—is staring at him.
Myshkin’s descent into strange and awkward behavior can, in hindsight, be viewed as the inevitable result of the Epanchins making such a fuss over the party and Aglaya in particular frightening Myshkin into believing he will mess up. Ordinarily, Myshkin would be perfectly capable of having a normal conversation about Pavlishchev with Ivan Petrovich, but he is so nervous that all his social skills evaporate.
Themes
Ivan mentions that Pavlishchev converted to Catholicism, which horrifies Myshkin. The dignitary comments that Russians can be persuaded to convert out of fear. Myshkin declares that Catholicism is an “unchristian faith,” and then says that it is even worse than atheism. He argues that the Catholic Church is nothing more than an extension of the Roman Empire, and that through its heretical obsession with violence, money, and power, it paved the way for atheism. Everyone is shocked by Myshkin’s speech; Ivan stammers that he is exaggerating. However, Myshkin continues, arguing that socialism, like “its brother atheism,” has also been produced by Catholicism.
While in another context Myshkin’s speech about Catholicism might be welcomed as an entertaining and fascinating contribution, at a stiff high society event like this it is not welcome at all. This helps illustrate what the narrator means in calling the attendees of the party “empty”: they have no interest in anything of real substance, only the superficial world of social niceties and glamor.
Themes
Feeling awkward, Ivan suggests that they talk about something else, but Myshkin refuses. He continues to talk, becoming more and more animated. He decries the ease with which Russians become atheists, and the passion with which they approach atheism when they do. Watching Myshkin get increasingly agitated, everyone who knows him is shocked by this break from his usual timid manner. Ever since Myshkin entered the room, he had been careful to stay as far away as possible from the Chinese vase and had sat in the opposite corner from it. Aglaya’s words had convinced him that he would break it. However, while talking about Catholicism he becomes so impassioned that he forgets all about the vase and, without noticing, gradually migrated nearer to it.
It is almost as if Aglaya’s words placed a kind of curse on Myshkin, wherein despite all his efforts not to, he was bound to do what she sarcastically prophesized. Of course, everything is made worse by the fact that Myshkin is not only nearing the vase, but doing so while giving an overenthusiastic lecture about the perils of Catholicism. While the points he is making are incisive, they are so out of place at this party that their only effect is to create a horrible awkwardness and tension.
Themes
Just as he is finishing his speech, Myshkin somehow makes a gesture that knocks the vase. It swings back and forth “as if undecided” about where it should fall, and then falls to the floor near the German. Everyone shouts and screams, and Myshkin is unspeakably mortified. Mainly, however, he is struck by disbelief that Aglaya’s sarcastic prediction actually came true. As the broken pieces are cleared away, he notices Aglaya looking at him with horror. Mrs. Epanchin comes over and, to Myshkin’s surprise, she (and General Epanchin) are laughing in a friendly manner. When Myshkin asks if Mrs. Epanchin really forgives him, she says it’s not a big deal for a vase to break, when even human lives one day end.
Although Aglaya correctly predicted that Myshkin would break the vase, nothing about what happens next is as she foretold it. Where she said that Myshkin breaking the vase would fill her with delight, she is horrified. Meanwhile, Mrs. Epanchin, who would supposedly cry in front of everyone if the vase was broken, is being completely level-headed about it. This surprise reaction shows how much of an impact Myshkin’s friendship and forgiving nature has had upon her.
Themes
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Now crying, Myshkin asks if everyone forgives him for “everything,” not just the broken vase. Various guests, including Princess Belokonsky, urge him to be calm, assuring him that they are not angry. Myshkin explains that he was very nervous about meeting these high-ranking elders. He notes that he’d heard many negative things about this group of people, including that they were retrograde and shallow, with “ridiculous habits.” Yet he has been pleasantly surprised to find himself surrounded by worthy, moral people. At this point several guests remark that he is rambling again and wonder if he will stop. However, Myshkin insists on continuing.
Although the broken vase does not turn out to be as much of a disaster as everyone feared, Myshkin still manages to wreak havoc on the party by voicing all the negative things about the guests that he heard before coming. Indeed, it is clear that, for some reason, Myshkin has completely lost control of himself and is overcome by a surge of emotions. While the Epanchins are forgiving, the other guests find this rather alarming.
Themes
Myshkin says he knows he is like a child, and cannot express himself in the right way, which is why he promised Aglaya that he would stay silent. However, he has concluded that there is no point in being embarrassed over being “ridiculous,” because this is just the way people are. Furthermore, if everyone accepts that they are ridiculous, then they can forgive each other more easily. He notes that those present should “become servants, in order to be elders.” He then wonders how it’s possible to be unhappy, because simply looking at a tree or loving a person makes one so happy. At this point, Myshkin falls to the floor. He is having an epileptic fit.
The end of this passage provides the explanation for Myshkin’s bizarre behavior. The depiction of the leadup to Myshkin’s fit helps illustrate the connection between his illness and his spiritual insight. While in one sense Myshkin was rambling nonsensically earlier, in another way he was actually preaching. The profound insight that Myshkin possesses just before having a fit shows that his illness is actually a kind of spiritual tool, not just an affliction.
Themes
As the guests leave, they express mixed opinions about Myshkin. Mrs. Epanchin concludes that Myshkin and Aglaya cannot possibly get married. However, when Aglaya says that she will never marry him and that he is a “stranger” to her, Mrs. Epanchin chastises her for so callously throwing away their friendship.
Again, neither Mrs. Epanchin nor Aglaya can resolve their mixed feelings about Myshkin. They both seem to love and hate him at the same time. Not only can they not resolve their own feelings, but—in Mrs. Epanchin’s case—she chastises Aglaya for also feeling conflicted.
Themes
