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
The fact that Ganya’s family keep tenants is deeply embarrassing to him, as it contrasts with the image of himself and his circumstances that he wishes to project to the world. Along with the tenants, the apartment is shared by Ganya’s father, General Ivolgin, his 13-year-old brother Kolya, his mother Nina Alexandrovna, and his sister Varvara Ardalionovna (Varya). One of the current tenants is Ferdyshchenko. Overall, the apartment is “cramped and squeezed,” which Ganya finds horrifying.
Ganya’s suffering is caused by his vanity, but also by the expectations placed on him by the shallow society in which he lives, where people are obsessed with money and status. This leads Ganya to be mortified of the fact that his family keep tenants, which he views as a humiliating indication of poverty.
Themes
Currently, Nina and Varya are sitting with a visitor, Ivan Petrovich Ptitsyn. Nina is about 50 and sickly-looking, with a “pinched face.” Varya is 23; her face is pleasing but not beautiful. Both women have a determined look to them. Ivan, meanwhile, is a quiet man of about 30 who is obviously attracted to Varya. He makes a living through giving out short-term loans and is one of Ganya’s best friends. Ganya briskly introduces Myshkin to everyone, and Kolya proceeds to ask the prince a series of friendly questions about himself until Varya tells him to leave Myshkin alone.
Compared to the Epanchins, who are described as elegant, healthy, and beautiful, the Ivolgins appear to be a more troubled family. This is reflected in Nina’s “pinched” and sickly appearance, as well as the general atmosphere of tension that exists in their apartment.
Themes
Alone again, Ganya asks Myshkin not to “blab” about what happened with Aglaya. Myshkin, annoyed, assures him that he won’t. Myshkin goes to his room to freshen up. Shortly after, the unpleasant-looking Ferdyshchenko, who is about 30, appears. He tells Myshkin that he will surely ask to borrow money at some point, and requests that Myshkin does not give it to him. He asks if Myshkin intends to pay rent, and when Myshkin says he does, Ferdyshchenko replies that he himself does not. He then disappears.
Ferdyshchenko is one of several comic characters in the novel who act in clownish ways. However, just because they are funny and ridiculous doesn’t mean that these characters are exempt from illustrating the novel’s more serious themes (such as, in this case, money, greed, and corruption).
Themes
A new man comes in. He is about 55, rather fat and seedy-looking, and smells faintly of vodka. He introduces himself as General Ivolgin and mentions that he was childhood friends with Myshkin’s father, and even held Myshkin as a baby. Ivolgin says he and Myshkin’s father studied together and both served in the military. He admits that he was “passionately in love” with Myshkin’s mother even while she was engaged to his friend. When Myshkin’s father found out, he challenged Ivolgin to a duel, but both of them burst into tears before they could shoot. At this moment Kolya comes in, saying that Nina wants to see Myshkin.
General Ivolgin’s story seems a bit too melodramatic and sentimental to be totally true, and the fact that the general smells like vodka indicates that he has perhaps exaggerated or invented parts of it. At the same time, considering how little information has been given about Myshkin’s family, it is not impossible that everything Ivolgin is saying is true.
Themes
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As Myshkin goes, Ivolgin mentions that it is humiliating that they have to have tenants, and mentions that tragedy has struck the family. He notes that he and Ganya barely speak anymore. In the living room, Nina says that she does not remember Myshkin’s father. Ivolgin mentions Pavlishchev, whom he also knew. He then explains the court case for which Myshkin’s father was on trial when he died. The case had to do with someone named Private Kolpakov, whom Myshkin’s father punished for stealing, only for Kolpakov to apparently die and then, six months later, apparently come back from the dead. Nina says Ivolgin is mistaken in his telling, but Ivolgin insists he isn’t, and that it was a mysterious, irresolvable case.
The fact that Ivolgin mentions Pavlishchev indicates that his relation to Myshkin’s family is not entirely made up. However, the story that he tells after this casts further doubt on the accuracy of his memories. Nina’s repeated assertions that she thinks her husband is mistaken or doesn’t know what he is talking about further emphasize that Ivolgin is not a reliable narrator.
Themes
Varya announces that dinner is ready and Ivolgin reluctantly abandons his storytelling to leave. Nina explains that Ivolgin eats by himself, and asks Myshkin that she never give any rent money to her husband, only to her. At that moment, Varya hands her mother the portrait of Nastasya, and says that Nastasya plans to make her announcement regarding Ganya that evening. Nina tries to ask Myshkin what he knows about the situation with Nastasya, but at that moment Ganya and Ptitsyn come in. A heated discussion ensues between Nina and Ganya about Nastasya; Nina asks her son how he could agree to marry someone he doesn’t love. Varya, meanwhile, insists that if Nastasya comes to live at the apartment, she herself will leave.
The impression that there are tensions within the Ivolgin family becomes more concrete in this passionate discussion. It is obvious that Nina does not fully trust General Ivolgin, and the fact that he eats in isolation further suggests that there might be something wrong with him. Meanwhile, the conflict between Ganya and his female relatives shows that in choosing to marry Nastasya, he would potentially be sacrificing a good relationship with his family.
Themes
Myshkin tries to sneak away, but Ganya sees him and yells at him. Myshkin says nothing and leaves, and instantly bumps into Nastasya, who has just arrived and flings her coat at him. Seemingly mistaking him for a servant, she demands that he announce her, and calls him an “idiot.” She is surprised to find that Myshkin already knows who she is. He tells her that there is currently a fight going on, and then returns to the drawing room and announces her arrival.
It is almost comical that even though Nastasya is completely mistaken about Myshkin’s identity, she accords with the other characters in declaring him to be an idiot. It seems that Myshkin’s perceived “idiocy” is even more obvious to people than his rank or identity.
Themes
