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
Mrs. Epanchin agrees with Myshkin’s remark that she is a child. She observes that Myshkin might be smarter than all three of her daughters put together. Myshkin now turns to Aglaya and says that she is so extraordinarily beautiful that no one is afraid of her. Because “beauty is a riddle,” Myshkin is not sure of her other characteristics yet. He compares her beauty to that of Nastasya, and all the women immediately cry out in surprise, asking where Myshkin has seen Nastasya and demanding that he show them her portrait. Myshkin leaves to get it, and the Epanchin daughters express their interest in him, while adding that he is “much too simple” to the point of being “slightly ridiculous.”
Already the novel has shown that there are multiple types of beauty. Of course, there is the distinction between internal and external beauty—yet even considering external beauty alone, Myshkin has highlighted key variations. Whereas he describes Aglaya as being so beautiful that no one can fear her, previously he noted that Nastasya’s beauty contains its own frightening power. This links the characters of Aglaya and Nastasya, but also places them in opposition with one another.
Themes
When Myshkin returns to Ganya’s office and tells him about his conversation with the Epanchin women, Ganya is furious and calls Myshkin an idiot under his breath. He then explains that the women are angry with him at the moment, and asks the prince to deliver a note to Aglaya from him without anyone seeing. Having written the note, he mutters to himself: “One word from her… and I really may break it off!” Myshkin carries the portrait and note back to the gathering room, and one the way finds him captivated by the image of Nastasya. He is so entranced by her beauty that he kisses the portrait.
The details of Ganya’s dilemma now become indisputably clear. Part of him wants to marry Nastasya for the money, even though he hates her and faces opposition from his family regarding this possibility. Another part of him is understandably resistant to this plan, and part of the reason why is apparently that he loves Aglaya and wants to marry her instead.
Themes
Myshkin finds Aglaya alone in the doorway to the dining room and gives her Ganya’s note. After, all four Epanchin women survey the portrait. Adelaida comments that Nastasya’s beauty is powerful, observing: “You can overturn the world with such beauty.” Mrs. Epanchin suddenly seems troubled, and recites the old saying that “a fool with a heart and no brains is as unhappy a fool as a fool with brains and no heart.” She expresses concern about upcoming marriages. At this point Ganya enters, and Lizaveta asks him if he will soon be getting married. Ganya stammers that he isn’t. Mrs. Epanchin then declares that she needs to get dressed, and bids farewell to Ganya and Myshkin.
Notice that Ganya has given two different answers to the question of whether he will marry Nastasya to Mrs. Epanchin and her husband. While earlier he assured General Epanchin that he is “willing” to marry Nastasya, here he denies that this plan is taking place. As this contradiction shows, Ganya is both experiencing personal turmoil and is also a somewhat duplicitous person.
Themes
While they are leaving, Ganya furiously accuses Myshkin of telling the Epanchin women he was getting married, and calls Myshkin “a shameless blabber.” Aglaya returns to the room, at first not even noticing that Ganya is there. Ganya tells her: “Only one word from you—and I’m saved.” Aglaya ignores him and tells Myshkin to write “I don’t negotiate” on a piece of paper, along with today’s date. She then takes Myshkin to another room and gives him Ganya’s note to read. It is an anguished and melodramatic promise that if Aglaya wants him, he will abandon his “current situation” and resign himself to “poverty.”
Here the parallel between Aglaya and Nastasya becomes more prominent. Aside from their connection through having Ganya as a possible suitor, the women are connected by the way that they assert power. In the face of a society that tells them they should be submissive and make decisions according to what is best for their families, both Aglaya and Nastasya insist on foregrounding their own agency when it comes to deciding who to marry.
Themes
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Aglaya comments that the note is clumsily written, that Ganya has a “dirty” soul and that he once mistook Aglaya’s pity for love. Ever since, he has been trying to “trap” her. She asks Myshkin to give Ganya’s note back to him, but warns him that Ganya will not forgive him for it. She squeezes the prince’s hand and leaves. When Myshkin returns to Ganya, he is indeed furious about being given the note back and is even more angry to hear that Aglaya let Myshkin read it. Myshkin recites exactly what Aglaya told him about Ganya trying to trap her. Ganya goes white, and furiously asks how Myshkin has managed to become Aglaya’s confidant after only knowing her for two hours.
Clearly, Myshkin becoming Aglaya’s “confidant” has nothing to do with any scheming on his part, and is instead the result of the natural affinity and affection the Epanchin women have instantly developed for him. At the same time, there is something amusingly incoherent about Myshkin’s involvement in the complex, petty, and shallow social dynamics in which he is now embroiled, because they are so far from his way of being.
Themes
Myshkin tells Ganya everything that has happened in the two hours since he first met the Epanchin women. Ganya grows increasingly irate and keeps calling Myshkin an idiot under his breath, until Myshkin final tells him that he is not actually an idiot and doesn’t like being spoken to in this way. He suggests that it might be better if he didn’t stay at Ganya’s house after all. At this point, Ganya suddenly becomes very upset and begs the prince for forgiveness. Myshkin forgives him immediately and agrees to stay with him after all. By now, they are standing outside Ganya’s apartment.
Ganya is clearly a petty, selfish, and somewhat cruel person, but his fear over hurting Myshkin illustrates that he is not all bad. Indeed, this turnaround, combined with Myshkin’s willingness to forgive him, illustrate the fundamental goodness that exists within every person, even if it is buried under layers of corrupt and immoral behavior.
Themes
