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
Kolya takes Myshkin to a café and billiard parlor called Liteinaya. On seeing Myshkin, General Ivolgin tries to explain something to him, but is so drunk that it comes out as nonsense. Realizing that he wants money, Myshkin gives the general his 25-rouble note and asks for 15 back. Myshkin asks if General Ivolgin will help him get into Nastasya’s party that evening, despite not having been invited. Ivolgin replies that he was hoping to do the very same thing. He suggests they go together at 9 p.m. In the meantime, he gets very drunk, and begins telling a lot of stories without ending them. By the time they leave, General Ivolgin can barely stand, and Myshkin feels foolish for relying on him.
This passage contains an obvious example of where Myshkin’s moral innocence slides into foolishness. General Ivolgin is clearly an alcoholic who, as indicated by Nina, is irresponsible with money. Meanwhile, Myshkin has only 25 roubles to his name and no guarantee of getting more anytime soon. Yet Myshkin nonetheless gives Ivolgin 10 roubles, likely for no other reason than his profound kindness, generosity, and lack of judgment.
Themes
As they walk, General Ivolgin rambles about his misfortune and repeatedly mentions the 13 bullets that are supposedly lodged in his chest. He insists on taking Myshkin to General Sokolovich’s place, but once there Myshkin realizes that they’ve gone to someone else’s apartment entirely. Soon they learn that whoever lives there isn’t home. Walking away, Ivolgin suddenly remembers that the Sokoloviches live elsewhere, perhaps even in Moscow. When Ivolgin suggests that they go to see a widow named Mrs. Terentyev instead, Myshkin firmly insists that he must go to Nastasya’s on his own. However, the general insists that they stick together, and at this point they run into Kolya, who says that Mrs. Terentyev is expecting Ivolgin.
Despite Myshkin’s open-hearted nature, he is not naïve enough to still believe at this point that following General Ivolgin was a good idea. However, after realizing that he ought to leave Ivolgin and go off alone, Myshkin struggles to assert himself. His kind spirit makes him overly compliant, leaving him unable to properly establish his own agency.
Themes
When they arrive at Mrs. Terentyev’s house, she immediately chastises Ivolgin for stealing from her. Ivolgin apologizes and hands her 25 roubles, while introducing her to Myshkin. He then announces that he feels weak, lies down, and falls asleep. Myshkin asks Kolya to take him to Nastasya’s house instead, and Kolya, surprised, informs the prince that he and Ivolgin had been heading in the wrong direction the whole time. Kolya says he’d first like to introduce Myshkin to Ippolit, the widow’s eldest son, who is bedridden with tuberculosis. He mentions that Ippolit is “the slave of certain prejudices.”
Not only is General Ivolgin a drunk, but—as this scene reveals—he has a debt problem, too. The fact that the only money Myshkin possesses has immediately disappeared again emphasizes that Myshkin’s kind-hearted nature can be a dangerous form of foolishness.
Themes
Kolya is shocked to learn that Myshkin plans to go to Nastasya’s party dressed as he is. He then talks about the Terentyev family, saying that Mrs. Terentyev shamelessly borrows money from Ivolgin and then makes him pay her back with interest, whereas Nina and Varya give Ippolit and the other children money because their mother neglects them. Ippolit is very bitter and cynical, and thus at first sneered at Nina and Varya’s kindness. However, now he appreciates it. Ganya, meanwhile, doesn’t know about the arrangement. Kolya says he soon plans to get a job, and suggests that he, Myshkin, and Ippolit get an apartment together. Myshkin agrees. Having arrived at Nastasya’s, Kolya wishes Myshkin luck and bids him farewell.
Kolya’s instant affection for Myshkin proves Myshkin’s earlier point about his natural affinity with children. Like Myshkin, Kolya is kind and friendly, but also somewhat naïve. This emerges through the fact that he wants to move out of his house, yet is only a schoolboy with no source of income. Indeed, this is another point of connection between Myshkin and Kolya, one indicating that, while they may be great friends, they might also struggle to survive the world together.
Themes
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