The Idiot

The Idiot

by

Fyodor Dostoevsky

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The Idiot: Part Three, Chapter Seven Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
Ippolit now describes a small pistol he has owned since he was a child, and first became fascinated by highway robberies and duels. He notes that it is a “trashy pistol [that] doesn’t shoot straight,” but will work if he points it at himself. He announces that he has decided to die in Pavlovsk at sunrise. His “Necessary Explanation” will explain everything to police, psychologists, and anyone else who cares to read it. He has given one copy to Myshkin and the other to Aglaya, and arranged for his skeleton to be donated to the Medical Academy.
On one hand, considering that Ippolit is suffering from a terminal illness anyway, his decision to kill himself might be interpreted as perfectly reasonable. Yet at the same time, his highly dramatic speech, mention of his fascination with highway robberies and duels, and the fact that he plans to die at sunrise suggest this is more of a theatrical than rational act.
Themes
Social Hierarchy, Authority, and Rebellion Theme Icon
Absurdity and Nihilism Theme Icon
Passion, Violence, and Christianity Theme Icon
Recently, Ippolit realized that if he committed a terrible crime (such as murdering several people), he would frustrate anyone trying to punish him considering he is going to die within weeks anyway. He wonders why others in his position don’t commit crimes. As it stands, he doesn’t seek anyone’s forgiveness before his death. He finds it ridiculous that people think he should care about the beauty of Pavlovsk when he is about to die. He doesn’t see why he should have to have humility in the face of the cruelty of the world. He reflects that if it had been up to him, he probably would not have chosen to be born.
Ippolit’s reflection on why more terminally ill people choose not to commit crimes could, from a different perspective, actually be taken as evidence of fundamental human goodness. Indeed, it is precisely this kind of fact that Christians often point to in support of the idea that every person is fundamentally good, even if people often end up committing immoral acts during their lives.
Themes
Innocence v. Foolishness Theme Icon
Social Hierarchy, Authority, and Rebellion Theme Icon
Absurdity and Nihilism Theme Icon
Passion, Violence, and Christianity Theme Icon
Ippolit says he wants to make clear that he is not committing suicide because his final few weeks will be too painful to endure, he is doing so because it is the last act of free will he can exercise. This concludes the “Necessary Explanation” article. The audience, feeling tired, irritated, and rather drunk, get up from their chairs. Suddenly, Ippolit shouts that the sun has risen. Again, this fails to elicit any kind of response in everyone else. When Ganya comments that it will likely be another hot day and asks Ptitsyn if they are leaving, Ippolit accuses him of deliberately pretending to be unbothered in order to “insult” him.
The tragedy of Ippolit’s dramatic speech is that it does not give him the one thing he seeks, the one thing that can give him satisfaction in his terminally ill state: recognition. His decision to kill himself because it is his last chance to exercise his own free will is actually a rather fascinating and moving proposition, but at this point everyone is so bored by his self-centered rambling that they simply don’t care.
Themes
Social Hierarchy, Authority, and Rebellion Theme Icon
Absurdity and Nihilism Theme Icon
Passion, Violence, and Christianity Theme Icon
Vera is the only person worried that Ippolit seems to be about to commit suicide, and rushes to him. Several others 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 won’t shoot himself, adding: “It’s a boyish prank.” There is an argument about whether those present might actually want to see Ippolit shoot himself, which Ippolit insists is the case. Lebedev says that if Ippolit hands over his gun, he can stay the night in his dacha. If he does not, Lebedev will report him to the police. Another argument ensues.
The way Ippolit acts here does not help convince others that he really means to kill himself. Unlike someone who has actually had a profound philosophical revelation, he remains obsessed with what other people think and clings to the deluded idea that people have strong feelings about his imminent suicide, when really they don’t care one way or another because they don’t believe it’s actually going to happen.  
Themes
Innocence v. Foolishness Theme Icon
Social Hierarchy, Authority, and Rebellion Theme Icon
Absurdity and Nihilism Theme Icon
Passion, Violence, and Christianity Theme Icon
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Ippolit speaks briefly to Myshkin, who tries to comfort him and urges him to drink a glass of water. Ippolit grabs a class from the table and tears himself away, going straight out to the terrace. He raises the gun to his head and pulls the trigger, just as Keller leaps over and seizes the gun from his hands. After the brief climax of commotion dies down, everyone sees that Ippolit is completely fine. Clearing up the confusion, Keller explains that there is no cap in the gun. Everyone immediately bursts into laughter. Humiliated, Ippolit rushes around trying to get a cap for the gun until he faints. He is carried into Myshkin’s study, and Lebedev calls for a doctor.
Ippolit’s ridiculous attempt at ending his life with drama and dignity backfires in a profound way, and he is left humiliated. Of course, it is also worth noting that the attendees of Myshkin’s party show remarkably little sympathy to Ippolit considering that he is a very young man on the edge of death. Even though he has bored everyone with his theatrics, the moral thing to do would be to show sympathy and kindness with him anyway.
Themes
Innocence v. Foolishness Theme Icon
Social Hierarchy, Authority, and Rebellion Theme Icon
Absurdity and Nihilism Theme Icon
Passion, Violence, and Christianity Theme Icon
Keller, meanwhile, threatens anyone who dares to imply that Ippolit left the cap out on purpose. Evgeny and Myshkin discuss whether Ippolit is capable of killing himself or others, as he discussed in the “Necessary Explanation.” After everyone leaves, Myshkin takes a walk in the park alone, feeling agitated. Suddenly, he remembers an incident from his time in Switzerland, during his first year of treatment. He went walking by himself and, beholding a beautiful natural landscape, started to cry. He felt disconnected and alienated from the natural world that he loved so much.
Unsurprisingly, Myshkin feels isolated in Pavlovsk. The constant drama, scheming, and scandals clash so dramatically with his personality that he is shrouded in loneliness. At the same time, his recollection of his time in Switzerland indicates that he also experienced loneliness and alienation there—not from other people, from the world itself.
Themes
Innocence v. Foolishness Theme Icon
Social Hierarchy, Authority, and Rebellion Theme Icon
Absurdity and Nihilism Theme Icon
Passion, Violence, and Christianity Theme Icon
Back in Pavlovsk, Myshkin falls asleep on a bench. In a dream, a woman he knows very well, but who somehow has a different face, comes to him crying. She seemingly wanting to show him something, and he gets up to follow her. However, at this point is woken up by the laughter of Aglaya, who is standing over him.  
Aglaya’s constant laughter at Myshkin is certainly cruel, but it is also clear by now that this is her only way of expressing her feelings about him. Strongly attached to him, she laughs as a way of managing the intensity of emotion he provokes in her.
Themes
Innocence v. Foolishness Theme Icon