Book Cover of The Grand Inquisitor

The Grand Inquisitor

by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

"The Grand Inquisitor" is a poem (a story within a story) inside Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel The Brothers Karamazov (1879–1880). It is recited by Ivan Karamazov, who questions the possibility of a personal and benevolent God, to his brother Alexei (Alyosha), a novice monk. "The Grand Inquisitor" is an important part of the novel and one of the best-known passages in modern literature because of its ideas about human nature and freedom, and its fundamental ambiguity. In a long soliloquy, the Grand Inquisitor defends the following ideas: only the principles of the devil can lead to mankind's universal unification: give man bread, control his conscience, and rule the world; Jesus limited himself to a small group of chosen ones, while the Catholic Church improved on his work and addresses all people; the church rules the world in the name of God, but with the devil's principles; Jesus was mistaken in holding man in high esteem.

Book Details

Language

English

Original Language

Russian

Published In

Author

Fyodor Dostoyevsky image

Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky, sometimes transliterated as Dostoyevsky, was a Russian novelist, philosopher, short story writer, essayist, and journalist. Dostoevsky's literary works explore human ps...

More on Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Listen/Download Audiobook

Read by:
00:00
Playback Speed 1.0
00:00
  • Select Speed

Related books

The Dark Other Cover image

The Dark Other by Stanley G. Weinbaum

"The Dark Other" by Stanley G. Weinbaum is a captivating exploration of the supernatural and the enigmatic forces that dwell in the shadows of the hum...

A Raw Youth Cover image

A Raw Youth by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

The Adolescent, also translated as A Raw Youth or An Accidental Family, is a novel by Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky, first published in monthly ins...

The Maroon Cover image

The Maroon by Thomas Mayne Reid

The story follows the adventures of a young man named Redwood, who becomes stranded on a remote island after his ship is attacked by pirates. He soon...

A Deal With The Devil Cover image

A Deal With The Devil by Eden Phillpotts

This is a gripping novel that delves into the complexities of human nature and the consequences of making questionable choices. Set in a picturesque r...

The Modern Scottish Minstrel Cover image

The Modern Scottish Minstrel by Charles Rogers

A rich tapestry of Scottish verse, "The Modern Scottish Minstrel" is an anthology that captures the essence and spirit of Scottish poetry from the mid...

The Bacchae Cover image

The Bacchae by Euripides

The Bacchae is an ancient Greek tragedy, written by the Athenian playwright Euripides during his final years in Macedonia, at the court of Archelaus I...

Ruggles of Red Gap Cover image

Ruggles of Red Gap by Harry Leon Wilson

When Ruggles, a distinguished English valet, is unexpectedly thrust into the heartland of America's Red Gap, a quirky and boisterous town on the front...

Tales of Hearsay Cover image

Tales of Hearsay by Joseph Conrad

It is a captivating collection of short stories that will transport young readers into a world of imagination and discovery. Written by the renowned a...

Valda berättelser Cover image

Valda berättelser by Selma Lagerlof

Dyk ner i Selma Lagerlöfs fascinerande värld av berättelser, där det övernaturliga möter mänsklig värme och djup. "Valda berättelser" är en mästerlig...

The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Cover image

The Marriage of Heaven and Hell by William Blake

The Marriage of Heaven and Hell is a book by the English poet and printmaker William Blake. It is a series of texts written in imitation of biblical p...

Reviews for The Grand Inquisitor

No reviews posted or approved, yet...