The Brothers Karamazov

“It is not miracles that bring a realist to faith […] In the realist, faith is not born from miracles, but miracles from faith.”

Miracles are a motif throughout the novel. This quote points out that miracles do not cause one to believe in a higher power; rather, miracles strengthen an already existing faith. This quote emphasizes that, in the narrator’s view, spiritual belief and reason are not contradictory.

“The churchman with whom I argue maintains that the Church occupies a precise and definite place within the state. I objected that, on the contrary, the Church should contain in itself the whole state and not merely occupy a certain corner of it, and that if for some reason that is impossible now, then […] it undoubtedly should be posited as the direct and chief aim of the whole further development of Christian society.”

Ivan explains his view that the church and the state should merge. The relationship between religious law and secular law is a theme throughout, culminating in Dmitri’s trial. The gap between human and divine judgment is shown to be impossible to mend, but Ivan’s essay argues that such a harmony is possible. These comments prefigure the critiques of Jesus Christ presented in Ivan’s “Grand Inquisitor” poem.

“No, man is broad, even too broad, I would narrow him down. Devil knows even what to make of him, that’s the thing!”

Dmitri complains about the contradictions of human nature, but he is also describing his own character: He encapsulates the extremes of human nature in that he is careless and violent but also displays great courage and conscience. The broadness of human nature refers to the human potential to act in the name of the highest ideals as well as acting from base instincts.