The Brothers Karamazov · Chapter
VI: Smerdyakov explained
This chapter provides a detailed portrait of Smerdyakov, the valet and illegitimate son of Fyodor Pavlovitch.
What happens
This chapter provides a detailed portrait of Smerdyakov, the valet and illegitimate son of Fyodor Pavlovitch. It recounts his strange childhood—hanging cats, his defiance of Grigory's religious teaching, his first epileptic fit, and his fastidiousness. Fyodor Pavlovitch sends him to Moscow to train as a cook, and he returns changed in appearance, silent and contemplative. The chapter also depicts a scene at Fyodor Pavlovitch's dinner table, where Alyosha joins his father and Ivan, and Fyodor Pavlovitch mockingly calls Smerdyakov 'Balaam's ass' for his unexpected talkativeness.
Themes in this chapter
Innocence and Corruption
Smerdyakov's childhood cruelty to cats and his secret mock-funerals suggest a corrupted innocence, while his later contemplative nature and lack of moral development highlight the theme.
Faith and Doubt
Smerdyakov's skeptical question about the light on the first day of creation challenges Grigory's religious teaching, embodying doubt against faith.
Characters to notice
- Smerdyakov
Portrayed in depth: his childhood cruelty to cats, his defiance of Grigory's teaching, his epilepsy, his fastidiousness, his training as a cook in Moscow, his contemplative nature, and his presence at the dinner table where Fyodor Pavlovitch calls him 'Balaam's ass.'
- Fyodor Pavlovitch Karamazov
Shown at dinner in good humor, teasing Smerdyakov, offering Alyosha liqueur, and recounting Smerdyakov's history and his trust in his honesty.
- Alyosha Karamazov
Enters the dining room, is greeted warmly by his father, declines liqueur, and accepts coffee. He listens to the conversation about Smerdyakov.
- Ivan Karamazov
Present at the table, sipping coffee, as Fyodor Pavlovitch talks about Smerdyakov.
- Grigory
Mentioned as Smerdyakov's harsh caretaker who beat him for hanging cats, taught him to read, and slapped him for questioning Scripture. He is also present at the dinner table.
Key passages
“He doesn’t care for you or me, the monster. You’re not a human being. You grew from the mildew in the bathhouse.”
Grigory tells Smerdyakov that he is a monster who cares for no one and that he is not human, having originated from the mildew in the bathhouse.
This harsh condemnation from Grigory reflects the dehumanization and rejection Smerdyakov experiences from his earliest years.
“God created light on the first day, and the sun, moon, and stars on the fourth day. Where did the light come from on the first day?”
Smerdyakov asks Grigory how light could exist on the first day of creation if the sun, moon, and stars were not created until the fourth day.
This question reveals Smerdyakov's literal and skeptical approach to religious teaching, leading to his first beating and later epileptic fit.