# VI explained — The Idiot

> Chapter companion for The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoevsky.

## What happens

The prince learns that Lebedev has been acting as an anonymous correspondent to Lizaveta Prokofyevna, and has intercepted a letter from Aglaya to Gania. Aglaya, anxious about the evening party at the Epanchins', warns the prince not to speak of lofty subjects or break anything, and expresses her contempt for high society.

## Themes in this chapter

### Social Class and Money

Aglaya criticizes her family's desire to climb into high society, calling it 'mean' and 'foolish,' and laments their middle-class origins.

### Innocence and Idiocy

The prince's naive behavior and Aglaya's fear that he will make a fool of himself at the party highlight his innocence and social awkwardness.

## Character check-ins

### Prince Lev Nikolaevich Myshkin

Receives the intercepted letter from Lebedev and is warned by Aglaya about his behavior at the upcoming party.

### Aglaya Ivanovna Epanchin

Anxiously warns the prince about the party, expresses disdain for high society, and shows irritation about the event.

### Lukian Timofeyevich Lebedev

Confesses to being the anonymous correspondent to Lizaveta Prokofyevna and hands over Aglaya's letter to the prince.

### Lizaveta Prokofyevna Epanchina

Receives Lebedev's letter and slaps him, returning the letter unopened.

### Gavrila Ardalionovich Ivolgin

The recipient of Aglaya's letter, which Lebedev intercepted.

### Evgeny Pavlovich Radomsky

Expected at the Epanchins' party; the prince expresses delight at seeing him.

## Key lines

> How mean it all is, and how foolish! We were always middle-class, thoroughly middle-class, people. Why should we attempt to climb into the giddy heights of the fashionable world?

Aglaya expresses contempt for her family's social climbing, asserting their middle-class identity and questioning the need to ascend into high society.

_Aglaya's critique of social ambition and class pretension._

> I should like you not to come here tomorrow until evening, when the guests are all assembled.

Aglaya instructs the prince to arrive at the party only after the other guests are present.

_Aglaya's anxious attempt to control the prince's entrance at the social event._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_idiot_se/chapters/part-iv-vi
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_idiot_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_idiot_se/chapters