The Brothers Karamazov, Part 3, no. 57, Chapter 4 summary
Part 3, no. 57, Chapter 4 of 96 · 12 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 4, Dmitri Fyodorovitch recounts his search for three thousand rubles and his jealousy over Grushenka, while the investigators record his poverty, threats, and possession of a pestle. His hope of speaking openly among honorable men gives way to shame and anger as their questions make him feel hunted.
What happens
- The investigators ask about Mitya’s pawned pistols and demand an orderly account of his movements and need for three thousand rubles.
- Mitya calls the money a debt of honor but refuses to identify the creditor, despite the prosecutor’s warning about withholding evidence.
- He recounts his unsuccessful search for money, while the officials record the sale of his watch as evidence of poverty.
- His account of jealousy, surveillance, and desperate thoughts supplies further statements that the investigators carefully record.
- Shown the brass pestle, Mitya angrily declares a murderous purpose, but the prosecutor recognizes that the questioning provokes this statement.
- Mitya compares the interrogation to a recurring nightmare of pursuit, then agrees to continue his account.
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In this chapter
What to notice
The comparison replaces his earlier appeal to friendship with a sense of persecution. It expresses how threatening the questioning feels to him.
Quick check
Why does Mitya refuse to name the person he owes?
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