The Brothers Karamazov, Part 3, Chapter 1 summary
Part 3, Chapter 1 of 96 · Part 1 · 9 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 1, the narrator describes Fyodor Pavlovitch’s household and explains how Grigory’s stubborn loyalty gives his master comfort and protection. The account then follows Grigory and Marfa through their infant’s death to the discovery of Lizaveta Smerdyastchaya, who lies dying beside her newborn in the garden bathhouse.
What happens
- Fyodor Pavlovitch and Ivan occupy the main house, while Grigory, Marfa, and Smerdyakov live in the lodge.
- Grigory refuses Marfa’s plan to leave their master, and Fyodor Pavlovitch relies on his protection and reassuring presence.
- The narrator describes Grigory’s quiet marriage, his defense of Sofya Ivanovna, and his care for the Karamazov children.
- Grigory objects to baptizing his six-fingered infant, but the baptism proceeds; the child dies after a fortnight.
- After the burial, Grigory turns increasingly toward religious reading.
- The night after the burial, cries lead Grigory to Lizaveta Smerdyastchaya, who lies dying beside her newborn in the bathhouse.
Free for 3 months
Get the full summary of The Brothers Karamazov, free
- 200,000+ classics as eBooks, audiobooks and 15-minute summaries, and print and large print at cost
- Up to 5 readers in your home on one plan
In this chapter
What to notice
Marfa separates the idea of duty from her husband’s insistence on serving this particular master. Her objection exposes the tension between practical judgment and unquestioning loyalty.
Quick check
What leads Grigory into the garden on the night after his child’s burial?
Free for 3 months
Get the full summary of The Brothers Karamazov, free
- 200,000+ classics as eBooks, audiobooks and 15-minute summaries, and print and large print at cost
- Up to 5 readers in your home on one plan
15-minute summaries today, eBooks and audiobooks as each book opens, and printed books, large print included, at cost.
Try 3 months free
