The Idiot, Chapter 6 summary
Chapter 6 of 50 · Part 1 · 17 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 6, the prince tells how village children learn to care for Marie, a rejected young woman, through his sympathy and honest conversations with them. His account explains his attachment to children and his wish to live sincerely, before he describes the characters he reads in three women’s faces.
What happens
- The prince explains his closeness to village children and his belief that adults should speak openly with them.
- He recounts Marie’s abandonment, illness, and harsh treatment by her mother, the villagers, and the priest.
- After giving Marie money and a compassionate kiss, he persuades the children to replace their cruelty with kindness.
- The children bring Marie food and clothes, comfort her as she dies, and honor her coffin and grave with flowers.
- The prince describes adult opposition, his painful departure, and his resolve to approach his new life honestly.
- He reads kindness and happiness in Adelaida Ivanovna, possible sorrow in Alexandra Ivanovna, and childishness in Lizabetha Prokofievna.
Free for 3 months
Get the full summary of The Idiot, 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
Start freeNothing to pay today. USD 0.14 a day in the first year, then USD 0.27 a day.
Quick check
How does the prince obtain money for Marie?
Free for 3 months
Get the full summary of The Idiot, 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
Start freeNothing to pay today. USD 0.14 a day in the first year, then USD 0.27 a day.
200,000+ classics to read, hear and hold
15-minute summaries today, eBooks and audiobooks as each book opens, and printed books, large print included, at cost.
Try 3 months free
