The Idiot is one of Dostoevsky’s most profound and psychologically complex novels, exploring themes of morality, innocence, and the clash between idealism and a corrupt society.
The novel follows Prince Lev Nikolayevich Myshkin, a man of extraordinary kindness and sincerity who returns to Russia after spending years in a Swiss sanatorium for epilepsy. His purity and honesty set him apart from the social circles of St. Petersburg, where manipulation, greed, and ambition dominate. Myshkin becomes entangled in a tragic love triangle between the passionate and self-destructive Nastasya Filippovna and the beautiful but calculating Aglaya Yepanchina. Despite his genuine goodwill, Myshkin’s inability to navigate the deceitful world around him leads to disastrous consequences.

Dostoevsky presents Myshkin as a “positively good man” in a world that views goodness as weakness. The novel critiques Russian high society and questions whether true innocence and virtue can survive in a world filled with corruption and chaos. With its intense philosophical discussions, emotional depth, and tragic irony, The Idiot remains one of Dostoevsky’s most thought-provoking works, challenging readers to reflect on the nature of goodness and the human condition.