The Brothers Karamazov: Part 2: Book 4, Chapter 1 Summary & Analysis

Alexei is awakened by the sound of the elder Zosima moving from his bed to his armchair before dawn. As the day continues, monks arrive from the monastery. Zosima speaks to them of many things, as though he wishes to share everything with them all for the last time. He tells them to love all of God’s people, and that the monks are not holier merely because they’ve shut themselves off from the world. He tells them not to hate those who reject them, including atheists. Zosima gasps for breath as he speaks, but seems to be “in ecstasy.”

Alexei leaves the cell after a fellow monk tells him that Rakitin is looking for him. He has come from town with a letter from Madame Khokhlakov. She tells him that Zosima’s prophecy about Prokhorovna’s son, Vasenka, has come true—he is “undoubtedly alive” and, as Zosima predicted, sent his mother a letter from Siberia, in which he says that he will return to Russia with an official and, upon his arrival, hopes to embrace his mother again. Madame Khokhlakov begs Alexei to tell the Father Superior and the other monks this news. Alexei shares the information with Father Paissy, who is unmoved. Within an hour, the report of the “miracle” spreads around the monastery, mostly impressing the little monk from the small Obdorsk monastery in the north.

The little monk from Obdorsk finds that the seventy-five-year-old Father Ferapont is “an extremely dangerous adversary of the elder Zosima.” Rumor has it, “among the most ignorant people,” that Father Ferapont is in communication with “the heavenly spirits” and speaks only to them, which is why he doesn’t care to be bothered with visitors. He also claims to see devils.

The little monk is surprised by these tales. He then asks Father Ferapont if it’s true that he’s “in constant communication with the Holy Spirit.” Father Ferapont says that the Spirit flies down like a bird, “in the form of a dove.” He also distinguishes between the Holy Spirit and the Holispirit. The latter comes as some other type of bird—“a swallow, a goldfinch, a tomtit.” Also, the Holispirit speaks, and today announced that a fool would visit Father Ferapont and ask him “improper questions.”

Father Ferapont points to an elm tree. He says, at night, its branches become Christ’s arms, which may grab him and carry him away. The little monk from Obdorsk goes back to his cell. Father Ferapont’s words are no odder than those uttered by other “holy fools.” The visiting monk arrived having been “strongly biased against the institution of elders.” Now, with news of the “miracle” involving the widow Prokhorovna, he’s not so sure.

Feeling tired, Zosima returns to bed and summons Alexei to his side. He tells Alexei that he must go to visit those whom he promised to see and assures him that he won’t die without saying his last word in Alexei’s presence. Alexei obeys. Before he leaves, Father Paissy tells him how the learned people of the world have examined everything and learned nothing. Those who renounce Christianity are “in their essence of the same image of the same Christ.” They will never succeed in creating “another, higher image of man” and their attempts have only resulted in “monstrosities.” Father Paissy tells Alexei this because he wants him to remember that the world’s temptations are strong. Alexei is young and his strength isn’t enough to endure the temptations. He then sends Alexei on his way. Alexei concludes that he has found a loving friend in Father Paissy.