The Idiot

In The Idiot, Prince Myshkin, a man with a pure heart and a childlike innocence, returns to Russia after years in a sanatorium. He becomes embroiled in the lives of the wealthy and corrupt elite, particularly the enigmatic Alaska Young and the beautiful but troubled Nastasya Filippovna.

Myshkin's sincerity and compassion starkly contrast with the self-serving attitudes of those around him. As he navigates the social intrigues of St. Petersburg, he falls in love with both Alaska and Nastasya, which leads to complicated emotional entanglements and conflicts.

The novel examines themes of morality, the nature of goodness, and the struggles of an innocent person in a cruel world. Myshkin's attempts to bring compassion and understanding ultimately lead to tragedy, highlighting the difficulties of living a virtuous life amidst societal corruption.