Previous
Part 1, Chapter 4, Section 7
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Demons, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Politics and Self-Interest
Ideology and Extremism
Morality and Nihilism
Herd Mentality
Atheism vs. Belief in God
Summary
Analysis
Varvara, Marya, and Liza return from the cathedral and arrive at Varvara’s house where Anton, Stepan, and Shatov are waiting. Varvara still seems perplexed. When it becomes clear that Shatov knows Marya, Varvara asks him to tell her everything about Marya. Shatov asks what there is to tell. Varvara becomes increasingly frustrated. She knows that there’s something about Marya that no one wants to talk about. She sends a servant to bring Darya from her room. Just then, Praskovya arrives out of breath, accompanied by Mavriky. Praskovya says she’s come to fetch Liza.
Rumors have circulated that Nikolay has been romantically involved with Marya, but those rumors have not apparently made their way to Varvara. That seems to be what Varvara is noticing when she says that everyone seems to know something about Marya, but no one is telling her what it is. She then sends for Darya, apparently with the hope that Darya might be able to clear things up.
Themes
