Nikolai Ardalionovich Ivolgin (Kolya) Character Analysis in The Idiot

Kolya, a teenage schoolboy, is the youngest child of General and Nina Ivolgin. He is Ganya and Varya’s brother. Although he occasionally flirts with nihilism and dreams of running away from home, deep down he is an innocent, devoted young man who is somewhat similar to his dear friend Myshkin.

Nikolai Ardalionovich Ivolgin (Kolya) Character Timeline in The Idiot

The timeline below shows where the character Nikolai Ardalionovich Ivolgin (Kolya) appears in The Idiot. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Social Hierarchy, Authority, and Rebellion Theme Icon

...with the tenants, the apartment is shared by Ganya’s father, General Ivolgin, his 13-year-old brother Kolya, his mother Nina Alexandrovna, and his sister Varvara Ardalionovna (Varya). One of the current tenants... (full context)

...loans and is one of Ganya’s best friends. Ganya briskly introduces Myshkin to everyone, and Kolya proceeds to ask the prince a series of friendly questions about himself until Varya tells... (full context)

Passion, Violence, and Christianity Theme Icon

...duel, but both of them burst into tears before they could shoot. At this moment Kolya comes in, saying that Nina wants to see Myshkin. (full context)

...at her house and saying she is excited to meet him at last. Nina and Kolya both keeping trying to get Ivolgin to leave, but he will not. (full context)

...the same thing to her dog. Nastasya laughs and claps in delight, and Ferdyshchenko and Kolya both shout, “Bravo!” Ivolgin says that the woman slapped him, at which point he “got... (full context)

Kolya opens the door and about 12 or 13 people, including Lebedev, Rogozhin, and two women,... (full context)

...suddenly shouts as if he only just noticed what was going on, and everyone laughs. Kolya starts crying, and Varya demands that someone remove “this shameless woman” (Nastasya) from the apartment. (full context)

...strike her, but Myshkin steps in between them and gets slapped instead. Everyone is shocked. Kolya embraces Myshkin, and many others soon gather around them. Rogozhin tells Ganya he will regret... (full context)

Prince Myshkin immediately goes to his room, and Kolya follows him. Kolya comments on Nastasya’s beauty and says he wouldn’t blame Ganya for all... (full context)

...in love with Nastasya, but Myshkin replies that he only likes her. Ganya leaves, and Kolya arrives, carrying a note from General Ivolgin. Myshkin says that he needs to see the... (full context)

Kolya takes Myshkin to a café and billiard parlor called Liteinaya. On seeing Myshkin, General Ivolgin... (full context)

...However, the general insists that they stick together, and at this point they run into Kolya, who says that Mrs. Terentyev is expecting Ivolgin. (full context)

...Myshkin. He then announces that he feels weak, lies down, and falls asleep. Myshkin asks Kolya to take him to Nastasya’s house instead, and Kolya, surprised, informs the prince that he... (full context)

Kolya is shocked to learn that Myshkin plans to go to Nastasya’s party dressed as he... (full context)

After Myshkin left, Kolya initially kept going about his life as usual. Ferdyshchenko disappeared. After Varya got married, Nina... (full context)

Kolya once gave Aglaya a short, pleading note from Myshkin, in which he told her he... (full context)

...man, Lebedev’s nephew, observes that the visitor must be Myshkin, whom he’s heard about from Kolya. Kolya says Myshkin is the most intelligent person in the world. The nephew then tells... (full context)

...and he replies that it’s Timofei Lukyanovich (Doktorenko). Myshkin says he is trying to find Kolya, and Doktorenko replies that Kolya spent the night there, and has possibly been with “the... (full context)

Myshkin then goes looking for Kolya, who has likely already left for Pavlovsk. Having failed to find his friend, Myshkin wanders... (full context)

Kolya, who had waiting for Myshkin at the hotel, comes over after hearing all the noise.... (full context)

...He is grateful that Lebedev’s family is there (minus Doktorenko), and is delighted that both Kolya and General Ivolgin come to visit. Ganya also comes, along with Varya and Ptitsyn. Lebedev... (full context)

At that moment Kolya appears, announcing that Mrs. Epanchin and her three daughters have come to visit. Meanwhile, Ptitsyn,... (full context)

...than if he was her own son, and was terribly worried about him, and calls Kolya a “malicious brat” for letting her believe that Myshkin was dying. (full context)

...he she hardly recognized him, but is suspicious of Myshkin’s assertion that he’s doing better. Kolya mentions the “poor knight” and Don Quixote, which Aglaya has lately been talking about. Kolya... (full context)

Aglaya is furious, but Kolya continues, saying that Aglaya asked Adelaida to draw a portrait of the poor knight, but... (full context)

Kolya, who has been reading the article aloud to everyone, flees to a corner and puts... (full context)

...up by vanity and pride.” She then points to Ippolit and accuses him of corrupting Kolya. (full context)

...dead. She then gets him a chair. Ippolit tells Mrs. Epanchin that he’d heard from Kolya that she was an “eccentric woman,” and had thus hoped to meet her. Prompted by... (full context)

...a new doctor for him tomorrow. Ippolit, meanwhile, repeatedly assures her that he hasn’t corrupted Kolya, before proceeding with a rather nonsensical rant, interspersed with demands that people stop laughing at... (full context)

...“Aglaya Ivanovna,” Myshkin goes bright red and tells him to shut up. Later that night, Kolya comes with a great deal of news. He has just returned from St. Petersburg and... (full context)

...these stories indicate that Ganya’s hopes of marrying Aglaya may be fulfilled after all, and Kolya calls him “a terrible skeptic.” However, Kolya then excitedly accuses Myshkin of being jealous, and... (full context)

...Shch., and Myshkin; everyone is there except General Epanchin, who is still in St. Petersburg. Kolya arrives. An argument is taking place, and there is tension among the group. Evgeny blusters... (full context)

...Epanchin interjects to say that Burdovsky recently apologized and now “believes more in the prince.” Kolya then informs everyone that Ippolit has moved into Lebedev’s dacha on Myshkin’s invitation. Myshkin reprimands... (full context)

Kolya says that Ippolit’s health is better than it’s been in months, but the other still... (full context)

Kolya suddenly shouts: “The poor knight!” Addressing Myshkin, Aglaya shouts that she will never marry him,... (full context)

...the terrace when Keller showed up and said the next day was the prince’s birthday. Kolya then insisted that there should be a party with champagne. Lebedev emphasizes that it is... (full context)

...was also isolated within the context of his family. He is disappointed to see that Kolya, who has always been a loyal friend, has taken on Myshkin’s “Christian humility,” which Ippolit... (full context)

...about to commit suicide, and rushes to him. Several others grumble, “He won’t shoot himself.” Kolya joins Vera in holding Ippolit, as do Keller and Burdovsky, though Burdovsky asserts that Ippolit... (full context)

...him to allow Ippolit to stay, and Myshkin agrees. Just as Myshkin tries to sleep, Kolya arrives. He praises Ippolit’s “confession,” and says that he can’t stand it that people believe... (full context)

Myshkin says he wants to support Lebedev, but begs him not to involve Nina or Kolya. He also wants to be sure that Lebedev is absolutely confident that Ferdyshchenko is the... (full context)

...to. At that moment, General Ivolgin enters, looking “purple” and “shaken” with anger, alongside Nina, Kolya, and Ippolit. (full context)

...five days. Rogozhin had started visiting him before he moved. Now, General Ivolgin, Nina, and Kolya all look very distressed. Ivolgin hasn’t drunk any alcohol in three days. Kolya is so... (full context)

...existed. Ivolgin is shaken by this and begins to stammer. Increasingly agitated, he demands that Kolya bring his bag and announces that he’s leaving. An argument ensues between Ganya and Ippolit,... (full context)

After, Lebedev comes. He, along with Keller and Kolya earlier, all seem to want to congratulate Myshkin on something. Lebedev begins speaking cryptically about... (full context)

Following the fight with Ganya, Ivolgin stands on the street, rambling nonsensically at Kolya and crying. Kolya begs that they go home, but Ivolgin goes off in another direction.... (full context)

...of the room. With tears still in her eyes, she came back down again when Kolya arrived holding a hedgehog he had just bought from a peasant. Aglaya begged Kolya to... (full context)

In reality, when Kolya presented the hedgehog to Myshkin, the prince immediately switched from a state of utmost misery... (full context)

...although he still intends to give him the letter. On the way he runs into Kolya and gives him the letter to give to Ganya. Back at home, Myshkin tells Vera,... (full context)

Two hours later Kolya runs to Myshkin with news of General Ivolgin’s stroke. Hoping to help in some way,... (full context)

...Ivolgin, who is likely about to die. Later, Lebedev comes to visit Myshkin, as does Kolya, who asks Myshkin to tell him everything. Myshkin makes an effort to do so, but... (full context)

...the meeting will take place around 7 or 8 p.m., and suggests that Myshkin send Kolya as a spy. Ippolit leaves. (full context)

...being so delusional and runs away. At this point everyone feels “indignant” toward Myshkin, even Kolya, Vera, Keller, and Lebedev. About a week after the incident at Darya’s, and the day... (full context)

...though this is only a rumor. While all this has been happening Ivolgin died, and Kolya is now busy arranging the burial. Myshkin spends many hours each day at Nina’s, and... (full context)

Kolya helps Myshkin change back into his normal clothes, and then, at 10: 30 p.m., leaves... (full context)

...to tell about them.” Ippolit dies two weeks after Nastasya is killed. Traumatized by everything, Kolya becomes extremely close to Nina. (full context)