The Idiot: Part Four, Chapter Nine Summary & Analysis

Two weeks pass. The story of what happened to Myshkin has been told, in many different versions, all over town. The basic tale is that the prince, having provoked a scandal at “an honorable and well-known house,” was abandoned by his fiancée (Aglaya), lured away by a “well-known tart” (Nastasya), and agreed to marry her in Pavlovsk despite the enormous disgrace this would involve. Other versions of the story suggest that Myshkin could barely speak Russian and that he had been driven mad by “modern nihilism.” Another holds that Myshkin broke the vase on purpose in order to publicly humiliate Aglaya.

There are rumors that Myshkin loves Aglaya but is actually a nihilist himself, which leads him to want to marry a “fallen woman” because the “woman question” makes him prefer her to a virtuous young lady. Because of all this contradictory speculation, it is hard to say exactly what Myshkin’s true reasons were for getting engaged to Nastasya. The wedding is set to be quick and expensive, with Keller, Lebedev, and another friend in charge of planning. Keller will be Myshkin’s groomsman, while Burdovsky, at Nastasya’s request, will attend to the bride. 

There are rumors that the Epanchins have ended their friendship with Myshkin, while Aglaya is in a “terrible state” and is hiding at Nina’s. However, when Aglaya sees that her mother and sisters are not angry with her but just sad for her, she agrees to come home with them. During this time, Ganya decides to confess his love to Aglaya, who, despite her torment, still laughs at him for 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 after the Epanchins have left Pavlovsk, Evgeny comes to see Myshkin.

Evgeny tells Myshkin that Aglaya was sick for three days after what happened at Darya’s. General and Mrs. Epanchin have been considering going abroad after Adelaida’s wedding, which will take place in the autumn. Evgeny asks how Myshkin could have abandoned Aglaya, although he concedes that nothing could be done to stop Nastasya’s deranged behavior. He chastises Myshkin for having an inappropriate attitude toward Nastasya, one that was too democratic and egalitarian, and thus overly influenced by “the woman question.” He says he understands Myshkin’s intention in wanting to express support for Nastasya, whose corruption was Totsky’s fault, not her own. However, this does not excuse Nastasya’s “demonic pride” and “greedy egoism.”

Myshkin admits that he’s entirely at fault, but also explains that he didn’t actually take any action at Nastasya’s. Aglaya ran away, Nastasya fainted, and afterward, he was banned from seeing Aglaya again. He adds that if he’d left Nastasya when she fainted, she would have killed herself. Myshkin suddenly tries to rush out, saying he needs to speak with Aglaya. He tells Evgeny that he secretly hates Nastasya’s face, that she scares him and that he believes she is insane. Evgeny asks Myshkin why he is marrying someone out of fear, but Myshkin replies: “I love her with all my soul,” calling Nastasya “a complete child.”

When asked by Evgeny, Myshkin confirms that he loves both Nastasya and Aglaya, and that he somehow needs to make Aglaya understand the truth. He demands that they go to see Aglaya but Evgeny reminds him that she is no longer in Pavlovsk, and when Myshkin asks him to deliver a letter to her, Evgeny refuses. They part ways, and Evgeny murmurs that Myshkin is a “poor idiot.”