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Part One, Chapter Ten
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Idiot, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Innocence v. Foolishness
Money, Greed, and Corruption
Social Hierarchy, Authority, and Rebellion
Absurdity and Nihilism
Passion, Violence, and Christianity
Summary
Analysis
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 the mess if he loved her, but he actually only wants to marry her for money. Myshkin admits that he doesn’t really like Ganya. Varya enters and asks why Myshkin told Nastasya that she isn’t “like that,” considering the two don’t know each other. Before Myshkin has time to answer, Ganya enters and begs for forgiveness. Myshkin is moved, and the two of them embrace. Myshkin tries to get Ganya to apologize to Varya too, but Ganya replies: “No, they’re all my enemies.”
Although Myshkin has only arrived at the Ivolgins’ house that day, he has already come to occupy a central place in the social world of the family. This is clearly illustrated by the fact that each of the Ivolgin children rush straight into Myshkin’s room after the dramatic incident outside. It is also notable that Ganya’s evident hatred of Myshkin does not stop him from needing his approval, as he has now twice begged Myshkin for his forgiveness. This suggests that, on some level, Ganya senses Myshkin’s moral fortitude and wisdom despite writing him off as an idiot.
Themes
Varya leaves, and Myshkin observes that Ganya should be careful if he’s just marrying Nastasya for money. This is firstly because Nastasya might reject him, and secondly because often a bride’s money does not actually end up going to her husband. Ganya calls Nastasya “irritable, suspicious, and vain,” but says he is certain she will agree to marry him. Ganya admits that he did love her at first, and that he hopes she will not “rebel.” If she does, he will take the money and abandon her. Ganya thinks that Nastasya believes he loves her; he is also convinced that, in some way, she loves him, too.
Ganya’s words here show that he is not only greedy and corrupt, but also somewhat delusional. He does not heed Myshkin’s sensible warning about the dangers of marrying only for money. Meanwhile, his belief that Nastasya loves him and thinks he loves her does not seem plausible, given everything that has just happened during her visit.
Themes
Myshkin comments that while he earlier he thought Ganya was a “scoundrel,” but that he now sees him as “ordinary,” in the sense that most men are weak and flawed. Ganya curses his father, telling Myshkin that General Ivolgin has a mistress. He says that his decision to marry Nastasya for her 75,000-rouble dowry is not rational, but rather driven by “passion.” He will not spend the money at once, but rather wait patiently in order to achieve his eventual aim of making his own fortune through finance, (like Ptitsyn, who was formerly homeless and is now rich).
This passage contains yet another intriguing conceptualization of “passion.” Ordinarily, passion might be associated with romantic emotion—the opposite of choosing to marry someone for money. Yet Ganya implies that he has a passion for money. Once again, passion is associated with immoral forms of desire.
Themes
Ganya says that when he is rich he will be “original” because money actually creates talent. He asks Myshkin if he is 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 general, anyway, and goes off to meet him.
Ganya’s desire to be “original” comes after Myshkin accuses him of being “ordinary.” Given that Myshkin’s assessment was based on Ganya’s flawed nature, it doesn’t seem likely that this ordinariness could be solved by becoming wealthy.
Themes
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