The Brothers Karamazov Group

Question:

sue42
sue42
Student
High School - 11th Grade

"If there is not immortality, then everything is permitted." How can you explain that in reference to "The Brothers Karamazov"?

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Posted by sue42 on Friday March 20, 2009 at 5:35 AM and tagged with dostoevsky, immortality, logic, permitted, the brothers karamazov.

Answers:

  1. morrol
    morrol Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    What the character is saying is that if human life ends at death, and there is no afterlife, then there is no reason for having moral standards. This idea also addressed in several of Nietzsche's books including "The Will to Power". One theme in "The Brothers Karamazov" considers human behavior and purpose. The characters of faith behave in a certain way because they believe they will be judged by God for their choices and behavior. Others do not believe in an afterlife. Because of this, there is no reason to behave in any certain way.

     

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/brothers-karamazov/essays-criticism
    http://www.enotes.com/brothers-karamazov/themes

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    Posted by morrol on Friday March 20, 2009 at 2:09 PM


  2. marilynn07 Teacher
    High School - 9th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    That's a good answer, but the statement made in the novel also implies a corollary.  If there is no afterlife, does this mean that there is no reason at all to have personal morality in the way we treat one another?  Or is there a value in this life to behavior which relates to the good of others?  This is an issue we find repeatedly implied in this author's works.

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    Posted by marilynn07 on Sunday March 22, 2009 at 3:25 PM