The Brothers Karamazov: Chapter Three

In this chapter, as it unfolds to the reader, Fyodor Pavlovich gets married again, to Sofia Ivanovna (after he is able to rid himself of his first son, the four-year old Dmitri). This marriage lasts longer -- for a period of eight years. Sofia Ivanovna, different from his first wife, is a sixteen year old orphan, who was raised in another province, which happened to be a place where Fyodor Pavlovich just happened to have visited during a business trip.

In spite of the fact that Fyodor Pavlovich remains drunk for the majority of the time, he is able to handle his finances in a shrewd manner and his own fortunes continue to increase. And, in this situation, Fyodor, once again, convinces his bride to be, Sofia Ivanovna, to elope with him, rather than become married in the traditional manner, which, it turns out, is totally against the wishes to her guardian.

Fyodor Pavlovich treats Sofia in a deplorable way, holding orgies within the household; this causes Sofia to become nervous and hysterical, which leads Fyodor to call Sofia "the Shrieker." However, in spite of Sofia's disposition, she is able to give birth to two more sons, Ivan and Alexei, who is nicknamed Alyosha. Upon his fourth birthday, Sofia (his mother) dies, and the two additional children are taken care of by the same servant who cared for Dmitri.

Later, Sofia's former guardian, who is a general's widow, takes care of all three children, until she, too dies. Before her death, however, she is able to leave funds that are to be used specifically for the children's education (Alyosha and Ivan). Ivan becomes a rather brilliant student and gains a certain degree of notoriety within the literature circles, particularly when he writes an article about the ecclesiastical courts (previously defined in a thread).

Eventually, however, Ivan then moves to live with his father again, in spite of the shame that Fyodor causes him. It turns out, however, that this arrangement is actually by Dmitri (in part), who, after being told about his ruined inheritance, has requested that his brother join him and their father, hoping that Ivan might be able to help mediate the dispute (over the inheritance).