The prince a "holy fool?"

[paul8th]

I know from my studies, independant, of Russian Orthodox spirituality that one category of saints are refered to as holy fools. This is not a minor or obscure aspect of their haigiography. The great cathedral of St. Basil in Moscow is not named after the famous St. Basil who was a wise ancient scholar who was foundational to Orthodox liturgy, but of St. Basil the Holy Fool who terrorised Ivan the Terrible with his preaching. It seems to me that the Prince is clearly a member of this school of people, except for that shocking ending which at some level does not seem saintly to me. The fools may seem simple but the are portayed as stronger than the powerful forces of corruption they confront. I am sure that the princes character comes from holiness, his lack of defensiveness, his direct honesty, his giving freedom to those around him and finnally that he does not judge the souls of the people around him. Thoughts?

[Gladys]

The fools may seem simple but the are portrayed as stronger than the powerful forces of corruption they confront.

I'm not sure that Prince Myshkin is, in any sense, a fool. The fact that many speak of him as an idiot, doesn't necessarily make him one. There is something holy about him.

[bazarov]

Zosima is a holy fool (from TBK), Myshkin is...weird, strange, doesn't fit in this world; but he has nothing with God or religion (nothing more then others)

In this syntax, fool doesn't mean that someone is stupid or idiot or fool; those are religious humans who have some great spirit and are considered like they got some special things from God.