Which brother of the Brothers Karamazov is your favorite one and why?

[victorianfan]

I'd say Dmitri Karamazov, the wild beast with a soul. Basically, he's a fool, but, in my opinion, a lovable one.

[Virgil]

Oh I'm reading this right now. I love all three actually. This is such a great novel. The characterization is the absolute best.

[Brad Coelho]

Ivan, though the most difficult soul to reach of the three, is the most intellectually provocative. He lacks Alyosha's strength of soul & backbone of faith, but his torment was the most fascinating aspect of the book to me.

[victorianfan]

I absolutely adore this quote regarding Dmitri's attitude towards Katerina at their first meeting:

I simply wanted to revenge myself, because I was such a hero and she didn't seem to feel it.

[blazeofglory]

I absolutely adore this quote regarding Dmitri's attitude towards Katerina at their first meeting:

I too like Dimitri, a real human being an unmasked being who never lived with an air of arrogance. He is full of flaws, and so are we. Aren't we pretending to be celibate while we have a strong desire.

[dfloyd]

Smerdyakov. Without him, the novel would have no plot. Also, he was the only actor in the film nominated for an Academy Award.

[Barbarous]

I have to go with the bastard Smerdyakov as well. He is the catalyst in the novel, playing the Iago archetype and he even reminds me faintly of Hawthorne's Chillingworth in The Scarlet Letter, in the respects that both characters are seemingly nihilistic and perhaps the most depraved I have come across in my flounderings about the Western Canon.

[victorianfan]

Hey, dfloyd and Barbarous! Could you honestly say that you like Smerdyakov?!

[blazeofglory]

Dmitri the sensuous is what pulls me and I find him a man of essence despite too many vices engulfed him and he was true to his nature and not of two-facedness. I hate a person of pretense and he was bold and sincere and expressed what he felt inside and he never refrained from telling truth no matter what circumstance he was in, unlike the res of other characters who live by double standards. He suffered immensely morally for the world he was in had different values and when he could not assimilate into that mainstream he became a recluse

[victorianfan]

Dmitri the sensuous is what pulls me and I find him a man of essence despite too many vices engulfed him and he was true to his nature and not of two-facedness. I hate a person of pretense and he was bold and sincere and expressed what he felt inside and he never refrained from telling truth no matter what circumstance he was in, unlike the res of other characters who live by double standards. He suffered immensely morally for the world he was in had different values and when he could not assimilate into that mainstream he became a recluse

Let's be honest here! Although Dmitri is my favourite Karamazov he's a dissipated individual, whose life is controled by his urges and at last he became a victim of his own nature. He's an honest fool, but still a damn fool.

Sorry, I don't agree that all other characters are double faced. C'mon Alyosha is a pure soul. However, he's an obvious choice to pick out. Who wouldn't like to have Alyosha beside himself/herself?!

As for the other brothers, Ivan is a robot and Smerdyakov is a snake.

[Gladys]

For me, Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov (55-year-old sponger) and Agrafena Alexandrovna Svetlova (sensual Grushenka) are awesome characters.

Dmitri's stupid, Alyosha's almost too good to be true, Ivan is cold and Smerdyakov deserves his epithet Son of the 'reeking one'. The latter fascinates.

[Virgil]

I forgot to answer you before Gladys. yes there is a fourth son.

[OrphanPip]

I haven't read this for a long time, but the ones that stuck in my memory most were Alyosha and Ivan. However, I think my fondness for Ivan is derived entirely from my love of the Grand Inquisitor parable.

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

I recently finished TBK. I found myself favoring Alexei "our hero".

Gilliatt

[Dostoevskian]

Dmitri (me in disguise) and Grushenka (my girl in disguise).

Alexei when he kisses the ground and for his strength. Zosima close to his death and for his insight.

The rest are hopeless wretches.

Least favorite?

Easy - Katerina Ivanovna.