Silence and Confession in The Brothers Karamazov

Silence is an integral part of discourse, shaping our utterances and imparting meaning in a variety of ways. Fyodor Dostoevsky proves to be especially attentive to the communicative possibilities of silence, using the phenomenon in diverse ways in a wide range of contexts in his works. In The Brothers Karamazov Dostoevsky draws on Eastern Orthodox icon theology and tradition to imbue a particular form of silence, molchanie, with the ability to facilitate communion (in the fullest sense of the word) in certain contexts. This use of silence is most clearly articulated by Dmitrii Karamazov in his “Confession of an Ardent Heart,” and practiced by Alesha during the confessions of his brothers Dmitrii and Ivan.