The Parable of the Prodigal Son as a Story about the Father’s Mercy in Dostoevsky’s Novel The Humiliated and the Insulted

Abstract

The article analyses the novel The Humiliated and the Insulted through the motif of the parable of the prodigal son, thanks to which the concept of the entire novel becomes more clear. This short biblical story is laid down by Dostoevsky at the basis of the plot of The Humiliated and the Insulted. All the main characters of the novel are organically represented as “heroes” of the parable, more precisely, as characters that carry the concepts “prodigal son”, “father”, “Father” (“God”). At the same time, the traditional reading of the parable as a story about a careless, vicious, little-respected man who left his parents’ home is reinterpreted by Dostoevsky and the importance of the father’s grace as well as the necessity of the father’s mercy at all costs are emphasized. The ability to forgive unconditionally is perceived by Dostoevsky as a gift that allows to overcome personal pride and, in general, the vicious circle in which the family is enclosed.