The Idiot

Prince Myshkin, the title character, has finally returned to St. Petersburg after several years of exile in a Swiss sanitarium. As he resumes life in regular society, he is quickly drawn into a elaborate web of relationships driven by money, power and romance. Although his actions are well-intentioned, the Prince finds himself caught in a love triangle between the beautiful young Aglaia and Nastasya, a notorious kept woman. As the tale unfolds, others take advantage of the Prince s altruistic nature and he is ever more deeply entwined in the complexities of the society around him. He survives an attempt on his life, but must answer to Aglaia and Nastasya who force him to choose between them. In the end, Myshkin s honesty, goodness, and integrity are shown to be unequal to the moral emptiness of those around him.