Dmitri and Andrey on the road
(illustration by Fritz Eichenberg)
DMITRI
Quicker, Andrey! Quicker!
ANDREY
May I ask you something, sir? Only I’m afraid of angering you.
DMITRI
What is it?
ANDREY
Well, when Fenya threw herself at your feet just now, and begged you not to harm her mistress, and someone else, too…well, you see, sir… It’s me who is taking you there…forgive me, sir, it’s my conscience…maybe it’s stupid of me to speak of it…
Dmitri suddenly seizes Andrey by the shoulders from behind.
DMITRI
(frantically)
Are you a driver?
ANDREY
Yes sir.
DMITRI
(hysterically)
Then you know that one has to make way. What would you say to a driver who wouldn’t make way for anyone, but would just drive on and crush people? No, a driver mustn’t run over people. One can’t run over a man. One can’t spoil people’s lives. And if you have spoilt a life–punish yourself…If you’ve ruined anyone’s life–punish yourself and go away.
ANDREY
That’s right, Dmitri Fyodorovitch, you’re quite right, one mustn’t crush or torment a man, or any kind of creature, for every creature is created by God. Take a horse, for instance. For some folks, even among us drivers, nothing will restrain them, they just force it along.
Dmitri seizes Andrey again by the shoulders.
DMITRI
(interrupting, with a laugh)
To hell? Andrey, simple soul, tell me, will Dmitri Fyodorovitch Karamazov go to hell, or not,? What do you think?
ANDREY
I don’t know, it depends on you, for you are…you see, sir, when the Son of God was nailed on the Cross and died, He went straight down to hell from the Cross, and set free all sinners that were in agony. And the devil groaned, because he thought that he would get no more sinners in hell. And God said to him, then, ‘Don’t groan, for you shall have all the mighty of the earth, the rulers, the chief judges, and the rich men, and shall be filled up as you have been in all the ages till I come again.’ Those were His very words…
DMITRI
A peasant legend! Wonderful! Whip up to the left, Andrey!
Andrey directs the horse to the left.
ANDREY
So you see, sir, who it is hell is for. But you’re like a little child…that’s how we look on you…and though you’re hasty-tempered, sir, yet God will forgive you for your kind heart.
DMITRI
And you, do you forgive me, Andrey?
ANDREY
What should I forgive you for, sir? You’ve never done me any harm.
DMITRI
No, for everyone, for everyone, you here alone, on the road, will you forgive me for everyone? Speak, simple peasant heart!
ANDREY
Oh, sir! I feel afraid of driving you; your talk is so strange.
DMITRI
(to himself)
Lord, receive me, with all my lawlessness, and do not condemn me. Let me pass by Thy judgment…do not condemn me, for I have condemned myself, do not condemn me, for I love Thee, O Lord. I am a wretch, but I love Thee. If Thou sendest me to hell, I shall love Thee there, and from there I shall cry out that I love Thee forever and ever…But let me love to the end…Here and now for just five hours…till the first light of Thy day…for I love the queen of my soul…I love her and I cannot help loving her. Thou seest my whole heart…I shall gallop up, I shall fall before her and say, ‘You are right to pass on and leave me. Farewell and forget your victim…never fret yourself about me!’
Andrey points ahead with his whip.
ANDREY
Mokroe!
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How does Dmitri’s conversation with Andrey about forgiveness, and his prayer, appear in light of conversations between Alyosha and Zossima? Or in light of those between Alyosha and Ivan?
Considering Karamazov 
At this point in the novel, Dmitri has his pistols ready and is ready to give up on the world. He feels like giving up and is going to kill himself. He has no hope. He says, “If you’ve ruined anyone’s life– punish yourself and go away.” This is similar to how Dmitri feels at this moment. Andrey, his carriage driver says, “But you are like a little child…” The people of the town do not consider him crazy but rather consider he actions as of that of a child. His craziness is not seen as evil but rather how a child should act. Dmitri later says, “…Will you forgive m for everyone?” We have heard something similar to this is Father Zossima’s speech. This is parallel to Zossima’s idea of responsibility. If one is responisible for everyone, then one must be forgiving for everyone.” Dmitri has more regard and passion for people then he ever has before, and he has more passion than his father ever did, therefore, he is not a “carbon copy” of himself but rather more of an individual. The way in which Dmitri is acting is changing our view of him, and the author wants this to affect our view on how he is being charged with murder.
Nice observations. Dmitri’s childish passion also might be contrasted with the “adult” perspective of Ivan. Dostoevsky might be suggesting that Dmitri has a real potential for self-destruction but also the possibility for growth. It’s not clear that Ivan has the latter for Dostoevsky.
I think that Dmitri does have the potential for growth. Since he acts in childish ways there is still a lot of growing up to do. Dmitri is still immature but he has potential. The good thing is is that he realizes what he wants now(Grushenka). He is willing to drop everything at the moment and be with her. We do not seeing him going back and forth or changing his mind about what, or in this case, who he wants. He is determined to win her over and he will not stop at whatever the cost.