Dostoevsky's "paltry devil" Hallucination

 The devil does not exist in reality, only in your imagination. 

Dostoevsky's concept of the "paltry devil" hallucination was introduced to the reader in the classic book the "Possessed." (1871).  In the "Possessed" a scene in the chapter "Night" occurs when Madam Stavrogin peers through a door at her son Nikolai Stavrogin who appears to be sitting in a chair in a trance. Madam Stavrogin quietly withdraws without disturbing her son.  But, apparently, Nikolai Stavrogin is having, has just had, or is about to have a visit and conversation with the "paltry devil" hallucination. 

Dostoevsky expanded the "paltry devil" hallucination in "Stavrogin's Confession," a manuscript Dostoevsky planned to include as a chapter in the "Possessed," but the publisher refused to print "Stavrogin's Confession."  Dostoevsky's handwritten manuscript of "Stavrogin's Confession" sat in a locked box in a Russian museum until it was finally published by the Soviet government in 1929.  But Dostoevsky did reincarnate the "paltry devil" hallucination in "The Brothers Karamazov" in 1880. 

In "Stavrogin's Confession" Nikolai Stavrogin has gone to Tikon to confess his crimes against the young maiden Matryosha and to seek absolution, but like Ivan Karamazov, Nikolai Stavrogin lacks faith to overcome his doubts in the existence of God. During the interview, Nikolai Stavrogin admits to Tikon he is having visits from a "paltry devil" who is actually himself in various forms.  Tikon recommends Nikolai Stavrogin consult a doctor to deal with his mental malady. After a debate as to the existence or non-existence of Satan, Nikolai Stavrogin presents Tikon a manuscript titled "From Stavrogin."  "From Stavrogin" is printed on a foreign printing press, which describes in detail Nikolai Stavrogin's crimes of molestation against the maiden Matryosha. Matryosha later commits suicide in a privy after she exclaims that she has "killed God."  Nikolai Stavrogin tells Tikon he intends to publish the manuscript for the entire world to read.  Tikon implores Nikolai Stavrogin to reconsider his intention, reminding Nikolai Stavrogin that the reaction to such a hideous crime will be laughter among a certain segment of the population.  Tikon also suggests that at the last moment before publication of the document Nikolai Stavrogin will commit another heinous crime to prevent the publication of the document. But Tikon offers Nikolai Stavrogin an alternative course of action.  Tikon knows of a monastery where a priest resides who has profound knowledge and who may have a solution for Nikolai Stavrogin's spiritual dilemma. Tikon suggests Nikolai Stavrogin retire to the monastery for a period of time to study under the priest as a novice. Then Tikon suggests that Nikolai Stavrogin return to public life as a reformed chastened man.  But In the interview at a critical moment of a possible total acceptance of Christ, the priest and his teachings, Nikolai Stavrogin rejects Tikon's recommendation to retire to a monastery for a time to seek a solution for his spiritual conflict. Then suddenly overwhelmed by spiritual confusion, Nikolai Stavrogin storms out of Tikon's cell in a rage with a curse.  Of course, later Nikolai Stavrogin incites Fedka the convict to murder his wife Marya Timofyevna and Captain Lebyadkin with promises of money and a internal merchants passport. Thus the hideous crime Tikon predicted would happen did occur. 

In the "Brothers Karamazov" (1880)  Ivan Karamazov and the "paltry devil" engage in a intense philosophical debate, where the devil tries to establish himself as a reality, not as a dream.  But Ivan Karamazov mocks the devil as a childish buffoon who does nothing more than repeat old ideas Ivan Karamazov has abandoned long ago.  Ivan Karamazov realizes that the devil is himself not a seperate entity.  After Ivan Karamazov visits Smerdyakov who states that he murdered Fyodor Pavlovitch Karamazov and that Mitya Karamazov had nothing to do with the murder, Ivan Karamazov decides to appear with Smerdyakov in court to expose the truth.  The "paltry devil" laughs outright at this new resolution citing the "Geological Cataclysm" where Ivan Karamazov declared if mankind denied the existence of God, mankind would devolve into a amoral chaos where "all things are lawful."   Including parricide.  But Ivan Karamazov is determined in his quest to exonerate Mitya Karamazov even though this altruistic behavior directly contradicts Ivan Karamazov's philosophical  statement "one reptile will devour the other."  A violent knocking on the windowpane ends the hallucination.  Alyosha Karamazov brings news that Smerdyakov has hung himself in his flat. At this point Ivan Karamazov goes mad in a literal sense.  Ivan Karamazov wants to change course from atheistic and nihilistic ravings towards Christianity, but intellectually he cannot completely accept the existence of God.  This is the dilemma Ivan Karamazov faces, an unsolvable riddle.  Ivan Karamazov does appear in court, he presents the stolen money, he openly accuses Smerdyakov of the murder, he declares Mitya Karamazov innocent, but the court does not believe him.  In the end Ivan Karamazov is led out of the courtroom shouting incoherently.  Testimony relating to Ivan Karamazov's mental health reveals that he was experiencing hullicanations of visits by the devil and he was seen talking to dead people in the street.  Ivan Karamazov's testimony could easily be refuted as ravings of a demented man intent on saving his brother. Unfortunately, in the end, Mitya Karamazov, a innocent man, is convicted by a peasant jury of a murder he did not commit. 

This is Dostoevsky in his pure form.   "Does God exist?  Upon my word I don't know!"  I think Dostoevsky endlessly wrestled with this question, and he never completely accepted the existence of God in his lifetime.