Fyodor Dostoevsky and Constance Garnett are two prominent authors who narrate a great deal of ideas in their work The Grand Inquisitor. Like many authors of their time, the authors explore ideological and religious ideas. Dostoevsky and Garnet belong to the age of Dante, who in his work tried to illuminate and express ideologies that shaped knowledge about God, heaven and hell.
Through literal works and art, the authors who belonged to Dante’s age tried to bring to light matters of heaven. Dostoevsky and Garnett’s poem tries to explain the end of times and authority of the cardinals in the Roman church. The authors try to solve the mystery that no man or Christ himself knows.
The authors try to illuminate the principle of faith. According to the poem, a man lived at a time of faith. The time was marred with various miracles performed by saints. The significance of miracles in those days was critical, especially when man failed in faith.
The authors are very categorical that miracles were necessary, but also offered an opportunity for the devil to devour man using false miracles. From such revelations, the authors seek to educate man the importance using prayers to hold fast in faith.
The authors demystify the grand inquisitor as a symbol of a savior. They depict the grand inquisitor as the one who bears the cross. The authors use the character of the grand inquisitor to depict a savior of mankind. The savior is depicted as one who is weary, torn and who comes to bless. There are examples in the poem, where the authors depict the grand inquisitor as one who heals the suffering and brings life to mourners.
The representation of the grand inquisitor as a cardinal is rather intriguing. The power bestowed upon the grand inquisitor by the authors brings the mysteries of the roman church into limelight. Perhaps, the authors want the reader to understand the authority bestowed upon the cardinal.
The authors liken the cardinal powers to that of Christ. The grand inquisitor in his own wisdom tries to make man understand the concept of happiness. Interestingly, the grand inquisitor is categorical that man is a rebellious creation and so may not understand his own quest for happiness.
The nature of man to go against warnings is best analyzed by the grand inquisitor. The analysis of the grand inquisitor is an example of the very lessons taught in Christian religion. The grand inquisitor is categorical that temptations of the dread spirits of destruction show a lack of admonitions and warning in man.
Ivan and Alyosha are two brothers and characters in the poem grand inquisitor. The two brothers are on a quest of understanding religion and wisdom from the grand inquisitor. The two are disturbed by the words of the grand inquisitor. The two agree and disagree on some issues alleged by the grand inquisitor. This exhibits the fate of the Roman church in Russia, where it has challenges.
The authority exhibited by the Roman church in regard to knowledge is sometimes suspicious. This is the position that many people seem to understand. Jesuits are a section of the Roman church most elite group. Perhaps, the grand inquisitor is one of the Jesuits as evidenced from his wisdom and knowledge. People who pay no allegiance to any religion often rubbish such allegations.