Hello everyone,
The possible inconsistency occurs in Part 3 Chapter 3/4. Even though I read it at least twice, it still seems that the events are impossible to occur the way that they occur.
Chronologically,
Myshkin bumps into Keller, who has been following him since he left the Epanchins’, Keller offers protection to Myshkin which he thinks is absurd. Then Myshkin walks to the park where Rogozhin appears, they discuss some stuff, and Myshkin remembers that it is his birthday. Myshkin invites Rogozhin to join him to celebrate in his villa.
Now this is where it gets unreasonable,
When Myshkin and Rogozhin arrive at Myshkin’s villa, the whole squad is waiting for them. Long story short, we are told that Keller told the squad that it was Myshkin’s birthday.
The problem I see is that there is no way that, as I understand the plot, Keller might know it was Myshkin’s birthday. On top of Keller barely knowing Myshkin, even Myshkin did not remember it was his birthday.
IIRC, there’s an inconsistency in Crime and Punishment as well. Something about going into a building at night, having a conversation, and then leaving in the day. I was going to say there’s nothing to do about it, but it’s in public domain, so you could literally just edit it to resolve the inconsistency. But honestly, it just doesn’t matter. We don’t read Doestoevsky because his books are so exquisitely free of inconsistencies.
you can always chalk that up to Raskolnikov going through a psychotic break. so much of what he percives around him is not actually happening, that it would not be unusual for him to be confused about times of day.
also, C&P takes place in St Petersburg and they essentially have no nights in the summer there.
The first time Raskolnikov goes to the police station, it’s reported to be on a different floor of the building than the second time he goes.