# Lizaveta Smerdyastchaya — The Brothers Karamazov character guide

> Lizaveta Smerdyastchaya in The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky.

**Role:** minor

**Also known as:** Lizaveta, Stinking Lizaveta, stinking Lizaveta

**First appearance:** 0019-part-i-ii-lizaveta

## Who they are

A mute holy fool and mother of Smerdyakov.

## In the story

### [In the Servants' Quarters](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brothers_karamazov_se/chapters/part-i-i-in-the-servants-quarters)

The idiot girl who gives birth to Smerdyakov in the bathhouse; her groans are heard by Grigory, and she is found dying with the newborn.

### [Lizaveta](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brothers_karamazov_se/chapters/part-i-ii-lizaveta)

A holy idiot of the town, described as dwarfish, with a blank idiocy and meek expression. She wanders barefoot, sleeps in dirt, and is known for her innocence and piety. She is the mother of Smerdyakov, conceived after being assaulted by Fyodor Pavlovitch.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brothers_karamazov_se/characters/lizaveta
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brothers_karamazov_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brothers_karamazov_se/characters