The Great Dictator

Inspired by a story from The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky, this work explores the timeless conflict between power and freedom. It centers on the figure of the Great Dictator—an aged leader of an ancient institution—who, believing he acts out of love for humanity, claims the authority to interpret truth, even Scripture. In doing so, he chooses control over compassion, fear over freedom, and power over hope.

Convinced he’s saving humanity from the burden of free will, he rejects Christ’s path and embraces authority, imagining himself as the bearer of the cross that Christ refused: the promise of bread, miracles, and dominion. When the Redeemer returns—silent, gentle, and unresisting—he is accused of sowing guilt and fear through the idea of freedom.

Ultimately, this story portrays an enduring moral struggle: the temptation to save humanity by denying its liberty, and the inevitable ruin of those who confuse domination with redemption.