A riotous society
The irony and satire of Dostoevsky in the representation of the highest provincial society take the most acute forms. In one of the chapters of the novel, the narrator describes the entertainment of the company which surrounds Julia Mikhaylovna. This company is driving around the city in the carriages and horseback, as if specifically looking for scandals. The narrator reports that this outrageous story causes only laughter in the city.
"An ideal" husband
Another ironic moment the reader can observe, when Varvara Petrovna Stavrogina gives Darya Pavlovna advice, concerning her husband. Varvara says that Dasha's husband is "frivolous, mumbler, cruel, selfish" and has awful habits. Besides, he behaves like a woman. However despite this fact, Varvara says that Dasha should appreciate her husband. It is very funny to appreciate a man, who, in principle, should not be appreciated.
Nearly the hero of the novel
Stepan Trofimovich Verkhovensky compares Nikolai Vsevolodovich Stavrogin with Prince Harry - Henry IV of Shakespeare’s history play, who was also taking to drink in his youth, but later proved himself to be a talented commander. According to Dostoevsky's plan, Stavrogin fails to find uses for his "immeasurable forces", which "go into an abomination", and therefore Stavrogin is called "Prince Harry" only ironically - the expectation of "feats" from him is in vain.
