How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
Completely at a loss, Ganya introduced [Nastasya] to Varya first, and the two women exchanged strange looks before offering each other their hands. Nastasya Philipovna laughed, however, and put on a mask of gaiety; while Varya had no wish to put on a mask and looked at her sullenly and intently; not even the shade of a smile, something required by simple politeness, appeared on her face. Ganya went dead; there was nothing to ask and no time to ask, and he shot such a menacing glance at Varya that she understood, from the force of it, what this moment meant for her brother. Here, it seems, she decided to yield to him and smiled faintly at Nastasya Philipovna. (1.9.5)
So it's not just Myshkin who is unaware that social conventions—like being polite to those you dislike—are a way to mask real feelings with a veneer of civility. Imagine the life Nastasya sees for herself here, if she were to marry Ganya—a life where every single interaction would be with people who just, just might pretend to be civil to her. Cripes.
Quote #5
The prince was very nervous as he reached the outer door; but he did his best to encourage himself with the reflection that the worst thing that could happen to him would be that he would not be received, or, perhaps, received, then laughed at for coming.
But there was another question, which terrified him considerably, and that was: what was he going to do when he did get in? And to this question he could fashion no satisfactory reply. If only he could find an opportunity of coming close up to Nastasya Philipovna and saying to her: "Don't ruin yourself by marrying this man. He does not love you, he only loves your money. He told me so himself, and so did Aglaya Ivanovna, and I have come on purpose to warn you"—but even that did not seem quite a legitimate or practicable thing to do. Then, again, there was another delicate question, to which he could not find an answer; dared not, in fact, think of it; but at the very idea of which he trembled and blushed. However, in spite of all his fears and heart-quakings he went in, and asked for Nastasya Philipovna. (1.13.1-3)
This is a great moment of Myshkin trying to deceive himself by ignoring the hypocrisy of his own thoughts. Whoa, talk about layers upon layers (upon layers)! He is scared of going to the party and pretends to himself that it's just because he doesn't want to be laughed at. When this pretense is broken down, he tells himself that he's only going to warn Nastasya about Ganya—and can't even admit that the real reason he wants to go is to propose to this woman he has only seen once before.
Quote #6
"I deny nothing, but you must confess that your article—"
"Is a bit thick, you mean? Well, in a way that is in the public interest; you will admit that yourself, and after all one cannot overlook a blatant fact. So much the worse for the guilty parties, but the public welfare must come before everything. As to certain inaccuracies and figures of speech, so to speak, you will also admit that the motive, aim, and intention, are the chief thing. It is a question, above all, of making a wholesome example; the individual case can be examined afterwards; and as to the style—well, the thing was meant to be humorous, so to speak, and, after all, everybody writes like that; you must admit it yourself!" (2.8.58-59)