crime and punishment essay themes

Themes and Analysis

Crime and punishment, by fyodor dostoevsky.

'Crime and Punishment' features salient themes that are relevant today as they were in Dostoevsky's Russia.

About the Book

Article written by Israel Njoku

Degree in M.C.M with focus on Literature from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

‘Crime and Punishment’ contains numerous themes, reflecting Dostoevsky’s preoccupation with and response to the flurry of ideologies coming into Russia from Western Europe. Asides from complex ideological issues like nihilism and utilitarianism, everyday relatable issues that occupied Dostoevsky like poverty, suffering, and societal alienation are also addressed within the work.

The Dangerous Effects of Nihilism

One of the key themes of ‘Crime and Punishment’ is the effect of harmful ideologies. The problem here is not simply that an individual comes to wholly believe in a dangerous idea and so carries it out, it is also about the parasitic effects of these dangerous ideas as they slowly corrupt our minds and subtly strip us of control and autonomy, pulling us towards the actualization of its destiny even when our hold of and understandings of these ideas are incomplete and tenuous. 

Before Raskolnikov decided to kill the old pawnbroker whom he had deemed expendable on the basis of her wickedness and nastiness, Raskolnikov had written an article where he argued for the right of a certain class of special, superior men to raise themselves above conventional morality and commit crimes in service of aims they deem noble. 

For Raskolnikov, this means an ascendancy to a Napoleon-like personality who has earned the right to kill and commit all sorts of crimes in service of greatness. This extraordinary person is marked by his capacity to commit this crime and profit off it, feeling neither remorse nor weakness in a manner that would undermine the validity of his ideas, or his greatness. 

The more Raskolnikov became possessed by the truth of this idea, the more he wished to be an extraordinary man, to prove he has the capacity to transcend conventional morality in order to do what Raskolnikov deemed noble. Gradually this small theory assumes the nature of an obsession with proving his strength, and that culminated in the murder of the old pawnbroker. It resisted Raskolnikov’s erstwhile moral conscience.

Even when Raskolnikov gets disgusted at the idea of killing the old woman and feels free from the thoughts, he loses control when he overhears at the Hay market that a prime opportunity for the murder was going to present itself soon with the availability of Alyona alone at the house without her sister, 

Raskolnikov finds himself without any control and is thrust into an autopilot program, driving him to test his theory and prove himself extraordinary. The idea took on a life of its own in Raskolnikov’s head and convinced him of its own validity. But when Raskolnikov tries to justify his murder in terms of it being in service to humanity, he finds that he cannot sincerely explain his motivation that way. He discovered that none of the motivations he put forward in his conversation with Sonia inspired him as much as the simple, selfish desire to prove he was “extraordinary”.

A much less pronounced, but definitely evident, theme in the book is that of Egoism. This is an idea espoused to different degrees by a number of characters in the book-namely the likes of Raskolnikov, Svidrigailov, and Luzhin. It can express itself in a direct, undisguised form in service of evil aims, as we see in Svidrigailov’s behaviors. 

Svidrigailov lives for his pleasures and base desires and is not embarrassed by them. He speaks freely to Raskolnikov about desiring and relishing the effort to get these desires. He lives entirely for his own pleasures and is not concerned about others until the very end. Furthermore, he is ruthless in the pursuit of his own gratification and does not consider a grander, nobler aim, nor pretends to consider it in any way.

Raskolnikov is also similar but up until his real motivation is unraveled and understood, he masks this with a pretense of employing his capacity and actions for a larger good. He convinces himself that he was only killing the old pawnbroker because she was a net negative to humanity and her death would benefit many in terms of redistributing her wealth to the poor and preventing her from being wicked to the vulnerable under her. 

It was not until Raskolnikov was forced to examine his motivations for the murder that he realizes that his main aim for committing the murder wasn’t humanistic altruism but rather a naked, selfish pursuit of power, just the same way Svidrigailov was pursuing pleasures. Luzhin similarly masks his egoism under a front of benevolence. In his first encounter with Raskolnikov and Razumikhin, he argues that private charity was in the end counterproductive to the poor and that there would be a net good to society if those who are privileged focused on themselves and refrain from giving handouts to the poor. This argument is obviously only an excuse to legitimize his miserliness. 

The competing forces of natural good and learned evil

In ‘Crime and Punishment ‘, Raskolnikov seems to struggle with the moral demands of his conscience and that of his adopted nihilistic and rational egoistic philosophical outlook. Possibly resulting from his Christian background or a naturally altruistic and humanistic disposition, Raskolnikov seemed to have a basic constitution that has molded a conscience that inspires him to do good. We see this sentiment in his acts of charity towards the Marmeladovs as well as towards the young girl he saves from the lecherous individual stalking her on the streets. 

However, Raskolnikov has also been exposed to and adopted new dangerous ideas which emphasized a cold utilitarian outlook towards life in service of one’s self-interest. The philosophy of the extraordinary emphasizes his elevation over the troubles of the common people. It encourages a cold, statistical approach to life that sees the common people not as individuals but as numbers.

So just after he rescues the young drunken girl from her stalker, he immediately regrets the action because there were bound to be people like her all the time who will make up the number of people who would be vulnerable to predators, who are condemned to a life of prostitution, diseases, and vulnerability. It was a mathematical and sociological certainty, so why bother trying to interfere? 

Also, when he gives Sonia money after he was dragged to the home of the Marmeladovs, he regrets doing so almost immediately for the same purpose. For large stretches of the book, Raskolnikov struggles between these two competing aspects of his personality. 

The theme of Alienation is a prominent one in ‘ Crime and Punishment ‘. Raskolnikov’s alienation from society as a result of his haughty ideals, as well as his overpowering guilt as a result of his murders, is one of the plot points that move the book. Raskolnikov’s ideas separate him from most of the rest of humanity in theory and principle. His conviction that society is divided between a few superior men and a mass of inferior men sets him on a proud and arrogant path that alienates him from most people whom he views as inferior. 

Although poor and near destitute, Raskolnikov still manages to feel disgusted at the surrounding poverty in his area of St Petersburg. After committing the murders, he is overpowered with guilt and a strong sense that he did not belong with society and with the pure people around him, who are far removed from his destructive and tortured state of mind. His guilt makes him believe he cannot bear to continue to interact and coexist normally with his family and friends, who are good people. 

Helplessness

The theme of helplessness is also featured in ‘ Crime and Punishment ‘. Raskolnikov is a very poor student who is dependent on sacrifices from his mother and sister to be able to sustain himself. Given that his family has high hopes for him and views him as a potential breadwinner, Raskolnikov finds himself under great pressure. 

His poverty strips him of any capacity whatsoever to help his family and realize the expectation placed on him. Worse of all, he could do extremely little to prevent his family from enduring humiliating circumstances like Dunya’s employment at Svidrigailov’s and the prospect of a less than happy marriage with an unsavory character, like Luzhin.

This sense of hopelessness contributes to driving Raskolnikov towards the robbery and murders. Other characters in the novel also find themselves in helpless situations. Marmeledov cannot conquer his addiction and bring himself to stop drinking away the little money the family is able to procure, largely out of Sonia’s prostitution. Sonia herself is helpless against the forces that drove her into a life of prostitution against her will. 

Punishment and Suffering

The theme of suffering and punishment is predominant in the book. The book seems to advance the idea that only commensurate punishment and suffering can put the condemned and guilty on the path to redemption. Repentance is not enough and must be backed by a genuine willingness to pay for one’s sins. After Raskolnikov murders the old pawnbroker, his punishment begins almost immediately after. He suffers from crushing guilt, illness, and self-loathing. He cannot master his conscience, and in the end, he succumbs to it.

His guilt and the triumph of his conscience mean he cannot get away with his crime. He betrays himself and therefore leads himself to be suspected by the authorities. This punishment however can only be expatiated by further punishment. Raskolnikov can only get reprieve and redemption if he confesses publicly to the police and suffers the embarrassment of being thought a fool with crazy ideas and a weak constitution, as well as suffer the disappointment of his family and friends, as well as the loss of his freedom.

Analysis of Key Moments

• Raskolnikov witnesses a young student argue with an army officer over the morality of killing the old, detestable pawnbroker, Alyona.
• Raskolnikov has a dream where he tries to prevent some peasants from heartlessly maltreating a mare
• Raskolnikov receives a letter from his mother outlining the interesting events happening at home with his family
• Raskolnikov kills Alyona the pawnbroker and her sister Lizaveta.
• The police begin to suspect Raskolnikov due to his strange behavior at the station after his landlady reports him over unpaid rent.
• Luzhin makes the unfavorable acquaintance of Raskolnikov.
• Dunya and Pulcharia arrive in Saint Petersburg. They are shocked at Raskolnikov’s cold and erratic behavior.
• Dunya breaks off the engagement with Luzhin; A spiteful Luzhin blames Raskolnikov and plans his revenge.
• Svidrigailov tries and fails to rape Dunya
• Porfiry encourages Raskolnikov to confess and accept his suffering in a heart-to-heart talk.
• Raskolnikov confesses his crime to Sonia, then the Police. 
• Raskolnikov repents for real in a Siberian prison and acknowledges the defectiveness of his ideas.

Tone and Style

‘ Crime and Punishment’ is a forerunner of the realistic style that would come to replace the romanticism that was dominant in Western literature at the time. Dostoevsky’s novel is a classic detective story, but the norms of the genre are subverted when we see the killer commit the crime in the first few pages. There is no mystery as regards who committed the crime or the surface level motivations behind it, rather the novel immediately devotes itself to the consequences of the crime on the individual in a psychological, ideological, and spiritual sense.  

Dostoevsky employs realistic descriptions to bring into sharp relief the starkness of Raskolnikov’s poverty, and his very deliberate world-building and scene-setting allow us to glimpse some motivation behind his crime through the skillful use of strong opinionated characters and interesting, realistic dialogues.

Dostoevsky brings forth the opposing arguments he wants to comment on and allows them to fight as fairly as possible in the world in which he has set them out. Dostoevsky lends little outright authorial or editorial presence in the book, as the omniscient narrator stays mostly objective. But Dostoevsky advances his ideas through the mouths of certain characters. Through dreams, Dostoevsky provides clues as to the psychological makeup of the characters, as well as the principal motivations for their actions. 

Analysis of Symbols

The hay market.

A section of St. Petersburg that is reserved for the very poor. This area is the symbol of poverty, and of the common destitute that Raskolnikov feels himself above. There is a distinct sense of filth and wretchedness that Raskolnikov comes to be all too aware of when he passes by. By making Raskolnikov come here to confess, Sonia makes sure Raskolnikov gets the fullest possible punishment for his murders. This is because the hay market is populated by a mass of people whom Raskolnikov despises and thinks are inferior to himself. Confessing here accentuates his humiliation but at the same time fast tracks his redemption.

The cross is a symbol of wilful suffering in service of pious and redemptive aims. Raskolnikov goes to take Sonia’s cross only when he is ready to confess publicly for his sins.

Saint Petersburg

The city of Saint Petersburg was often seen as the most Westernized Russian city, therefore for Slavophiles, or people with slavophilic sentiments in post-Petrine Russia, Saint Petersburg was the most corrupt of Western cities, the city that has strayed farthest from traditional Russian values. The city is depicted this way in ‘Crime and Punishment ‘. Raskolnikov’s descent into the dark extremities of radical ideals begins only after he abandons the conservative society of rural Russia for corrupting Saint Petersburg. The city disgusts Raskolnikov, too, with its stench of filth and poverty and cynical residents. It is infested by “foolish” ideologues, too.

What are the major themes in ‘ Crime and Punishment ?’

‘ Crime and Punishment ‘ contain themes like helplessness, poverty, nihilism, suffering, and alienation, among others.

What did Dostoevsky set out to achieve in ‘ Crime and Punishment ?’

Dostoevsky’s major objective is to display the folly and dangers inherent in radical ideals like utilitarianism, atheism, and nihilism

What literary style did Dostoevsky employ in ‘ Crime and Punishment ?’

Realism. Dostoevsky wrote in a very realistic style, favoring an accurate mimicking of reality over romanticism.

About Israel Njoku

Israel loves to delve into rigorous analysis of themes with broader implications. As a passionate book lover and reviewer, Israel aims to contribute meaningful insights into broader discussions.

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Crime and Punishment

68 pages • 2 hours read

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Alienation and Shame

In Crime and Punishment , many characters feel alienated from society, cut off or isolated from other people. Raskolnikov is the central embodiment of this alienation. He physically separates himself from people by staying in his room, refusing to engage with friends and family, and retreating into his own thoughts. Trapped like this, Raskolnikov festers with rage. To explain his disconnection, he concocts a complex theory separating people into the ordinary and the extraordinary, to whom everything is permitted. Desperate to believe that he is extraordinary, he commits murder. But this action only isolates him more.

Other characters experience alienation in Crime and Punishment because of shame. Marmeladov’s alcoholism makes him a self-hating pariah, too ashamed to go home to his wife. The shame of Sonia’s profession dehumanizes her as an immoral fallen woman. Raskolnikov witnesses an attempted suicide, and several young women reportedly killed themselves after Svidrigailov raped them—the shame of premarital sex, even when coerced, is enough for them to consider their lives ruined.

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Crime and Punishment

Introduction to crime and punishment.

Crime and Punishment was written by Fyodor Dostoevsky . It is the tour de force that presents the post-reform Russia through the character of Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov. The novel first started appearing in series in The Russian Messenger, a literary journal, during the year 1866 and impacted many readers. Later, when the single-volume hit the shelves, it proved an instant success for Dostoevsky. Often referred to as the Russian masterpiece, Crime and Punishment continues to fascinate generations both in the East as well as in the West. The book was translated into various languages.

Summary of Crime and Punishment

Rodion Raskolnikov is living in St. Petersburg, facing acute poverty despite having handsome looks and an intelligent mind. After some thought, he plans to kill the pawnbroker widow, Alyona, to have her money. However, finds himself involved in the familial issues of Marmeladov after he has had a brawl with his wife, Katerina, and sees their messy life. On the following day, he receives information from his brother Pulcheria Alexandrovna about his sister’s marriage, Duyna, and his family’s migration to the same city. Instead of paying attention to this familial issue, he overhears some people talking about the death of the same pawnbroker. After this, he visits her to kill her and tries to find money instead he finds her sister. Rodion kills her, too, and escapes empty-handed.

The next day Rodion tries to wash all traces of the blood of the old woman whom he murdered a day before when the police call him. Though the call is not relevant to the murder, it is his landlady trying to extort money from him. The police suspect him of any crime and they do not find any clue either. He also hides things he has taken from the widow. Meanwhile, Rodion visits Dmitri, his friend, who has offered him work but he rejects his offer, comes back home, and faints. When he comes to his senses, he finds his landlady and his friend taking care of him. They inform him about the arrival of the doctor and a police detective. Although they sense his discomfort at the mention of the murder, they do not suspect him.

Later, Rodion’s sister and her fiancé visit him after which he meets Zamyotov, the police detective, before whom he almost admits his hand in the murder yet it doesn’t raise any kind of suspicion. Unfortunately, he finds Marmeladov killed in an accident while he assists Sonya and his mother. When his sister and brother-in-law come again to meet him, he asks them to part ways, while his friend Dmitri also tries to explain his involvement with them. After some thought, he seeks an apology for his behavior and admits having given money to Marmeladov, expressing his fury over his sister and his fiancé for marrying her. When he meets Sonya after that he agrees to join her father’s final rituals. Soon Rodion meets the investigator and talks about the murder. However, again it comes to naught, as a stranger follows him whom he found in his room in that morning. He suspects him having discovered his secret but the stranger shares another plan, talking to him about his sister’s fiancé whom he does not like, and offers a huge sum to him to leave his sister.

Following this, Rodion meets his friend Dmitri who tells him about the police and their suspicion about him being the assassin while discussing the affair of Dunya’s marriage. To their luck, Luzhin, whom Dunya is going to marry, insults everybody, causing the dissolution of the engagement. Both Rodion and Dmitri talk about establishing the business as well as helping Dunya. After a while, he leaves for Sonya where she narrates to him the story of Jesus and Lazarus when Svidrigailov spies on them. Following this incident, he meets the eavesdropping police officer Porfiry to discuss the murder but Nikolai, a suspect, arrested for that murder, breaks in and confesses his involvement, leaving him confused. Later, he comes to know that the confessor has no clues about his crime. Then, he bumps into Sonya and Luzhin after which he confesses the murder before Sonya and his motives for killing the lady. He also finds himself mixed up in the affairs of Sonya who encourages him to confess before the authority. She soon leaves and Svidrigailov informs her that he knows about the murder too.

Dmitri goes to meet his friend to tell him about Rodion’s mental condition and the situation his mother and sister have gone through because of him. The police officer, Porfiry, arrives and explains Nikolai’s situation and also tells him that he knows his crime but has no evidence to arrest him. Instead of confessing, Rodion goes after Svidrigailov who tells him about his involvement with a young girl. Then, he goes to meet his mother and comes to know that Svidrigailov has committed suicide after which Rodion goes straight to the police station. He finds Sonya and confesses his crime after which the police arrest him. Finally, they send Rodion to Siberia for the murder.

Major Themes in Crime and Punishment

• Alienation: Crime and Punishment shows the thematic strand of alienation of an individual from society through Rodion Raskolnikov. Although he struggles to work hard, he falls low. He commits the crime and kills the pawnbroker lady. That makes him paranoid with the suspicion that he may face arrest at any time. This also leads him to feel estranged from Dunya, his sister, as well as Sonya, his lover, whom he could not marry. His extreme self-reflective nature causes him to have delirious fits of temperament. However, he soon comes to the point that he is alien in a society where he should join the others by confessing his crime after Sonya forces him to do the right thing. Finally, he feels that he has alienated not only his friend, Razumikhin but also Sonya whom he loves, and admits it by the end of the story.
• Crimes and Morality: The novel shows the world of crime and the feeling of moral sense through Raskolnikov and his act of murdering the pawnbroker lady. He thinks it is his right to murder if that contributes to his greatness or having good career prospects. This seems that he has lost the moral sense of doing right or wrong. His justification of the murder does not hold weight until Sonya point’s that to him. Rodion then breaks down realizing his mistake. However, Nikolai enters the scene and confuses the police. Though, Rodion has committed the murder and even starts by confessing. Finally, when he faces the punishment of exile to Siberia, his atonement starts, making him morally satisfied.
• Free Will: Free will is a secondary theme of Crime and Punishment. The first instance of this free appears with Rodion’s action when he kills the pawnbroker lady. It has never occurred to him that it the mind that made him do that and he had a choice. From this act of free will to his next acts of taunting his sister, Dunya, seducing Sonya and letting her go and even his confession before Pirfory are all examples of his free will. Yet it seems coincident that Nikolai does confess even before him. These things mix up the concept of free will, yet they show that human beings commit acts on their own, showing they are having free will.
• Madness: The novel highlights the theme of madness through the character of Rodion Raskolnikov and how it impacts him first when he decides to kill the pawnbroker lady and then experiences fit of madness, and then further severe hallucinations when the police try to get evidence on him. Sonya also suffers from depression while his friend, Marlmeladov’s drinking leads him to another type of madness. Svidrigailov also experiences madness after facing rejection from Dunya.
• Suffering: The novel not only highlights suffering but also the ways to redeem oneself from the causes. Rodion murders the old lady, a crime that haunts him throughout his life until he confesses it before the police officer. He suffers after the act, impacting all his near and dear ones. When he finally goes to Siberia to take his punishment, he experiences peace.
• Nihilism: The theme of nihilism is apparent through the resigned attitude of Rodion Raskolnikov after he murders the old lady, Alyona, and his sister, though the second murder is purely coincident. His comments about the lady as a good-for-nothing show his nihilism, including his indifferent attitude toward his mother and sister.
• Moral Framework: The theme of a moral or ethical framework through the murder is observed in this story. When Rodion kills the lady, he has not given any attention to the moral framework, though, there is one in the Russian context . Leaving this moral framework causes him a moral as well as a mental dilemma .
• Psychology of Crime: The novel shows the theme of the psychology of crime through its main character, Rodion Raskolnikov, who kills the pawnbroker lady merely because he needed money, after learning that the lady has money and resources. As soon as he commits the crime, he is paranoid, thinking that every policeman is after him. He keeps trying to get caught and escape the police, thinking that the police already know about his crime. He believes they are after him. At one point, Rodion breaks down and confesses his crime. Porfiry shows him Nikolai who has already confessed the crime despite having no clue of the actual murder. Finally, when he confesses, it is too late. Rodion accepts his fate after he is dispatched to Siberia to serve his punishment.
• Superiority Complex: The novel also shows the theme of the superiority complex as opposed to the inferiority complex. As Rodion Raskolnikov suffers from it. He thinks that he is superior to all others around him, including his sister, Dunya, and his friend Razumikhin, who tries to stay with him until the end when Rodion is punished after he confesses the crime. However, this becomes complex when he starts having fits of hallucination after he loses his own ethical framework after the murder. The guilt of committing murder and the ensuing mental conflict leads him nowhere. Finally, he’s sent to Siberia where the police send him after the confession of his crime. This makes him let go of his superiority complex as he resigns to his fate.
• Utilitarianism: Rodion’s justification for murdering Alyona is based on his utilitarian thinking of having money enough to lead a comfortable life.

Major Characters of Crime and Punishment

• Rodion Romanych Raskolnikov: Rodion is the protagonist and the central figure of the storyline. The story starts with his obsession to earn money followed by his act of crime, murdering Alyona, the pawn broker lady, and her sister. This double murder further leads him to experience a mental breakdown when the police pursue the case. While trying to escape the punishment, he also has to take care of his mother and Dunya, his sister, including his sweetheart, Sonya, and his friends, and acquaintances. He becomes paranoid and depressed, and he continuously falls sick and even falls unconscious due to the impending fear of the police and punishment. He continues to hide from the police and his confession is not given serious consideration either. The police can’t arrest him without evidence. He falls apart and becomes indifferent towards Sonya and his sister, including her brother-in-law. Finally, with Sonya’s encouragement, he confesses his crime and is sent to Siberia to serve his punishment, which he accepts with peace.
• Sonya Marmeladov: Sonya meets Rodion immediately after he wants greatness following the death of the pawnbroker lady, Alyona, and her sister. She provides Rodion necessary emotional and monetary support. Sadly, she doesn’t see a future with him, as he stays engaged with the dilemma of his crime he had committed. She is poor but holds high moral standards. Thus playing a very important role in Rodion’s transformation in the end. She persuades him to confess his crime and free himself from the mental torture he has been undergoing since the day he had murdered both women. She stands by Rodion despite his difficult times and accompanies Rodion to Siberia even though she knows that he has to be away to endure his punishment.
• Dmitri Razumikhin: Dmitri is a close friend of Rodion and knows that he would not abandon the idea of greatness. Despite his inept thinking and action, Dmitri is quite generous and assists his friend in many ways including providing support to his sister and mother. A down-to-earth humble person, he does not take much care of the mental predicament that his friend is undergoing. He remains loyal by marrying Dunya, Rodion’s sister by the end of the novel.
• Dunya Romanovna: Dunya is Rodion’s sister. She is taunted by him and even goes after her when she is engaged to Luzhin. She finally comes to know about her brother’s crime, murdering two women. She asks him to give himself over to the authorities. However, it is interesting that she saves herself from Svidrigailov and Luzhin with Rodion’s help. Finally, she marries Rodion’s loyal friend, Dmitri.
• Svidrigailov: Svidrigailov is a manipulator and works for Dunya. He pursues Dunya and becomes bitter when he can’t marry her. However, it is interesting to note that he assists the family several times which can be interpreted as parts of his seductive efforts toward her. He commits suicide after he fails to win her.
• Marfa Petrovna Svidrigailov: Marfa is Svidrigailov’s wife. She comes to his financial rescue. Despite knowing his promiscuous nature, she stays loyal and later assists Dunya to meet Luzhin. Her goodness of heart stays after her death when it becomes apparent that she has willed her entire property to Dunya.
• Zakharovich Marmeladov: Marmeladoy is an alcoholic and an ex-civil servant. Rodion and Semyon suffer from the same ailment poverty and guilt. In spite of his awareness of his addiction, he continues to ruin his life and his family’s and three children until his death.
• Katerina Marmeladov: Katerina is Semyon’s wife. She suffers from tuberculosis as well as her husband’s addiction. She remains honest and hardworking. Although she is from the upper class, she suffers from an abusive husband first. Out of love and kindness , she leaves all her savings to Sonya and her daughter.
• Pyotr Petrovich Luzhin: An arrogant rich person, Luzhin tries his best to deceive Dunya into marriage but Rodion’s timely interference saves her from his deceit.
• Pulcheria Alexandrovna: Pulcheria is Rodion’s mother. She has premonitions about the doom of her son. She later briefs him about the harrowing situations both, she and her daughter, have gone through.

Writing Style of Crime and Punishment

The story is written in third-person narrative and dramatic form. Crime and Punishment exhibit Dostoyevsky’s dexterous use of drama in fiction , using short as well as long sentences and alluring syntax . The most important passages related to philosophy, mental dilemmas, and the moral predicament of all characters are not only catchy but also highly seductive in terms of diction and formality. For literary devices , Dostoyevsky turns to similes, metaphors , and personifications to make his fictional prose vibrant and lively.

Analysis of the Literary Devices in Crime and Punishment

• Action: The main action of the novel comprises the murder of Alyona, a pawnbroker widow, by the protagonist, Raskolnikov, and his post-murder life until his confession and subsequent punishment. The falling action occurs when confesses and is subsequently sent to Siberia as punishment, while the rising action occurs when he kills Alyona and her sister in Alyona’s apartment.
• Allusion : The sentences are examples of allusions, i. The sky was cloudless and the water was almost bright blue, which is so rare in the Neva. The dome of the cathedral, which is seen at its best from the bridge about twenty paces from the chapel, glittered in the sunlight, and in the pure air every ornament on it could be clearly distinguished. (Part -2, Chapter -3) ii. “Oh, damn . . . these are the items of intelligence. An accident on a staircase, spontaneous combustion of a storekeeper from alcohol, a fire in Peski . . . a fire in the Petersburg quarter . . . another fire in the Petersburg quarter . . . and another fire in the Petersburg quarter . . . Ah, here it is!” (Part -2, Chapter -5) Both of these examples allude to the Neva, cathedral, and the Petersburg quarters.
• Anaphora : The following sentence are good examples of anaphora , i. The essential question was settled, and irrevocably settled, in his mind: “Never such a marriage while I am alive, and Mr. Luzhin be damned!” (Chapter -4) ii. Hm . . . So it is finally settled; you have determined to marry a rational business man, Avdotia Romanovna, one who has a fortune (has already made his fortune, that is so much more solid and impressive), a man who holds two government posts and who shares the ideas of our most rising generation, as mother writes, and who ‘seems to be kind,’ as Dunechka herself observes. That seems beats everything! And that very Dunechka is marrying that very ‘seems’! Splendid! splendid! (Chapter -4) iii. He walked on without resting. He had a terrible longing for some distraction, but he did not know what to do, what to attempt. A new overwhelming sensation was gaining more and more mastery over him every moment; it was an immeasurable, almost physical repulsion for everything surrounding him, a stubborn, malignant feeling of hatred. (Part -2, Chapter -3) These examples show the repetitious use of “settled”, “fortune”, “seems” and “what to.”
• Antagonist : There is more than one antagonist in the novel. For example, Luzhin, the fiancé of his sister Dunya, Ilya Petrovic, and the landlady try their best to obstruct Rodion from realizing his dream of achieving greatness.
• Conflict : The novel shows both external and internal conflicts. The external conflict is going on between Rodion and the police about the murder he has committed. However, the internal conflict is his mental conflict about the morality of his action.
• Characters: The novel, Crime and Punishment, shows both static as well as dynamic characters. The young man, Rodion, is a dynamic character as he shows a considerable transformation in his behavior and conduct by the end of the novel after he confesses his crime and goes to Siberia for punishment. However, all other characters are static as they do not show or witness any transformation such as Dunya, Svidrigailov, and Razumikhin including his own mother.
• Climax : The climax in the novel occurs when he accepts his punishment and feels peaceful after he kills the widow, Alyona, and her sister, in their apartment.
• Foreshadowing : The novel has many instances of foreshadows. A few examples are given below, i. On an exceptionally hot evening early in July a young man came out of the tiny room which he rented from tenants in S. Place and walked slowly, as though in hesitation, towards K. Bridge. (Chapter -1) ii. He woke up late next day after a troubled sleep. But his sleep had not refreshed him; he woke up bilious, irritable, ill-tempered, and looked with hatred at his room. (Chapter -3) iii. Instantly he thrust them all under his overcoat and fixed his eyes intently upon her. Far as he was from being capable of rational reflection at that moment, he felt that no-one would behave like that with a person who was going to be arrested. “But . . . The police?” (Part -2, Chapter -1) The mention of the hot evening, hesitation, sleep, and his character traits point to something sinister that Rodion is going to do.
• Imagery : The following sentences are examples of imagery , i. He was, by the way, exceptionally handsome, above average in height, slim, well-built, with beautiful dark eyes and dark brown hair. Soon, though, he sank into deep thought, or more accurately speaking into a complete blankness of mind; he walked along not observing what was around him and not caring to observe it. (Chapter -1) ii. His nervous shudder had passed into a fever that made him feel shivering; in spite of the heat he felt cold. With a kind of effort he began almost unconsciously, from some inner necessity, to stare at all the objects before him, as though looking for something to distract his attention; but he did not succeed, and kept lapsing every moment into brooding. (Chapter-5) iii. He was in full possession of his faculties, free from confusion or giddiness, but his hands were still trembling. He remembered afterwards that he had been particularly cautious and careful, trying all the time not to get stained . . .He pulled out the keys at once, they were all, as before, in one bunch on a steel ring. He ran at once into the bedroom with them. (Chapter -7) These examples show images of length, height, movements, and feelings.
• Metaphor : Crime and Punishment shows good use of metaphors. The following sentences are examples of metaphors, i. It was a long while since he had received a letter, but another feeling also suddenly stabbed his heart. (Chapter -3) ii. A gloomy sensation of agonizing, eternal solitude and remoteness took conscious form in his soul. (Part -2, Chapter -!) These examples show that several things have been compared directly in the novel such as the first shows feeling compared with a knife, isolation compared with the driver of control, and sleep with a lake.
• Mood : The novel, Crime and Punishment, shows a commonplace dull mood in the beginning but turns out highly absurd as well as tragic when Rodion kills the widow. The mood turns to be confusing and ironic when Rodion tries to dodge the police and cope with the confusion and mental torture he comes across after the murder.
• Motif : Most important motifs of the novel, Crime and Punishment, are poverty, vision, mental dilemma, and morality.
• Narrator : The novel, Crime and Punishment, is narrated by the third-person narrator , who happens to be Fyodor Dostoevsky himself.
• Parallelism : The novel shows the use of parallelism in the following examples, i. The landlady who provided him with the room and with dinner and service lived on the floor below, and every time he went out he was obliged to pass her kitchen, the door of which was always open. (Chapter -1) ii. He had given up attending to matters of practical importance; he had lost all desire to do so. (Chapter -1) iii. It would have been difficult to sink to a lower ebb of slovenliness, but to Raskolnikov in his present state of mind this was even agreeable. (Chapter -3) iv. He drove away thought; thought tortured him. (Part -2, Chapter -5) These three examples show the parallel structure of the sentences used by Dostoevsky.
• Paradox : The following sentences show examples of paradox from the novel, i. Almost from the first, while he read the letter, Raskolnikov’s face was wet with tears; but when he finished it, his face was pale and distorted and a bitter, wrathful and malignant smile was on his lips. (Chapter -3) ii. Yes, he remembered that he began laughing a thin, nervous noiseless laugh, and went on laughing all the time he was crossing the square.” (Part -2, Chapter -2) iii. “Evidence against him! Evidence that was no evidence, and that’s what we have to prove. (Part -2, Chapter -4) These examples show that the writer has put paradoxical ideas or things together.
• Personification : The following sentences are examples of personifications, i. The letter was quivering in his hand; he did not want to open it in her presence; he wanted to be left alone with this letter. (Chapter -3) ii. At last he was conscious of his former fever and shivering, and he realized with relief that he could lie down on the sofa. Soon heavy, leaden sleep came over him, as though crushing him. (Chapter -6) iii. “Good evening, Aliona Ivanovna,” he began, trying to speak as casually as possible, but his voice would not obey him, it broke and shook. “I have come . . . I have brought something . . . but we’d better go over here . . . to the light . . .”. (Chapter -7) iv. At first he thought he was going mad. A dreadful chill came over him; but the chill was from the fever that had begun long before in his sleep. (Part -2, Chapter -1) v. At the end of the courtyard, the corner of a low, seedy stone shed, apparently part of some workshop, peeped from behind the hoarding. (Part -2, Chapter -2) These examples show if the letter, sleep, voice, chill, and shed have life and emotions of their own.
• Protagonist : Rodion is the protagonist of the novel. The novel starts with his entry into the story, his family situation, his own problem, and above all the murder he commits.
• Rhetorical Questions : The following examples of rhetorical questions are given below, i. “Why am I not at the office? Does not my heart ache to think what a useless worm I am? A month ago when Mr. Lebeziatnikov beat my wife with his own hands, and I lay drunk, didn’t I suffer? Excuse me, young man, has it ever happened to you . . . hm . . . well, to ask hopelessly for a loan?” (Chapter -2) ii. But why had he happened to hear just such a discussion and such ideas at the very moment when his own brain was just conceiving . .. the very same ideas? And why, just at the moment when he had brought away the embryo of his idea from the old woman had he happened upon a conversation about her? (Chapter -6) Both examples show the use of rhetorical questions that mostly Rodion does to question his own ideas and situation.
• Repetition : The novel has many examples of repetition . A few are given below, i. In the first place, it was evident, far too evident, actually, that Peter Petrovich had eagerly used his few days in the capital to buy himself a new set of clothes in which to greet his fiancée—which was in fact an entirely innocent, permissible thing to do. (Part -2, Chapter -5) ii. “Oh, damn . . . these are the items of intelligence. An accident on a staircase, spontaneous combustion of a storekeeper from alcohol, a fire in Peski . . . a fire in the Petersburg quarter . . . another fire in the Petersburg quarter . . . and another fire in the Petersburg quarter . . . Ah, here it is!” (Part -2, Chapter -5) These examples show the use of repetitions such as “evident” and “a fir” in which the writer has emphasized the idea.
• Setting : The setting of the novel, Crime and Punishment is St. Petersburg and Siberia in Russia.
• Simile : The following sentences are examples of similes, i. Meanwhile Razumikhin sat down on the sofa beside him, as clumsily as a bear put his left arm round Raskolnikov’s head, although he was able to sit up, and with his right hand gave him a spoonful of soup, blowing on it so it would not burn him. But the soup was only just warm. (Part-2, Chapter-3) ii. The murderer was upstairs, locked in, when Koch and Pestriakov knocked at the door. Koch, like an ass, didn’t stay at the door; so the murderer popped out and ran down, too, because he had no other way of escape. (Part-2, Chapter-4) These use of words “like” and “as” show the comparison between Razumikhin and bear and Koch and an ass.

Related posts:

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• Crime and Punishment Themes
• Crime and Punishment Characters
• Crime Doesn’t Pay
• Fyodor Dostoevsky
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The Classic Journal

A journal of undergraduate writing and research, from wip at uga, an analysis of crime and punishment.

by Paris Whitney

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky is a novel that has been deemed controversial, yet notable over the course of centuries. This novel was influenced by the time period and setting of 19 th century St. Petersburg, Russia. Society was transitioning from medieval traditions to Westernization, which had a large impact on civilians, specifically those in poverty. Dostoevsky writes this novel centered around a poor man whose poverty drives him to test an ideology that results in his own detriment. Although this is important, the plot is only part of what makes this novel significant. What continues to make this novel memorable centuries after it was written is how Dostoevsky uses the concept of time to progress the plot and establish information, how his use of symbolism contributes to the message and meaning of the story and its characters, and how his writing has unintentionally embraced and related to different philosophies.

symbolism, nature, time, philosophy, existentialism, ego transcendence

Fyodor Dostoevsky is perhaps the most controversial author of the nineteenth century. His best-known work is Crime and Punishment , a novel that explores the psychological depths of man. At the center is Raskolnikov, a character who inflicts and experiences a great deal of suffering, all because he perceives himself to be superior to the average man.

Crime and Punishment takes place in St. Petersburg, Russia. The time is 1860, Alexander II holds reign, and consequently political skepticism is abundant. In addition to skepticism, the country’s economic state has disproportionate effects on its citizens, as the increasing wealth gap parallels the increase of turmoil in the streets. The novel follows Rodion Raskolnikov, a man of lower class whose poverty leads him to forming an idea and testing its validity. This theory is that certain men are exempt from laws created by society, as their actions against these laws are done for the greater good. In order to test this theory, Raskolnikov forms a plan to murder Alyona Ivanovna, an old pawnbroker whom he has had many exchanges with. After killing Ivanovna, he ends up killing her sister Lizaveta as well, when her appearance at Ivanovna’s apartment startles his original plan. In a frenzy, he leaves their bodies at the crime scene, and on his way out his mental state begins to spiral leading the readers to follow his psychological decline. 

Around the world, philologists and psychologists alike have studied Crime and Punishment to understand what makes this work essential to literature. Through studies of symbolism, philosophy, and psychology, it is recognized how Dostoevsky uses the concept of time to develop the story, how he uses symbolism to reflect underlying emotions and intentions of characters, and how different ideologies may be related to the meaning behind Crime and Punishment. These components used together showcase how Dostoevsky’s work remains notable for centuries.  

Crime and Punishment is a novel symbolic of the drawbacks that society can have on individuals, specifically those who are at a disadvantage as a result of their class or mental state. When Dostoevsky penned this novel, the time was 1866. 19 th century Russia was a transition period from medieval traditions to Westernization. During this transition, many people struggled to accommodate to the changing times. There was unrest in the streets, conflict amongst the classes, economic upheaval, and a lack of concern for those suffering by the government. Those who were of higher class were better able to navigate this complex transition, while those in poverty lacked the materials necessary to accommodate to the coming changes. Previously Westernized countries exhibited unrest fromtheir populations while progressing in societal advancement. There was concern about this potentially translating into Russia’s development. Russia was not exempt from these issues, and Dostoevsky was no help in assuring that peace would be maintained. Dostoevsky’s work concerned people in power when he indirectly made an association between violence and societal progression, and how this may prompt the masses to revolt against their government. Localized current events, such as a rise in domestic violence and murder, also influenced this novel. Due to these real-life events that inspired Dostoevsky’s work, it can be said that Crime and Punishment is an accurate representation of its time period [ 1 ] .

Not only was time period an influence on his work, but Dostoevsky would manipulate the concept of time itself to convey the meaning behind his stories. In Crime and Punishment , Dostoevsky writes Raskolnikov as a character continuously in a fever of thoughts. His mind is constantly running rampant, unrelenting even in slumber. Before significant events Raskolnikov would either flashback or dream of memories foreshadowing future moments. An example of this is before committing to murder Alyona Ivanovna, his subconscious takes him and the reader back to a moment where he and his father witnessed the cruel killing of a mule at the hands of a crowd for being too weak to pull a wagon . From a third person perspective, young Raskolnikov’s reaction to this moment is described hither, “But by now the poor boy is beside himself. With a shout he plunges through the crowd into the sorrel, embraces her dead, bloodstained muzzle, and he kisses her, kisses her on the eyes, on the mouth…” (Dostoevsky, 1866, pg. 57). By preceding Raskolnikov’s murderous intentions with his younger self’s mournful reaction to the mule’s death shows the audience how Raskolnikov has developed over time, and the degeneration resulting from his experiences in life.Time also seems to slow down when Raskolnikov is in moments of heightened emotion , because as he loses the ability to conceptualize, the more feverish his mind becomes. Towards the end of the novel, Raskolnikov reflects on the events that have occurred, saying “after a long time had passed, he thought his consciousness must have kept flashing on and off, with several dim, dark intervals, right up to the final catastrophe. He was absolutely convinced he had been mistaken about many things at the time; the duration of time of certain events, for example.” (Dostoevsky, 1866, pg. 417). This feverish mindset also manifests into physiological symptoms, giving Raskolnikov the appearance of being sick. “He was not completely unconscious all the time he was sick, but rather delirious, in a feverish state of half consciousness. He could recall a good deal later. Once in his room seemed full of people… They had all gone out. They were afraid of him.” (Dostoevsky, 1866, pg. 112). Dostoevsky uses syntax and diction to write these occurrences in a way that mimics Raskolnikov’s thinking. The transitions between events are frenetic, reflecting the tumultuous thoughts that plague Raskolnikov as a result of his actions. Choosing to modify the chronology of the novel in this way, he emphasizes the severity of situations by making the readers feel like they are experiencing the event as well.

In addition to this, Crime and Punishment contains levels of symbolism to enhance the mental conditions of characters . George Gibian explored traditionalsymbolism [2] within Crime and Punishment , and came to find that many motifshave religious roots. Ranging from Christianity to Paganism to Russian Orthodoxy, Dostoevsky’s implementation of images such as water, vegetation, air, and earth come together to express the mental state of the characters immersed in a particular setting. For example, Gibian described how water is used as a symbol of rebirth or regeneration. In Crime and Punishment , Raskolnikov would aimlessly walk about the setting in moments where his mind and thoughts were chaotic. He would end up in symbolically important nature scenes, for instance beside a river that ran through his town, or on the ground surrounded by bushes and trees. When near the water, he would feel the weight of guilt coming from the crimes he has committed. “He stared at the darkening water of the canal. He seemed to be scrutinizing this water. At last red circles danced before his eyes, the buildings swayed, the passersby, the embankments, the carriages- everything around him began to swirl and dance. All of a sudden he shuddered. A wild and grotesque scene saved him, perhaps, from another fainting spell.” (Dostoevsky, 1866, pg. 163). In this scene, Raskolnikov’s physiological symptoms begin to arise as his consciousness fights for contrition. This is important because Raskolnikov’s proximity to water when these feelings arise is representative of the good side of his conscience, trying to push him in the direction of what is right.

While water and vegetation are symbols that typically have a positive connotation, their presence can be used to emphasize the degeneration of one’s mental state . An example would be Svidrigailov, a character whose presence is nothing short of problematic. He strives to satisfy his erotic desires regardless of who may be harmed in the process, solidifying his position as one of the antagonists in Crime and Punishment . Svidrigailov also possesses a dislike for nature. This is shown when he visits St. Petersburg, and in his final night of life he ends up spiraling in his hotel room. During this downward spiral, he hears the sound of trees rustling outside of his window combined with rain. Instead of comforting him, they drive him further towards insanity. “‘The trees are sighing. I must admit I don’t care for the sighing of trees on a dark, stormy night- it gives me the creeps!’” He takes time to contemplate his life, saying, “ ‘I never in my life liked water… You’d think now, of all times, I’d be indifferent to these fine points of esthetics and comfort, whereas actually I’m fussier,’” (Dostoevsky, 1866, pg. 480). He resents the sound of vegetation when having a mental breakdown, and he ends up committing suicide in the midst of a fog that has emerged after a thunderstorm- showing his opposition to growing as a person. The use of nature as a way to reflect internal torments and emotions of different characters shows Dostoevsky’s proficiency in storytelling. Having the character’s surroundings speak the unspoken about what they may be feeling adds a level of meaning to the novel. This implementation of pathetic fallacy strengthens the story while aiding the reader in understanding the message of the text. When looking at the novel as a whole, it is clear nature bridges a connection between the audience and the author, by contextualizing events using the description of the setting where they take place. The narrator establishing the environment before delving into details about actions is a way to indicate to the reader potential outcomes of events, or foreshadow underlying emotions.

Symbolism in this novel does not stop with traditional aspects. Janet Tucker [3] explored the significance of clothing in respect to a character’s religious prospects and how their clothing reflects their beliefs or state of mind. When being worn by someone who has dedicated their life to Christ, clothing is modest and kept to the best of their ability. Sonya is a character in Crime and Punishment who serves as a deuteragonist, being one of the women that only have pure intentions when it comes to helping Raskolnikov. She tries to help Raskolnikov find faith and become a better person, and she does her best to comfort him in his worst moments of mental distress. Sonya even follows Raskolnikov to Siberia when he is imprisoned, despite his resistance to loving her. After analyzing this description of character, it can be said that Sonya’s clothes reflect the graciousness of her soul. She conceals her body in rags because she is poor, although she tries her best to keep them from becoming tattered, showing her values and how she maintains her composed state of mind. Comparing her to Raskolnikov, his mental state is too far distracted for him to care about trivial matters such as his appearance. His clothes are riddled with holes, and he lacks the incentive to fix the damage. An interesting point that Tucker made is how Raskolnikov uses his clothes in his crimes. He wears an overcoat that he uses to conceal his murder weapon and the items he has stolen from Ivanovna after killing her. Considering this, Tucker’s point is validated by the quality of clothing matching the quality of the person who bears it. Dostoevsky using clothing to portend the mental state and values that characters hold is a creative and effective way to give the readers insight as to how they will be progressing throughout the novel. Astute members of the audience will be able to recognize the differences among presentation of characters and base predictions about their actions off of their clothing. It is also interesting to see how characters’ religious affiliations can be observed through their attention to quality of clothing, reflecting how they choose to preserve and care for their items. In contrast to nature’s reflection of emotions, clothing gives insight about personal traits and the morals that shape a character into who they are.

While symbolism is important to developing the meaning behind Crime and Punishment , what makes this novel so notable are the philosophies it both challenges and embraces unintentionally. Existentialism [4] is a philosophy maintaining the belief that as individuals, there is a right within everyone to determine quality of life through acts of free will. It is easy to see how Crime and Punishment can be regarded by many existentialists as representative of this philosophy, but overall Dostoevsky is not one many would like to consider an archetype for existentialism. And, in retrospect, he is not. Dostoevsky’s main character in Crime and Punishment spends a lot of his time soliloquizing his belief that certain men are greater than others. Raskolnikov thinks men like this come to be by exercising their free will in ways that defy the common laws of life, but with the intention that what they are doing will better the world in the end. This idea is the reason behind Raskolnikov’s eventual murder of Alyona Ivanovna, a pawnbroker, and her half-sister Lizaveta. He kills Ivanovna as a way to test if he can be one of these people, but quickly discovers in the throes of his crime that he is not. This misconstrued idea of free will presented in Crime and Punishment can be where many begin to wonder if Dostoevsky was an existentialist. But a conclusion can be made that Dostoevsky’s free will is psychologically based and pushes the boundaries between what is right and what is wrong. Existentialism, on the other hand, is a philosophy centered around creativity and authenticity of the self.       

On a more granular level, while Dostoevsky was not an existentialist, his work shows his agreement with the philosophical concept of ego transcendence [5] . Transcendence of the ego is described as an advancement of the “authentic self” through experiences that result in a greater awareness. Once this awareness is achieved, this person usually begins to see themselves as greater than the average human. This is easily relatable to Raskolnikov’s philosophy that he reiterates often throughout the novel. The way that Dostoevsky sets his characters up for transcendence is through suffering. Richard Chapple analyzed the way Dostoevsky progresses Crime and Punishment by noting the use of the prism of the divine [6] . The prism of the divine includes 6 reasons that people suffer, and Dostoevsky provides different scenarios for representations of each reason. Raskolnikov suffers as a result of “recognition of transgression,” which is his guilt overpowering him after killing two women. It is even more stressful because in this guilt he realizes that he is not the monumental person he thought he was. In turn, he suffers because of “involvement in the torments and suffering of others,” as a result of brutally murdering his victims, followed by “greed and ambition.” Once failing to follow through with his entire plan beyond murdering Ivanovna, the weight of his ambition becomes heavy as it never had a chance at being attained. This dissatisfaction with himself contributes more to his depression than the fact that he is a murderer.

The last three prisms of the divine are “lack of faith,” “pride,” and the “inability to love.” Here, it is important to note Chapple’s perspective on how pride stems into all categories of suffering. Chapple discussed concepts such as clothing, a previously mentioned symbol, and how its relation to pride can be interpreted. He states, “The proud often suffer because of poverty or other seemingly external circumstances such as name, clothing and position. Pride generates a façade, and characters wear masks to conceal an inner reality…” (1983, p. 97). While Raskolnikov’s hubris is his biggest torment, Raskolnikov suffers for all of these reasons, and these intersections are where Sonya tries to ease his pain. When Raskolnikov is in his apartment with Sonya and is attempting to explain his crimes, she reassures him that she will not forsake him as he believes she will, going as far as to promise to follow him wherever he goes, even to prison. When he asks her what he should do, she advises him to go back to where he committed these atrocities, kiss the earth and kneel on the ground, then confess aloud that he is a murderer. By doing so, he is confessing to God and has a chance of being forgiven for his sins.

While religion plays a big role in Crime and Punishment , Dostoevsky’s implementation of Lazarus is predominately referencing the song rather than the biblical story- though that is mentioned. The Lazarus song [7] is a song that encapsulates the belief that the relationship between the rich and the poor should include the rich helping those in poverty by almsgiving. When Raskolnikov is preparing to face Porfiry Petrovich, a detective in the case of Ivanovna and Lizaveta’s murders, he says to himself “I’ll have to play the part of Lazarus for him too,” ( Crime and Punishment , 237). When Raskolnikov says this, he means that he is going to have to embrace his situation as a poor, college dropout, as a way to appear more innocent to Petrovich. This manipulation is seen from the side of poor people such as Raskolnikov, but also from those of wealth.

Raskolnikov’s sister, Dunya, was engaged to a man of the name Luzhin who expected her to marry him out of desperation. When Dunya backs out of the marriage, Luzhin scolds himself for not using his money to manipulate her into staying by purchasing expensive gifts, as opposed for thinking he should have treated her better. It is through secondary characters like these when many underlying messages are being portrayed. While Raskolnikov is the central character of Crime and Punishment , Dostoevsky uses secondary characters as a way to reflect certain aspects that Raskolnikov may be lacking, such as consciousness and an ability to recognize and admit to one’s mistakes. With Sonya, she was a part of a family that forced her into prostitution because they were too poor to provide for her, with a father who was too drunk to care. Marmeladov was the father’s name, and he is who Raskolnikov first meets in a bar and confesses to his shame about the situation he has put his daughter in. Similarly, Raskolnikov’s mother reduces his sister to working in uncomfortable scenarios in order to be able to send Raskolnikov to college. She feels guilt at this when Dunya becomes the center of town drama, after the husband in the family she works for begins to lust after her. These characters have made mistakes, but what parallels them to Raskolnikov is the fact that they acknowledge their wrongs, whereas he has to find the courage to do so .

Raskolnikov’s struggles with admitting that he can make mistakes like anybody else stem from his beliefs that there are two types of people in the world. He references Napoleon throughout the novel, because he believes him to be an example of how things considered to be bad have to happen in order for progress to be made. Pearl Niemi defines this as “power-cult [ 8] ,” the part of Raskolnikov believing in certain people’s superiority to regular laws. The part of Raskolnikov that cripples him once he tries exercising this belief can be referred to as “child-cult.” The child-cult is Raskolnikov’s emotions and thoughts that challenge the power-cult and ultimately overtake it. This duality within Raskolnikov has an interesting relation with his name. “Raskolot,” is the Russian verb meaning division, or split. When analyzing the schism between Raskolnikov’s feelings and actions, it gives his name a greater meaning and shows how Dostoevsky was very intentional with his work.

Considering what makes a novel notable, Hugh Curtler [9] elaborated on the idea that a novel which can be widely interpreted is what makes it memorable. Curtler referred to the part of the writer that allows for this to happen as the “poet,” because they write without clarification. In this respect, they acknowledge how Dostoevsky was successful at this throughout the majority of Crime and Punishment. Where Curtler thought Dostoevsky failed with this novel is in the epilogue. Instead of leaving the audience to gather their own opinions about certain aspects, he writes an epilogue that confirms what would have been better left unsaid, specifically Raskolnikov’s ability to feel emotions such as sadness, love, regret,etc .

In retrospect, Dostoevsky’s use of time, symbolism, and philosophical aspects in Crime and Punishment each provide different levels of meaning to the story. When incorporating the concept of time in terms of context and story progression, it allows the reader to grasp the importance of the events being foreshadowed, in addition to understanding the influences on decisions of characters. His attention to detail using motifs to communicate underlying emotions and intentions of his characters creates another layer of meaning for this novel, as the interpretation of these motifs make Crime and Punishment different for every reader. And lastly, Dostoevsky’s novel embraces different philosophies, while simultaneously maintaining its individuality from any one ideology. He writes this novel in a way where it applies to different ideals, wherein itself it is exclusive from being categorized, due to its unique central message. This message is one that can be applied to many time periods in history, including the 21 st century. The inevitable progression of societies tends to commonly leave those who are underprivileged to fend for themselves. When this isolation persists, is it unexpected to have people who attempt to create a life for themselves trying to prove that they are worth something, when their government treats them like nothing? Crime and Punishment provides a variety of perspectives for the audience’s consideration. Despite the many ways that this novel can be read and interpreted, one thing is clear, Crime and Punishment is illustrious.

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Niemi, P. (1963). THE ART OF “CRIME AND PUNISHMENT”.  Modern Fiction Studies,   9 (4), 291-313. Retrieved May 8, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/26278717

Tucker, J. (2009). Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment”: Stopping History’s Clock. Russian History, 36(3), 443-453. Retrieved May 8, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/24664577

Tucker, J. (2000). The Religious Symbolism of Clothing in Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment. The Slavic and East European Journal, 44(2), 253-265. doi:10.2307/309952

[1] Tucker, J. (2009). Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment”: Stopping History’s Clock. Russian History, 36(3), 443-453. Retrieved May 8, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/24664577

[2] Gibian, G. (1955). Traditional Symbolism in Crime and Punishment. PMLA, 70(5), 979-996. doi:10.2307/459881

[3] Tucker, J. (2009). Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment”: Stopping History’s Clock. Russian History, 36(3), 443-453. Retrieved May 8, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/24664577

[4] Bourgeois, P. (1980). Dostoevsky and Existentialism: An Experiment in Hermeneutics. Journal of Thought, 15(2), 29-37. Retrieved May 8, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/42588842

[5] Harrison, L. (2013). THE NUMINOUS EXPERIENCE OF EGO TRANSCENDENCE IN DOSTOEVSKY. The Slavic and East European Journal, 57(3), 388-402. Retrieved May 8, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/43857534

[6] Chapple, R. (1983). A Catalogue of Suffering in the Works of Dostoevsky: His Christian Foundation. The South Central Bulletin, 43(4), 94-99. doi:10.2307/3187246

[7 ] Ivanits, L. (2002). The Other Lazarus in Crime and Punishment. The Russian Review, 61(3), 341-357. Retrieved May 8, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/3664132

[8 ] Niemi, P. (1963). THE ART OF “CRIME AND PUNISHMENT”. Modern Fiction Studies, 9(4), 291-313. Retrieved May 8, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/26278717

[9] Curtler, H. (2004). The Artistic Failure of Crime and Punishment. Journal of Aesthetic Education, 38(1), 1-11. doi:10.2307/3527358

Citation style: APA 6 th edition

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Crime and Punishment, Essay Example

Pages: 1

Words: 301

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Crime is a violent act with an aim of hurting other individual. The aim of a crime is to destabilize the peace and tranquillity of the society. There are various aspects that make up a crime. They include:

• The nature of the crime
• The motive of the crime
• Whether the culprit was caught or not
• The punishment
• The reason of the punishment
• The effectiveness of the punishment

The above aspects are vital in understanding crime and punishment. Crime has origin like any other thing in existence. There are theories that have been brought up to understand crime with an aim of stopping it. These criminals behaviour are known to have been triggered by something to do these acts of violence. There are some French and Italian thinkers who have come up with various schools of thought to understand crime and the motives behind them. These thinkers have been able to understand the minds of criminals. Understanding the minds of the criminals can lead to early prevention of crime (Tonry, 2000).

The punishment for the crimes is something that has evolved through the ages. The punishment was meant to change the behaviour of the perpetrator and was to be fitting to the crime. This is something that initially brought up a lot of problems since the perpetrators came out not reformed. It is something that has changed over the ages as various reformers have come up to change the status quo.  These reformers made a significant difference and the change was positive. The main reason for punishment is being achieved now. This is now up for debate since change comes from an individual choice to change their habit and behaviour ( Dostoevsky, 2004).

Tonry H. Michael . (2000). The Handbook of Crime & Punishment . Foster City, CA: Oxford University press.

Dostoevsky F. (2004). Crime and Punishment Enriched Classics . Kentucky: Simon and Schuster.

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Crime and Punishment

Fyodor dostoevsky, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

What does it mean “to be in one’s right mind”? Raskolnikov is presented, from the beginning, as a character on the brink of mental collapse. He talks to himself in public, lies in bed all day in his small apartment, and barely eats. He walks aimlessly around Petersburg, and he often does not remember where he goes or what he does. Razumikhin , Pulcheria , and Dunya fear for Raskolnikov’s mental state, eroded not only by his poverty but, later, by his guilt and paranoia over the murder.

Many other characters are also touched by mental illness or drunkenness. Marmeladov’s alcoholism prevents him from holding down a job and supporting his family. He is eventually crushed under a wagon. Katerina , his wife, succumbs to madness prompted by her grief over her husband’s death and the weight of their family’s poverty. Razumikhin is a notable drinker who first arranges for Pulcheria’s and Dunya’s comfort in Petersburg while deeply intoxicated. Svidrigailov is so broken by Dunya’s unwillingness to elope with him that he decides to kill himself. Pulcheria’s grief over Raskolnikov’s condition and exile drives her illness and death. Her grief, like Katerina's, is essentially indistinguishable from madness.

Although questions of madness and sanity dominate the novel, Raskolnikov never admits that his crime was caused by temporary insanity—although this, more or less, is the verdict rendered after his confession. Raskolnikov cannot find any one reason for killing the two women. Indeed, it becomes clear that his madness derives more from the crime than it does prompt the crime.

Madness and Intoxication ThemeTracker

Madness and Intoxication Quotes in Crime and Punishment

Details, details above all! . . . It’s these details that ruin everything always . . .

It is necessary that every man have at least somewhere to go.

This marriage will not take place as long as I live, and to the devil with Mr. Luzhin!

God . . . but can it be, can it be that I will really take an axe and hit her on the head and smash her skull . . . ?

If he had ever once managed to analyze and finally decide everything down to the last detail . . . at that point he would most likely have renounced it all as absurd, monstrous, and impossible.

But a sort of absentmindedness, even something like reverie, began gradually to take possession of him: as if he forgot himself at moments . . . and clung to trifles.

If indeed this whole thing was done consciously and not foolheadedly . . . then how is it that so far you have not even looked into the purse and do not know what you’ve actually gained?

"And what if it was I who killed the old woman and Lizaveta?"

"But can it be?"

"Admit that you believed it! Right? Am I right?"

He finally got it!

What I’m driving at . . . is that your complete recovery now depends chiefly on you yourself. . . . I should like to impress upon you that it is necessary to eliminate the original, so to speak, radical causes that influenced the onset of your ill condition.

Despite her eighteen years, she looked almost like a little girl, much younger than her age . . . and this sometimes even appeared comically in some of her movements.

. . . only peasants or the most inexperienced novices deny everything outright and all down the line. A man with even a bit of development . . . will certainly try to admit as far as possible all the external and unavoidable facts.

You’ve all been saying that I was mad . . . and just now I imagined that perhaps I really am mad and was only seeing a ghost!

Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave . . . . Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. . . . Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou has heard me, . . . and he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth.

One little word, Rodion Romanovich, sir; concerning everything else, it’s as God wills, but all the same we’ll have to ask you a thing or two formally, sir . . . so we’ll be seeing each other right enough, sir.

Nonsense! I simply killed—killed for myself, for myself alone . . . and it was not money above all that I wanted when I killed . . . .

Dunya! This Razumikhin, Dmitri Prokofych, is a very good man . . . He is a practical man, hard-working, honest, and capable of deep love . . . .

He’s a political conspirator, he is, for sure, for sure!

You’d run away, and come back on your own. It’s impossible for you to do without us.

"Well, never mind, brother. It’s a good place. If they start asking you, just tell them he went to America."

"Oi, dat’s not allowed, it’s de wrong place!"

I’m wicked, I see that . . . but why do they love me so, when I’m unworthy of it!

Comparing Voltaire’s Crime and Punishment

This essay about Cesare Beccaria’s beliefs explores the significant impact of his philosophies on the modern criminal justice system. Beccaria, an 18th-century philosopher, introduced groundbreaking ideas in his work “On Crimes and Punishments,” advocating for a utilitarian approach to law where the primary goal is to deter crime and maintain social order. He strongly opposed capital punishment, arguing that it was neither humane nor effective as a deterrent. Instead, he believed that the certainty of punishment was more important than its severity. Beccaria also championed a fair, clear, and proportionate legal system, emphasizing the importance of public laws, quick judicial proceedings, and punishments that match the severity of the crime. His advocacy for the presumption of innocence and the right to a fair trial laid foundational principles that have been incorporated into modern legal frameworks. The essay underscores Beccaria’s lasting influence on contemporary legal practices and human rights, highlighting his call for rational and humane responses to crime.

How it works

Cesare Beccaria, an illustrious thinker of the 18th century, revered for his contributions to philosophy and criminology, stands as a towering figure in the evolution of contemporary criminal justice paradigms. His seminal treatise, “On Crimes and Punishments” (1764), delineated a series of fundamental principles that wrought a profound transformation upon legal theory and practice worldwide. This discourse delves into the cardinal tenets espoused by Cesare Beccaria, spotlighting his fervent advocacy for judicial reform, his strident opposition to capital punishment, and his propositions pertaining to crime prevention.

Central to Beccaria’s doctrine was the doctrine of utilitarianism, which posits that the moral worth of an action should be gauged by its consequences, with the paramount goal being the maximization of happiness among the populace. This philosophical standpoint formed the bedrock of his legal philosophy, contending that the primary aim of the law should be to deter crime and uphold social cohesion, eschewing notions of retributive justice.

A cornerstone of Beccaria’s philosophy was his resolute condemnation of capital punishment. He posited that the imposition of the death penalty not only transgressed the bounds of humanity but also proved futile as a deterrent. Beccaria argued that capital punishment represented an excessive response to criminal transgressions that yielded no tangible societal benefits. He propounded that the certainty of punishment, rather than its severity, constituted the linchpin in deterring criminal conduct. This stance was groundbreaking in an era characterized by public executions and draconian penal sanctions.

Furthermore, Beccaria championed the establishment of a legal system characterized by clarity, equity, and proportionality. He advocated for laws to be transparent and comprehensible, punishments to be commensurate with the gravity of the offense, and legal proceedings to be expeditious and efficacious. He viewed crime prevention as superior to punitive measures and urged for the overhaul of the criminal justice apparatus to engender fairness and equity. His proposals contended that judicial magistrates should confine themselves to ascertaining guilt based on evidentiary standards, refraining from judicial interpretation or discretionary sentencing.

Additionally, Beccaria’s oeuvre laid the groundwork for seminal legal principles such as the presumption of innocence and the right to a fair trial. He insisted that no individual should be deemed culpable absent conclusive proof obtained through due process, vehemently opposing clandestine accusations and torture as instruments of justice. These principles would later become pillars of modern legal systems, permeating seminal documents such as the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen in France.

In summation, Cesare Beccaria emerges as a visionary luminary whose doctrines continue to exert a profound influence upon the edifice of the criminal justice system. His fervent advocacy for reform, his steadfast opposition to capital punishment, and his insistence on rational, humane, and efficacious crime prevention strategies endure as enduring legacies. Beccaria’s intellectual legacy transcends temporal confines, shaping the contours of contemporary legal thought and advocacy for human rights. His enduring legacy serves as a testament to the transformative potency of ideas in sculpting a justice system that upholds the sanctity of human dignity and reason.

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Comparing Voltaire's Crime And Punishment. (2024, Apr 22). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/comparing-voltaires-crime-and-punishment/

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PapersOwl.com. (2024). Comparing Voltaire's Crime And Punishment . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/comparing-voltaires-crime-and-punishment/ [Accessed: 25-Apr-2024]

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