Raskolnikov Conscience

Raskolnikov Conscience
In Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoevsky tells the story of Rodion Romanovitch Raskolnikov,
a poverty–stricken student, who murders an old pawnbroker and her sister. After the crime is
committed, Rodya experiences a period of fear and misery, torn between his desperation to justify
his crime and his natural inner voice. Raskolnikov suffers emotional torment due to his conscience
as a punishment. Raskolnikov's shame causes him to drive away others. Guilt–ridden and disturbed,
he feels unworthy of the attention and kindness of others, Rodya locks himself in his room and
rejects the care and company of others: "If only I were alone and no one loved me and I too had
never loved anyone" (515). Afraid at his inability to find remorse for killing the old woman, ... Show
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As his guilt tears him apart, he unconsciously begins to search for ways to relieve it. After the
murder, he returns to the scene of the crime as a punishment: "The hideous and agonisingly fearful
sensation he had felt then began to come back more and more vividly. He shuddered at every ring
and it gave him more and more satisfaction" (174). Forcing himself to experience the murder over
and over serves as a sort of penance to Raskolnikov. He also indirectly reveals all the details of his
crime to Zametov as a sort of confession, desperate to relieve himself of guilt, but still too afraid to
make an official confession. The desire to submerge himself in his own feelings of guilt and remorse
cause Rodya to reject the kindness of his friends and family: "A strange desire you have to shower
benefits on a man who... curses them, who feels them a burden in fact!" (168). He expects "nothing
at all. No one's services... no one's sympathy..." (114). His malicious treatment of Sofya, his mother,
and his sister are because he feels undeserving of their compassion. Only when he finally realizes
the possibility of redemption and change does Raskolnikov reveal his love for
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What Is Raskolnikov Guilt
When first reading Crime and Punishment, I had little understanding of Raskolnikov's reason of
confession and his feeling of guilt in the novel. Because, I thought that Raskolnikov truly believed
in his own theory that he is an extraordinary man. I also believed that he was a cold lifeless person
for killing a old lady just because he thought she was vermin. But, after reading the novel a group
presented to the class the theme of guilt and why it was so important to the novel; I soon came to the
realization that the novel heavily shows that guilt leads to suffering which means your suffering can
lead to your death. After listening to this group present their idea of guilt I reflected on where else
guilt led to suffering and one moment that

Raskolnikov Cultural Influence
My understanding of the significance of cultural influence on Raskolnikov in Crime and Punishment
was deepened through the oral discussion. Much of the discussion focused on the role of
Dostoyevsky's choice of time and place and style of writing. The time and place Dostoyevsky sets
this novel is important to take into account as, I learned through the discussion, it is heavily
connected with why Raskolnikov wanted to murder Alyona Ivonka.The oral discussion also
elaborated on the literary techniques Dostoyevsky uses to bring Raskolnikov's character to life,
because it would be impossible to completely comprehend Raskolnikov's transformation after the
murder if it was not for his detailed descriptions. We also found it very interesting of how much of a
connection does the detailed description relate with Dostoyevsky's own life.
The class discussion developed as one student pointed out that the distinct gap between rich and
poor in Russia possibly accounts for why Raskolnikov wanted to kill the pawnbroker and get rid of
the rich. I further added to that point that the lack of connection between the government and the
people most likely urged Raskolnikov to take the action. During the 1800s Tzars were ruling the
country, and of course none of the authorities' actions were in favor of the citizens. ... Show more
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I never thought the technique of extensive description in the novel strongly showcased
Raskolnikov's craziness until the discussion. One of the students added that the inconsistent jump in
the time frame after the murder, one day to one month after the murder, leaves the readers confused.
Thus, it gives the same state of mind of Raskolnikov too–confused. Furthermore, the group
expanded on Raskolnikov's thoughts versus his dialogues. Dostoyevsky leaves it to the audience for
interpretation if Raskolnikov is actually thinking or

Raskolnikov Hero Essay
At first glance, Raskolnikov seems the opposite of a hero. He murders a defenseless old woman,
then insists he has done nothing wrong. Still, his conscience torments him: He worries about his
actions, his family, and the nation in which he lives. Because he thinks deeply about moral
problems, Raskolnikov is ultimately able to commit brave acts, turning himself into the police and
atoning for his sinful past. Though Raskolnikov spends most of the novel in a decidedly non–heroic
state, his keen, searching conscience allows him to attain grace in the closing epilogue and he ends
the novel a hero.
To be sure, Raskolnikov engages in numerous unheroic thoughts and deeds. Toward the beginning
of the novel, he attacks and kills the moneylender Alyona Ivanovna. He tells himself he has behaved
admirably; by his perverse logic, moneylenders are so cruel that they do not deserve to live.
"Crime?" he says. "What crime?" He likens Alyona Ivanova to a "louse" that has "sucked the life–
sap from the poor," and claims that killing her was ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The guilt he feels after killing Alyona Ivanovna is the most brutal punishment in the novel. Even the
police investigator, Porfiry Petrovich, admires Raskolnikov for his finely–tuned sensibilities. His
conscience causes him to worry not just about his own sins, but also about the sins of nineteenth–
century Russia. He refuses to marry, seeing the institution as deeply flawed and imbalanced, and he
forbids his sister to marry Luzhin because such a marriage would reduce her to a servant. The status
of Russian women enrages him and his heart aches for Sonya, who prostitutes herself to feed her
family. Tormented, he dreams of a poor, weak horse that gets crushed in the street. To Raskolnikov,
the horse represents Russia's starving masses, sacrificed in the name of progress. These moments of
bitterness and idealism show that Raskolnikov has an extraordinary

How Is Raskolnikov A Hero
Morality is a spectrum, in regards that many fall in the middle, rather than on the two extreme ends:
good versus evil; no human being alive is inherently good or evil. In some cases, however,
characters are on the ends of the range of morality. In Harry Potter, Voldemort was the epitome of
evil, while Hermione, for the most part, was a purely morally good character. Crime and Punishment
by Dostoevsky, Raskolnikov is a prime example of a character whose morals are undecidable on
either ends, especially because of his split personality. Because the book is focused from
Raskolnikov's point of view, and because Raskolnikov is an unreliable narrator, the other characters
morals come into question, too. In one of the first scenes when we first meet Raskolnikov, he has
come across a young girl who is drunk. He sees her and immediately wants to help, so he finds a
nearby police officer and tells him they must "keep her out of this scoundrel's hands," in reference to
Svid, who has previously tried to "approach the girl" with suspicious intentions (44, 42).
Raskolnikov seemed to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
His desire is to use the old ladies money to help people who were imprisoned by poverty. Despite
this, in the moment, he realizes that he was not "capable of seeing and reasoning" as a normal
person would be (71). He knows that, in societies eyes, what he did was wrong, but he does not feel
guilt over it. Had he felt guilty, he would have been able to make amends of the situation. As it was,
he viewed it as more of an "atonement for forty sins" rather than a crime (446). Raskolnikov can
reason, but he is emotionally motivated, and these emotions enhance his split personality. For this
reason, the internal struggle increases as his emotions become

The Three Motives Of Raskolnikov
In Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov asserts that "truly great men [...] must
feel great sorrow in this world" (Dostoevsky 264), and indeed, many of Crime and Punishment's
primary characters regularly experience such sorrow. From Sonya's prostitution of herself to support
her family financially, to Svidrigailov's struggle with deep–rooted depravity, each of these characters
must confront the consequences of their situations and take drastic measures to escape them.
Raskolnikov, however, only worsens his poverty by discarding his money at random, making
donations to strangers and burying the very gold and jewelry he murdered the innocent to obtain.
According to Maurice Beebe in his essay The Three Motives of Raskolnikov, ... Show more content
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Raskolnikov rationalizes handing away much of his money with the excuse that his spontaneous
behavior deems him "extraordinary"; from a psychoanalytical perspective, though, Raskolnikov's
behavior exhibits symptoms of a dangerous personality disorder: emotional masochism. In an
intellectual debate with the detective Porfiry, Raskolnikov makes the distinction between the
"ordinary" and "extraordinary" man, claiming that men who are inherently "extraordinary" are not
bound to traditional laws. Raskolnikov's carelessness with his money and decision to donate it to the
least worthy members of society transgress such unspoken laws. When Raskolnikov hastily gives
Sonya Semyonovna twenty roubles for her father's funeral, he at first criticizes his rashness: "What a
stupid thing to have done [...] I need it myself" (27), but immediately thereafter he condones his
actions, telling himself that "Sonya needs a bit of pomade" (27). By choosing to support a prostitute
and her family, Raskolnikov risks losing the respect of society, thereby deeming this action
"extraordinary". Raskolnikov's initial questioning of his logic

Raskolnikov Quotes Analysis
1. "I ought to be crucified, crucified on a cross, not pitied! Crucify me, oh judge, crucify me but pity
me!" (1.2.36)
In this quote, Marmeladov wants to suffer like Jesus, and he hopes to be cleansed of his sins. He
doesn't want to pitied, but rather crucified then makes a twist in his requests and wants to be
crucified and pitied. This is seen as a very human feeling as he wants to alleviate weight from his
shoulders by sharing his sins and suffering to a stranger that won't really judge him negatively but
rather feel sorry for him.
2. "Bitter is the ascent to Golgotha" (1.4.1)
In this quote, Raskolnikov is thinking about Golgotha (the location where Jesus was crucified). He
is comparing Dounia to Jesus. He thinks that she is sacrificing ... Show more content on
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11.
12.
Part 4.
13. "All that infamy had obviously only touched her mechanically, not one drop of real depravity
had penetrated to her heart; he saw that." (4.4.104)
In this quote, Raskolnikov assumes that Sonia does her work in a robotic way, with no feeling, he
indicates that prostitution can actually have an impact on the "heart," and by that he really means
"soul." A moment later, he suggests that if she were to stay a prostitute, she will either go crazy, kill
herself, or start to enjoy it. So basically speaking, if she continues being a prostitute, she will lose
her soul. He sees her as the criminal here, even though she doesn't see him as one.
14. "...it rested with him to punish them and there would always be time for that." (4.2.22)
When Luzhin's pride is attacked, he fights back towards the others but insulted them and rage–
quitting from the dinner party. This shows that Luzhin is an arrogant, selfish man that won't let
anything take him down without a fight (verbally) especially if it's by a "lesser person".
15. "Resslich hated this girl, and grudged her every crust; she used to beat her mercilessly. One day
the girl was found hanging in the garret. At the inquest the verdict was suicide."

Raskolnikov Allegory
In multiple locations within the novel, Raskolnikov alluded to the concept that he felt as if he had
very little control of the direction in which his life was proceeding. At one point, prior to entering
his victim's apartment, Raskolnikov thought that "he suddenly felt with his whole being that he no
longer had any freedom either of mind or of will, and that everything had been suddenly and finally
decided (Dostoevsky 62)." This fate that Raskolnikov continuously recognized and experienced was
revealed to readers by Dostoevsky through the strategic utilization of light and dark imagery as well
as a significant, religious allegory. In relation to the specific imagery, Raskolnikov appeared to be
lead by light towards performing altruistic deeds,

Poverty Vs. Dignity: Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov
Central Questions/Concepts
1. Poverty vs Dignity.
Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov (Rask), also known as "Rodya" or "Rodka," faces many obstacles
dealing with poverty throughout the novel; anywhere from avoiding your landlady because you're in
debt, or just not having food and water. Raskolnikov does not let that get to him. He never wants to
lose his Dignity no matter how deep in poverty he gets. Raskolnikov's mother sends him a letter
telling him that his sister is to marry a wealthy man, so she can escape from being in poverty the rest
of her life. He disagrees with this because he believes keeping your dignity is better than any riches
you can own. Raskolnikov does not worry about money. For example, when he was wandering
around his town, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
All together this motif symbolizes a decision that Rask is forced to make, these decisions will affect
his life. On one occasion Rask ponders "'Shall I go there or not?' thought Raskolnikov, standing in
the middle of the thoroughfare at the cross–roads, and he looked about him, as though expecting
from someone a decisive word." (164). This shows him pondering the decision on whether or not to
go to the police station, a decision that would affect his life dearly. Also at these crossroads a
significant event will occur or a turning point in the novel will happen. For Example, him confessing
and also finding his Marmeladov, almost dead, laying in the

Raskolnikov Punishment
Execution is most commonly regarded as the most severe punishment a man may receive. However,
exile has been given throughout history as a more adequate means of punishing criminals while
giving them a possibility of reintegrating into society. Being the fate of Rodin Romanovich
Raskolnikov in Fyodor Dostoyevsky's 1866 novel Crime and Punishment, readers are able to see an
example of this in the Russian Empire. The novel also shows the fear and anxiety induced when a
man is faced with the possibility of exile. For Rodin Romanovich Raskolnikov, the punishment of
exile represents the acceptance of an ordinary life and terrible punishment, along with a chance to
redeem himself and live out the rest of his life with loved ones in a mentally stable state of mind. As
time passes after Raskolnikov's murders, he becomes sick. This is due to his constant obsession over
not being caught, along with having the right to commit murder if he believes he is extraordinary; a
philosophy he has come to believe and write about:
I only believe in my leading idea that men are in general divided by a law of nature into two
categories, inferior (ordinary), that is, so to say, material that serves only to reproduce its kind, and
(extraordinary) men who have the gift or the talent to utter a new word. The first category, generally
speaking, are men conservative in temperament and law–abiding. The second category all transgress
the law; they are destroyers or disposed to destruction according to

Raskolnikov Theme Essay
Raskolnikov one–day witnesses a young girl very intoxicated in the streets. He also notices a man
following her and presumes that the man will force himself upon her if he gets the chance. Once
again showing that some men are using women as sex objects. 13. Explain the function of the side
story of Marmeladov. (How does his story contribute to a theme?) This story contributes to the
theme of injustice and also the theme of greed. Marmeladov left his struggling family just because
he wanted some money that his daughter had to sell her body for. This really displays the cutthroat
and completely poverty that most people are living in and that somebody will betray their own
family just for a few drinks. 14.Look back at the side story of Svidrigailov, ... Show more content on
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Discuss the presentation of God and religion throughout the novel, and explain how the epilogue
contributes to this presentation. ALSO, explain how the Biblical story of Lazarus relates to
Raskolnikov. Its unclear throughout the novel whether Raskolnikov is truly religios even though he
says he is o Dunia thinks he has left his faith Sonia is his saving grace o Helps him confess o Reads
him the story of Lazarus Through thick and thin Raskolnikov must always keep his faith and never
abandon God 17.Sonia does not meet Raskolnikov until after he has committed his crime. Explain
why she never leaves his side, and what she represents to Raskolnikov. Sonia's religion o Sonia's
faith is a huge part of why she does not leave Raskolnikov o She knows that it is not her job to judge
him for what he has done Prostitution o Being a sex worker, Sonia knows that people do what they
need to do for money no matter what the costs Saving grace o Without Sonia Raskolnikov would
have ended up dead or fallen down a hole of crime o She is his light at the end of the tunnel 18.What
ultimately do you think is Raskolnikov's crime? What about his punishment? Crime o One of
Raskolnikov's crimes is the double murder that he committed as he broke into the pawn

Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov, a former student, lives in a tiny garret on the top floor of a run–
down apartment building in St. Petersburg. He contemplated about committing an awful crime. He
goes to the apartment of an old pawnbroker, Alyona Ivanovna, to get money for a watch and to plan
the crime.Afterward, he stops for a drink at a tavern, where he meets a man named Marmeladov,
who has abandoned his job and proceeded on a five–day drinking binge, afraid to return home to his
family. Marmeladov tells Raskolnikov about his sickly wife, Katerina Ivanovna, and his daughter,
Sonya, who has been forced into prostitution to support the family. Raskolnikov walks with
Marmeladov to Marmeladov's apartment, where he meets Katerina and sees firsthand the squalid
conditions in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Sonya rushes out to find them while Raskolnikov goes back to his room and talks to Dunya. He
soon returns to the street and sees Katerina dancing and singing wildly. She collapses after a
confrontation with a policeman and, soon after being brought back to her room, dies. Svidrigailov
appears and offers to pay for the funeral and the care of the children. He reveals to Raskolnikov that
he knows Raskolnikov is the murderer. Raskolnikov wanders around in a haze after his confession
to Sonya and the death of Katerina. Razumikhin confronts him in his room, asking him whether he
has gone mad and telling him of the pain that he has caused his mother and sister. After their
conversation, Porfiry Petrovich appears and apologizes for his treatment of Raskolnikov in the
police station. Nonetheless, he does not believe Nikolai's confession. He accuses Raskolnikov of the
murders but admits that he does not have enough evidence to arrest him. Finally, he urges him to
confess, telling him that he will receive a lighter sentence if he does so. He is in jail and Razumikhin
and Dunya are

Raskolnikov, By William Raskolnikov
Immediately after his horse dream, Raskolnikov feels repulsion and is astounded that he may really
take an axe and strike the old pawnbroker on the head. He asks himself why he is still thinking about
it, and consciously tells himself that he will never bring himself to do so. "He felt utterly broken:
darkness...why, why then am I still..." (53, 54) Although, Raskolnikov tells himself that he will
never bring himself to murder, he has already been changed and has already committed himself to
murdering the pawnbroker. This proves that Raskolnikov has changed, and in very minute ways. It
has slipped into his mind without him even realizing, and has changed his character immensely.
Lastly, Raskolnikov is very confused after listening to the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
However, we have not seen him actually commit to the idea and devote himself to the task. We see
Raskolnikov's true motives as soon as he does the "rehearsal of his project." This stems from his
desire to be different and take a new step. As he is going through the rehearsal, it is noted that he
feels a sense of violence as he considers attempting the murder. Raskolnikov inadvertently set his
mind on committing the murder, and does not realize that he had unconsciously came up with the
idea to murder. "Now, a month later...and on the other into the street." (3) Very soon after,
Raskolnikov again feels immense guilt and remorse that he would think these kinds of things, and
feels terrible that his heart is capable of considering murder as an option. "Raskolnikov went out in
complete confusion...with himself to escape from his wretchedness." (7) After returning from the
Hay Market where he heard the student and the young officer talk about the old pawnbroker, he
immediately falls asleep after considering the coincidence of the situation. Once he wakes up, it is
said that he eats several spoonful's of food mechanically, and then begins preparing for the murder.
This preparation proves that Raskolnikov has decided to act upon his impulses and commit the
murder. "He ate little, three or four...outside when he put the coat on again" (60, 61) While reading
this passage, I noticed that there was no definitive switch, or decision to go execute his plan. He
woke up

Raskolnikov Reconciliation
Spiritual reassessment and moral reconciliation are the key to a happy ending in which excites a
reader. A prime example is Rodion Romanovitch Raskolnikov in the novel Crime and Punishment.
His moral and spiritual reconciliation in Siberia, at the end of the novel, served to break his previous
isolationism from society, brought him together with the love of his life Sonia, and rejuvenates him
as a person who can truly function in society.
When Raskolnikov was a student he enjoyed the debate and human contact, but also strived for
acceptance. He had a dual nature to himself, which could be characterized by his cold intelligence,
which separated him from society, and his compassionate side. After Raskolnikov murdered Alyona
and Lizaveta Ivanovna ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Although the cross was initially supposed to show Raskolnikov's self–sacrifice, it began to show
that he started down the path of recognizing the wrongs that he committed. Before he confessed his
crime to Sonia he felt isolated from her as well. Since he fell in love with her, it was his biggest pain
being cut off from her. When he finally trusted Sonia with the knowledge of his crime, she accepts
him because he finally starts his reconciliation. He gathers strength from Sonia's acceptance of him,
and that is what pushes him into confessing to society. His compassionate nature is what also pushes
his actions once again. Since he felt disconnected from Sonia, his compassion is what pushed him
into confining in her his secret to become closer to her. With Raskolnikov gaining spiritual
reassessment at the end shows the special significance of Sonia as well through the novel. She gave
herself (her love) to bring him back to society, like Jesus, and by doing so he would ultimatly save
himself and recognize his sins, as he did. The strength from which Raskolnikov gained from Sonia
influenced his reconciliation, reassessment, and stability to which then lead to the major importance
of the

Rodion Raskolnikov is an impoverished man living St. Petersburg, Russia. His mother has given
him money to go to school so he can eventually provide for the family. However, he is occupied
with making plans to murder an old pawnbroker woman named Alyona Ivanovna. She is a bitter,
cruel woman who lives with her kind sister, Lizaveta. After Raskolnikov pawns a watch to her, her
meets a drunkard named Marmeladov in a bar. He accompanies Marmeladov back to his house and
sees just how poor his family is: his wife, Katerina Ivanovna, and three children live in rags with
hardly anything to eat. Raskolnikov secretly gives them some money as he leaves. Raskolnikov later
receives a letter from his mother, Pulcheria. He finds out that his sister, Dounia, ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
In the morning, Raskolnikov sees Svidrigaïlov inside his home and finds out that he is now after
Dounia's affections, much to Raskolnikov's disgust. Luzhin meets with Dounia and her family later
in the day, and she realizes his intentions. She refuses to marry him, leaving him infuriated.
Raskolnikov almost confesses his crime to Porfiry but discovers that a man named Nikolay has
confessed already. He also promises to tell Sonia who murdered Alyona. Looking for another wife,
Luzhin tries to frame Sonia as a thief, but his plans are foiled by his roommate, Andrey
Semyonovitch. Raskolnikov finally tells Sonia that he is the murderer, and she encourages him to
turn himself in. Svidrigaïlov eavesdropped on their conversation. Andrey informs the two that
Katerina is out on the streets, hysterical and frantic, forcing her children to dance and sing for
money. They find her and witness as she tries to run after her children, trips, and dies in Sonia's
home. Porfiry meets with Raskolnikov and says he knows Raskolnikov is guilty, and he should

Raskolnikov Foil
Comparing opposite characters in literature can highlight distinct personality differences. It is the
best way to understand characters from clearly different standpoints. In Crime and Punishment,
written by Fyodor Dostoevsky, the main character and his closest friend are actually opposite of
each other. Raskolnikov, the protagonist, is a stubborn and confused man who is weighted down by
guilt. He committed a murder that he believed was necessary due to his lack of wealth and unstable
life. This creates turmoil in his conscience and drives him close to insanity. The contrasting
character to Raskolnikov is Razumihin. Razumihin is one of Raskolnikov's few friends and is
described as being caring and responsible. Both are important characters ... Show more content on
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Svidrigaïlov was a character who was sure of himself unlike the unstable Raskolnikov. He was
wealthy and cared for others financially. Unlike Raskolnikov, Svidrigaïlov was willing to die in
order to be put out of his misery. Raskolnikov wanted to live out his guilt and seek out a peaceful
end. Even after a year in prison and still nine more years left there, Raskolnikov achieved much
more in solitary confinement than living freely. He eventually understood that he could love and
came to appreciate living in freedom. Although he felt a heavy weight of guilt for a long period of
time, he was finally at peace with himself after confessing. Svidrigaïlov could not accept living
without someone who loved him, which was completely opposite of Raskolnikov's view towards
love. Svidrigaïlov had gotten so upset with himself for not getting the woman of his dreams, that he
committed suicide due to his extreme frustration. The ending of the two characters was opposite of
what the reader had been picturing in their mind. A confident and wealthy man ends with suicide,
whereas the poor and crazed man ends up achieving the happy ending. The irony brings out the foil

Raskolnikov And Sonya Comparison
In his novel Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoevsky highlights Sonya's pious nature and
contrasts it with Raskolnikov's irreverence to illustrate how Sonya preserves her soul while
Raskolnikov falls into the depths of his depravity. By highlighting the similarities between Sonya
and Raskolnikov's destitute circumstances, Dostoevsky unravels how Sonya uses her piety to evade
depravity. Sonya and Raskolnikov's initially awkward and perplexing relationship reflects
Dostoevsky's own conflict with religion in his life, and how he eventually turned to faith as a coping
mechanism and as a code of ethics.
Sonya's devotion brings to light her passionate and compassionate nature. While reading the story of
Lazarus, Sonya is hesitant at first but she ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Raskolnikov and Sonya represent two separate entities fighting for influence in Dostoevsky's life,
with Raskolnikov representing the "irrational and irreverent" and Sonya representing the "holy
fool". For a majority of the novel, Raskolnikov and Sonya are at odds and never see eye to eye.
Their morals and coping mechanisms differ greatly. However, as the novel develops, they both
begin to develop an unspoken bond, a secret between them. After Sonya reads the story of Lazarus,
a "dim light in [the] destitute room upon the murderer and the harlot strangely come together over
the reading of the eternal book" (Dostoevsky 328). When Sonya and Raskolnikov see one another
eye to eye, this represents a point in Dostoevsky's life where he successfully balances his religious
and irreligious beliefs and a happy medium between the two is achieved. When first imprisoned,
Raskolnikov shunned everyone and spent most of his days alone without human interaction.
Raskolnikov's prison experience is based off of Dostoevsky's own experiences as a convict when he
spent four prisons at a prison in Omsk, on the Irtysh River. Raskolnikov's gloominess made him
treat Sonya very poorly despite her unwavering loyalty to him. At this point, Raskolnikov still does
not understand the sin of his murder. Several circumstances granted Raskolnikov a lighter sentence
but Raskolnikov wishes

Traits Of Raskolnikov
Raskolnikov is depicted as "crushed by poverty, but the anxieties of his position had of late ceased
to weigh upon him" (Dostoyevsky 3). During 1861, the Emancipation Reform had recently taken
place. After the defeat of Russia in the Crimean War, Russian officials declared to give rights to the
serfs. The serfs were treated poorly leading to protests and eventually leading to the Reform. The
Emancipation Reform put Russia backward socially and economically. The serfdom illustrated
Russia's weaknesses and Raskolnikov was a representation of an individual struggling with Russia's
difficulties. The economy was suffering and the need for money became crucial for regular basic
needs to survive. Fyodor Dostoyevsky, the author of the novel, considers ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
He shows egotistical, cowardly, and humane trait. Raskolnikov's egocentric behaviors make him
only care for himself and relate every situation back to himself. However, his humane side is
occasionally seen throughout varied events. Similarly, these characteristics brought out his divided
character. Raskolnikov continues to be thought–provoking character who has matured as a character
in some

Raskolnikov Personality
In the novel, Crime and Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoevsky, the main character, Raskolnikov, is
portrayed as a dual character with a very complex personality. In Russian, Raskolnikov means
"split" or schism torn between desire to do good and desire to do evil. Dostoevsky has created such
a complex psychological portrait to capture Raskolnikov's behavioral disorder, and be able to justify
the novel's after effects and character's actions based on his complex personality. Furthermore, the
novel as a whole puts forth a double conflict. One conflict involves an ostracized individual and
unsympathetic environment, while the other is between an estranged soul and moral consciousness.
Actions performed by Raskolnikov in the novel that seem to contradict ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
A disorder that captures the essence of how Raskolnikov is, is schizophrenia. He has irregular
sleeping patterns, and sometimes doesn't wake up for several days. One of the major key factors in
this disorder is the unorganized and contradicting thoughts that go on inside Raskolnikov's mind.
"Thoughts were spinning like a whirlwind in Raskolnikov's head" (Dostoevsky 254). When he
makes a rash decision, he argues back and forth in his mind as to whether he should do something or
not. Like in the quote, he was with Razumikhin talking to Porfiry Petrovich, and as his thoughts
began clouding over his sense of judgement, Raskolnikov began to panic and act suspiciously
around Porfiry. While he mentally panicked, he was debating as to whether he should confess to
being a murderer or not. This self–contradicting scene is seen repeatedly throughout the novel,
which goes to show that Dostoevsky displays Raskolnikov's complex personality through many
different scenes, so the readers are able to grasp the contrast in his character, and how his mindset is
half mentally unstable and reckless, whereas, the other half is still sane and

Raskolnikov Guilt
In Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoevsky introduces Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov. In the
opening of this novel, Dostoevsky has his main character commit two brutal murders. As the novel
progresses, Raskolnikov deals with the aftermath of his actions. Dostoevsky uses dream symbolism
to develop the idea of guilt in Raskolnikov and to show that everyone eventually feels guilt. There
are four dreams that uncover the motive, explanation, and aftermath of why Raskolnikov killed
these two women. In first dream, Raskolnikov is a seven–year–old boy. As he walks through his
town with his father, they see a group of drunken people. One of the men is Mikolka one of the
painters from the pawn store. He starts to yell at his horse for not being able ... Show more content
In this dream Raskolnikov witnesses Petrinova beating his landlady outside his apartment. He freaks
out and once he wakes he can't tell that it wasn't real in his delirium he thinks that it's all reality. As
Raskolnikov lies in bed he hears terrible noises of a women being beat. It occurs to him that. "He
could have never imagined such brutality, such frenzy" (117). Raskolnikov views he's landlady
completely different he's in debt to her and is actually one of the good guys. So when a parallel
murder scene is sent up in a fashion were he can relate it to how the pawnbroker died he a seed of
guilt is planted. The beating was loud and violent and if the sisters were able to make noise at any
time this is what it would sound like. Raskolnikov can't understand why Petrinova would do such a
thing. Why would Raskolnikov do such a thing? This delivers such a wave of guilt that when he's
accused of murder he falls

Character Analysis Of Raskolnikov
He is the protagonist, and during the first part of the book murders two women, and what follows
are the consequences of his actions and the emotion turmoil that goes hand and hand with that.
Throughout the book his philosophy is because he is a great man, he can commit acts above the acts
above the law, and receive no consequences. This idea leads to the internal battle throughout the
book about if he was justified in killing the pawnbroker and her sister and if he should turn himself
in. His best friend is Razumikhin, and they both were once both once students together, although
Raskolnikov no longer goes to school. His sister is Dunya and his mother is Pulcheria. Later in the
book he falls in love with Sonya, who is the daughter of a man he meets in a bar. The people in his
life tend to take care of him.
Sonya is Raskolnikov romantic interest throughout the book. Sonya is a shy, meel person and
throughout the book is easily embarrassed. Her morals are strong, and she maintains her character
through the story. She is a religious person and urges others to follow jesus. But despite this she has
to prostitute herself to support Marmeladov's drinking problem, he is her father. Raskolnikov thinks
that this makes her morally dirty in his eyes, but she does prove throughout the book that what she
did, even if it is against her god, was only out of the love of her family, making her morals sound
and showing her strength of character.
She is Raskolnikov's sister, and for a good

Raskolnikov As A Good Man Essay
Haley Spackman
Mrs. Mcloud
AP Lit– Period 5
14 October 2015 Guilt Raskolnikov lives an ordinary life as an ordinary man. He is a good man and
has a good heart, but he soon commits a crime that will forever change his life. Raskolnikov is a
good man; I believe he is kind, generous, and selfless. Now, how are all of these positive traits found
in a murderer? I think was caught in a psychotic moment, his mental state was not all there, and he
had a dream, he made a plan, and he committed this terrible crime. A good example of Raskolnikov
being a kind hearted person, and selfless is when he sees a young girl at the end of the street, he sees
by her a rough looking man staring at her. He starts to get very worried what this man might do to
this young girl. He goes down the street to get this young girl, and he pays for a taxi to get her
home. This was so generous, and small yet so impactful. Raskolnikov cared about what might
happen to this young girl, and did something about it. This showed how selfless Raskolnikov is, and
what a kind heart he has. I think this shows Raskolnikov's true character. From here, he makes some
terrible decisions, and is engulfed by guilt, but I believe he is a generous, kindhearted person. In this
book, Crime And Punishment, Raskolnikov goes from being an ordinary man with an ordinary life
to a murderer, tortured by guilt, haunted by the memory of his crime, and him finding himself again
in society after the murders. Raskolnikov soon

Raskolnikov Confession
Confession is an art Confessions are powerful and can change someone's life forever. When
Marmeladov confesses his whole life to Raskolnikov, Raskolnikov mindset of confessing and
sharing is unintentionally shifted. He becomes more nervous to confess and share about himself in
the future because he has a fear in the back of his mind that he could share too much, so he takes
back everything he says that could put him in any danger. Confessing is scary and causes a lot of
fear, so taking back a confession can make the process easier and can make a person feel like they
are in control more. Raskolnikov takes back all of his future confessions due to the conversation he
had at the bar with Marmeladov; he doesn't want to overshare, so instead, he ... Show more content
Marmeladov and Raskolnikov are talking in a bar about Marmeladov's life and all the things that he
or his family have done wrong. When Marmeladov begins his story, he says to Raskolnikov, "For by
telling you the story of my life, I do not wish to expose myself to disgrace before these lovers of
idleness, who know everything anyway, but am seeking a sensitive and educated man" (16).
Marmeladov begins to confess because he needs someone to talk to, and he feels that Raskolnikov is
the right person and a person that will give him a smart and meaningful response. Although
Marmeladov doesn't want to "expose" himself, he wants someone to relate to and someone to be
empathetic with his story (16). This event can be seen as foreshadowing Raskolnikov's future
confessions and it can provide some reasoning for his odd confessions and why he keeps revoking
them. Because he doesn't completely want to "expose" himself either, Raskolnikov, takes back his
confessions when he realizes that they might become problematic (16). Although Raskolnikov takes
back his confessions, Marmeladov doesn't and he shares more personal information about his family
rather than himself. The contrast between the confessions of the two men can be seen as confusing
because

Raskolnikov Mood
In a passage excerpted from the novel Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky, Raskolnikov
fixes his attention on a girl who is staggeringly drunk. While Raskolnikov is watching her, he
notices a large man who is also paying special attention to the drunk girl; however, the stranger is
clearly intent on taking advantage of the girl. Raskolnikov notifies a police officer of the
circumstance in order to protect the girl, and in an instant he changes his mind and decides that he
does not care about what happens to the girl, and scoffs at himself for ever getting involved.
Dostoevsky uses this event to reveal the two characteristics that Raskolnikov often switches
between: being a morally good person who helps others, and a cynic who cares only about himself.
Dostoevsky shows Raskolnikov's complex and quick changing character through the literary devices
of tone, diction, and point of view. The tone of hopelessness throughout this passage displays
Raskolnikov's rapidly changing self, as one side of him scolds the other for being optimistic.
Raskolnikov begins with being adamantly protective of the girl, saying "The ... Show more content
Without Dostoevsky writing in 3rd person, it would be confusing as to why Raskolnikov suddenly
changes his mind in regard to the girl's safety. However, with this choice in writing style, one can
read Raskolnikov's thoughts as he goes into a lengthy monologue about why he decided to stop
helping the girl. He begins by being sympathetic for the "poor girl" by thinking over all of the
terrible things that will happen to her due to his lack of intervention; however shortly after he
switches over to his pessimistic side by voicing one of his beliefs that if it hadn't happened to this
particular girl, "a certain percentage [...] must every year go." This writing style openly displays and
even helps explain Raskolnikov's changing

The Deconstruction of Raskolnikov as Übermensch Essay...
THE DECONSTRUCTION OF RASKOLNIKOV AS ÜBERMENSCH
'Murderer!' he said suddenly, in a low but clear and distinct voice (pg. 231). In just one word (Part 3,
Chapter VI of Crime and Punishment), the stranger's direct label is a stabbing remark in opposition
of Raskolnikov's assumed identity. It is the debasement of a man–god, to be more apt a superman,
who is ever so close to falling off the perch and into the abyss. "It was impossible to be sure, but it
seemed to Raskolnikov that his face again wore its coldly hostile and triumphant smile" (231).
Raskolnikov as the extraordinary man seeks not greatness but justice to serve his pursuits. The
elevation is left to the ordinary people who are willing subordinates as puppets along the string. ...
Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Crime is "prestuplenie" in Russian meaning transgressing whilst stepping over a boundary. Raskol is
a word meaning schism and it is fitting when applied to the boundary Raskolnikov straddles.
Staying on one side or crossing over to the other is a key binary opposition in this chapter. Crossing
over is akin to realizing the incomprehensible and that is heroic. Good and evil are abstract terms
with superfluous meanings to the superman that are replaced with the all important word "justice".
The superman goes beyond good and evil by being morally skeptical of the adoptive constraints
placed on the ordinary people. Albeit, this comes with a caveat as Raskolnikov tirelessly tries in vain
to subjugate his conscience and love as well as contempt for people threatens his identity. In this
vein, I am inclined to agree with Sergei V. Belov when he states "whatever I might be, whatever I
might do, whether I should be a benefactor of humanity or whether I would suck out its vital juices
like a spider, ––– that does not matter to me. I know that I want to rule, and that is enough" (490).
Here lies the conflict between the will to power and the will to serve that challenges the theory. In
catering to the love of the ordinary people, the superman inadvertently reaches for the respect which
brings them to his eye level and in effect grants them the

Raskolnikov Foil
Gentry Hale
Raskolnikov is a proud and intellectual man who believes that he is extraordinary enough to break
all social rules and moral standards if he thinks that it will further humanity. Sonia is a shy and
timorous girl who is a devout Christian and is so dedicated to her family that she is willing to do
anything to help them. Sonia's humility and meekness help Raskolnikov to realize that he may not
be as remarkable as he believes. Fyodor Dostoevsky uses Sonia as a foil towards Raskolnikov, in his
novel Crime and Punishment, because she helps him to overcome his pride and confess to his crime.
Sonia and Raskolnikov are both communal outcasts because of the social injustices that they have
committed. Sonia resorted to prostitution ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He immediately convinced himself that it was a sign that he must commit the murder the next night.
The use of coincidence and environment as self–justification shows that he feels guilty and needs
validation for his crimes. He cannot turn to God like Sonia because he is a selfish man and repenting
means that he must admit to himself that he had done wrong. Instead of feeling disappointment in
himself he will blame his actions on the world around him. Raskolnikov askes Sonia to read him a
passage out of the Bible and she reads him the story of Lazarus. He acts as if he does not believe in
the story, but he is moved by it. The rising of Lazarus from the dead is a parallel to Raskolnikovs
separation from the world. He relates to this story because his pride alienates him from those that
love him. He longs to be like Lazarus and to be reborn, and his pride begins to waiver. When he
works up the humility to confess to Sonia, she offers him a cross. He begins to accept it and then
quickly gives it back. Although he did not take the cross, he considered it. In this instance
Raskolnikov was able to confess to his crime, even if only to Sonia, and he almost accepts her
religious offering. She is making an impact on his conscious and his pride is

Raskolnikov Motives
The Renewal of Raskolnikov in Crime and Punishment
Raskolnikov, in Dostoevsky's novel Crime and Punishment, is a complex character difficult to
understand. He believes himself superior to the rest of humanity, and therefore he believes he has
the right to commit murder. After he kills Alena Ivanovna, an old pawnbroker, Raskolnikov
discovers his supposed superiority has cut him off from other people. He exists in a self–created
alienation from the world around him. Raskolnikov mearly drifts through life, unable to participate
in it anymore. It is only through Sonya that Raskolnikov is able to gradually regain his connection to
humanity; she helps him to understand that, although he cannot be superior to others, she loves him
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He tells himself that his actions are not the same as those of the peasants, who acted only out of
malicious cruelty. His motives are quite different. Raskolnikov believes that he can use Alena
Ivanovna's money to help his mother and sister, who are extremely poor. Thus, he initially convinces
himself that he is willing to perform this act of violence in order to benefit his family.
This motivation is secondary to a darker one. Raskolnikov believes in Hegel's idea of the "World–
historical individual," one who commits extraordinary deeds which may be forbidden to the rest of
society but are permitted to an elite few. Hegel believed that the actions of these world–historical
individuals had such a profound influence upon their societies that the criminal or violent nature of
their deeds was justified by the larger good they accomplished. Thus, Napoleon's military victories
cost thousands of men their lives, yet he was justified in disregarding these losses as the inevitable
costs of his rise to power, which he used to improve French society as a whole, instituting sweeping
reforms in religion, education , the judicial system, and other areas. Raskolnikov explains to Porfiry
later that those with new ideas to

Raskolnikov Guilt
Crime and Punishment, written by Fyodor Dostoevsky, is the story of Raskolnikov a young man
who decides to commit multiple murders. In turn he is eventually found guilty and punished for his
actions. Dostoevsky uses the immensity of Raskolnikov's guilt to show the inevitability of morality.
First, we must look at why Raskolnikov committed the murders. Raskolnikov had a theory about
man. He thought that they fell into one of two categories, and ordinary man or an extraordinary man.
The ordinary man is subdued to a life of passive participation. On the other hand the extraordinary
men have "an inner right to decide in his own conscience to overstep certain obstacles and only in
case it is essential for the practical fulfillment of his idea"(260). Raskolnikov thoughts are that an
extraordinary man may overstep the law if he thinks it is bettering a situation, in other words they,
"seek destruction of the present for the sake of the better"(261). This is what Raskolnikov thought he
was doing when he killed the pawnbroker, Alyona Ivanovna. "The feeling of intense repulsion,
which had begun to oppress and torture his heart while he was on his way to the old woman, had by
now reached such a pitch and had taken such a definite form that he did not know what to do with
himself to escape from his wretchedness"(4). This is why ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
Sonia is a character of great irony being both a prostitute and a dignified follower of God. She is the
love interest of Raskolnikov as well. As Raskolnikov continues to struggle with his guilt, Sonia is
the one who convinces him to confess, "first kiss the earth which you have defiled and then bow
down to all the world and say to all men aloud, 'I am a murderer!' Then God will send you life
again"(404). She is reminding him that what he has done is immoral. She does this by saying that if
he were to confess only than would God forgive him for what he had

Raskolnikov Internal Conflict
Chloee Henley, Period 5
Part I: Reader's Journal
Part I: Comment on a Character I find it very interesting how suspicious of everything Raskolnikov
appears to be at the beginning of the novel. Obviously in the first few pages of the novel readers can
quite easily identify his internal conflict and the way he goes back and forth on whether or not he
should commit his crime, but I find it odd that this intense level of suspicion comes before he has
even committed the crime. Most would think that his suspicion of everyone would come after
committing his crime, suspecting that people would know what he had done. After meeting with the
pawnbroker Raskolnikov goes into the tavern where he has "one glass of beer... and already looked
better... [but] ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
I don't know about you, but one thing's for sure. She deserves better.
Part II: Comment on the Author's Style The core of this novel is Raskolnikov's crime and him
coming to terms with himself and the guilt/ punishment that he feels and must endure once
committing it. I believe that the way in which the author decided to write his novel, being able to
explore Raskolnikov's mind and thought process I believe is the best way for readers to understand
the crime and the punishment. I find it interesting how the author writes his character's thought
process in such a way that he is constantly questioning himself in the things that he has done and
what he plans on doing. This questioning is particularly apparent just after Raskolnikov has killed
the pawnbroker and is recapping all that he has done and how he has hidden the pawnbroker's items
he has stolen. He thinks to himself "What is wrong with me? Do you call that hidden? Is that any
way to hide things? (90). The author could have showed a similar approach to Raskolnikov's
madness by giving us a description of a frantic Raskolnikov via other characters' thoughts but
instead Dostoevsky lets readers inside Raskolnikov's head in order to get a more accurate depiction
of Raskolnikov's thought process and madness.
Part II: Describe the Tone Words used: stately, peevish, prim, offensively, mistrustfully, alarmed,
affronted, staring motionlessly, deliberateness,

Raskolnikov Suffering
One theme of Christianity is that redemption is achieved through suffering. Jesus himself believed in
the method and even told Saint Faustina that she could "save more souls through prayer and
suffering than will a missionary through his teachings and sermons alone" (Diary 1767). Evidently,
the idea of redemptive suffering worked its way strongly into his novel Crime and Punishment. The
protagonist, Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov, was an impoverished former student who lived in St.
Petersburg. Raskolnikov believed that he could make the world a better place by murdering a
crooked pawnbroker and taking her money to help the needy; Raskolnikov ends up murdering the
pawnbroker as well as her innocent sister. Through Raskolnikov and Katerina's journey to
redemption Dostoevsky is able to convey that redemption is possible but only through a great
amount of suffering. Directly after committing the murder, Raskolnikov ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Katerina, a woman who ends up enduring extreme amounts of suffering, had originally come from
and grew up in a high–class family "falls from grace" due to her husband, who ends up dying, an
alcoholic, spending all the money the family had on his addiction. This left Katerina and her family
in a situation of extreme poverty and caused her to live a life of beggary. The poverty was so great
that her daughter becomes a prostitute to provide income for the family– a mother's worst
nightmare. On top of that, Katerina suffered from a horrible case of Tuberculosis. When Katerina
finally reaches the point of her death, she refuses any help from doctors or priests. The reason
Katerina refuses help is because she knows that it is time for her redemption and that death is the
only way she will achieve it. By doing this, Katerina becomes a foil for Raskolnikov. She shows him
that God will accept her the way she is and shows that redemption is possible, even for

Raskolnikov V. Svidrigailov
Gunnar Stoddard
Ms. Spicer
AP Literature and Composition
27 May 2011
We Are Not So Different, You and I Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment is a psychologically
charged novel in which the primary element that plagues the protagonist, Rodion Raskolnikov, is not
a person but rather an idea; his own idea. Raskolnikov has an unhealthy obsession with rendering
himself into what he perceives as the ideal, supreme human being, an übermensch. Raskolnikov
forms for himself a theory in which he will live purely according to his own will and transcend the
social norms and moralities that dominate society. Raskolnikov suggests that acts commonly
regarded as immoral are to be reserved for a certain rank of "extraordinary" men. Raskolnikov's
faith ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Keeping this in mind, it comes as no surprise that Raskolnikov would feel utterly abhorred when
Svidrigaïlov refers to them as "birds of a feather"(p.340; Part 4, Chapter 1). While Svidrigaïlov is
rather keen of their shared similarities, such as their status as murderers, Raskolnikov willingly fails
to realize these associations. Raskolnikov's better side objects to the hedonistic behavior of
Svidrigaïlov, decrying him as a man of the most abject nature. The dramatic irony lies in the fact
that Raskolnikov desires to be an "extraordinary" man, the very epitome of Svidrigaïlov, a man he
holds in no high regard. Despite their superficial variances and dissidences, Raskolnikov had slowly
rendered himself into a facsimile of the man he detested, Svidrigaïlov. Although both men, whether
knowingly or unknowingly, desire to transcend above the ordinary masses, it is only a matter of time
before self–realization indicates the folly of their ways. Raskolnikov's brusque affectation eventually
yields to his predilection for salvation and redemption. He ultimately comes to the realization that he
is not worthy of being "extraordinary" because of the crippling guilt that followed his murder of the
pawnbroker. Raskolnikov reflects upon the implications of his crime on his psyche, "I murdered
myself, not her! I crushed myself once for all,

Raskolnikov Quotes
Assignment 1: Crime and Punishment Throughout history, it has been said that there are two sides to
every coin. In Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov is the coin. Raskol, in Russian, stands for "split."
Raskolnikov himself is an extremely split character; throughout this novel, he has two very different
sides. In the beaten down, busy town of St. Petersburg, Raskolnikov is constantly ill, alienating
himself from society. Once a student, Raskolnikov now lives in shambles and barely has enough
money to support himself. Although Raskolnikov appears kind and gentle towards Katerina
Ivanovna after her husband's sudden death, his true identity was revealed through the gruesome
murder of Alyona Ivanovna and, her half–sister, Lizaveta, which shows that Raskolnikov is actually
a barbaric, cold–blooded creature. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Petersburg. She has a reputation for cheating the poor and for beating her own sister, Lizaveta.
Raskolnikov developed a relationship with her during Act I when he pawned a watch to her. During
a walk to a local Tavern, Raskolnikov hears Lizaveta mention that she will not be home around
seven o'clock with Alyona. "The old woman [Alyona Ivanovna] would be left alone (Dostoyevsky
51)." With this new information, Raskolnikov has had his mind made for him. "He went in [to his
apartment] like a man condemned to death (Dostoyevsky 51)." That very night, he visited Alyona
with vicious intentions. Raskolnikov invited himself into her apartment, fabricating a story about an
item that he wanted to pawn to her. Alyona was focused on the item when Raskolnikov brutally hit
her with an axe. "He stepped back, let it [Alyona's body] fall, and at once bent over her face; she
was dead (Dostoyevsky 63)." Raskolnikov killed a defenseless old woman, finally revealing his
cruel

Raskolnikov Juxtaposition
Analysis: Through this "juxtaposition between life and death it because evident the prominent shift
in Raskolnikov stance when it comes to confessing at the crimes he has committed. Dostoevsky
used the metaphor of the man on the ledge condemned to death wanting to live despite the
consequences as a representation of Raskolnikov's internal conflict and contemplation of his life if
he were to confess. Although to the reader "to live somewhere high up on a cliffside, on a ledge so
narrow that there was room only for his two feet––and with the abyss, the ocean, eternal darkness,
eternal solitude, eternal storm"(158) feels touchorous and appealing to the reader to Raskolnikov it
is much better than living a life filled with guilt. By using the word

Raskolnikov Suffering
In his novel, Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoevsky argues that people must accept the sins of
their past and understand the sequential consequences they must endure in order to feel and live
freely again. He explores the relationship between the protagonist, Rodion Romanovich
Raskolnikov –– a well known, poverty–stricken drunkard –– the sins that he has committed, and
how he deals with them. Guilt makes people go insane. They start to question right from wrong and
do not know how to act accordingly. The interest of Raskolnikov's life is centered around the
murders of both Alyona Ivanova and her sister Lizaveta. Dostoevsky writes of Raskolnikov as two–
faced, cold and antisocial yet also warm and compassionate. After murdering the two sisters, ...
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Dostoevsky sets Raskolnikov upon a path of most resistance to moving on with his life. When
Raskolnikov confesses his transgression of the law to Sonia Marmeladova, he feels a small weight
lifted off of his shoulders, which in turn helps him to think about the future with a clearer vision
than he had before. Sonia is represented as someone who is loving understanding in order to offset
the characteristics of the new Raskolnikov, "Suffer and expiate your sins by it, that's what you must
do" (361). He and Sonia represent two halves of society's way of dealing with the past, present, and
future. In life, people will either accept what they have done and try to move past the situation that
is holding them back, or they will continue to struggle with what they have done and will take most
of their life trying to accept the consequences. As a character, Raskolnikov is tied so close to his past
and the sins that he committed, that until he met Sonia he was not able to see clearly in the slightest.
Sonia is what Raskolnikov must become in order to proceed throughout the rest of his

Crime And Punishment By Raskolnikov
Crime and Punishment timed write The most memorable scene of Crime and Punishment is
Raskolnikov's first experience at the police station while being questioned about the debt he owes to
his landlady. Throughout the scene, Raskolnikov is being torn apart by his desire to confess to the
murder of the pawnbroker and relieve himself of the immense burden of his guilt while still seeking
to preserve his innocence in the eyes of the law. The scene is marked by several memorable
moments such as when raskolnikov cannot contain his guilt and stands up as if he will confess to the
murder but then holds his tongue and remains silent. This scene in particular sets a precedent for the
rest of the book and gives us insight on the frenzied mind and rationale of Raskolnikov. Raskolnikov
cannot exist and appease both his desire to come clean and free himself of guilt and bring himself to
the punishment that freedom would entail, which puts Raskolnikov in a variety of situations where
he is forced to choose which aspect of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The book is then able to rely on the explanation of raskolnikov's mental balance between these
opposing ideas and it affects how he is able to interact with the people around him and how he
perceives the things that they say. The scene itself is long and packed full of raskolnikov's
impressions and ideas that all serve to add to the hectic nature of his guilt and how it burdens him. It
is entirely effective at showing the reader how he is forcing himself into more and more difficult
situations by not fully choosing which aspect (either guilt or self preservation) he will serve. The
scene encapsulated the very essence of raskolnikov's character and gave the reader what almost
appeared to be a physical manifestation of his thoughts. This changes the way that the reader can
interpret every action that raskolnikov makes, even if it's not

Raskolnikov Murder
Raskolnikov's Self Finding Through Murder
Crime and Punishment, a Russian novel by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, is an engrossing story about an
ex–student, Raskolnikov, who plans a murder against an innocent pawnbroker. Raskolnikov the
main character and narrator of the story, is a very poor young man who lives on the top floor of a
dilapidated apartment in St. Petersburg. Although his plan to kill the pawnbroker Alyona Ivanovna is
obvious early on in Crime and Punishment, his reasoning behind committing the murder is a
mystery. Through out the novel, Raskolnikov surfaces many different reasons as to why he killed
Alyona, but all the reasons are proven false except for the last one he gives. Raskolnikov's need for
money to support his family, and his ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Shortly before Raskolnikov kills Alyona, he wanders into a bar and overhears two men talking. The
two men agree back and forth and one says, "Wouldn't thousands of good deeds make up for one
tiny little crime? For one life, thousands of lives saved from decay and corruption." (65) Although
Raskolnikov already witnesses Alyona's sister, Lizaveta, being bossed around cruelly as a servant
for Alyona, overhearing these two men talk about how cruel Alyona is, allows Raskolnikov to come
to contentment with his idea of murdering her. The influence this conversation had on Raskolnikov
is shown in a quote, shortly after he hears the men speak. "This negligible tavern conversation had
an extreme influence on him in the further development of the affair; as though there were indeed
some predestination, some indication in it..." (66) Raskolnikov uses this conversation as an excuse
to wrap his mind around his desire to kill Alyona. He believes that because others want her dead,
that fate is pushing him in the direction of murdering her. This excuse is demonstrated falsely when
he feels remorseful after the murder. Aylona's life was indeed not meaningfulness, and Raskolnikov
realizes that his motive was not because she was an awful

Crime And Punishment By Raskolnikov
Some of the basic theories that Karl Marx went by for the Marxist theory was that throughout the
novel, there are many instances where Raskolnikov, along with other characters in the novel, suffer
from poverty and in return take drastic measures. For example, Sonya Marmelodav a good beautiful
religious wife turns to prostitution in order to help her family with economical issues. The Second
epoch Marx's had was capitalist stage of development his most ambitious work of all as it says in
the (Marxist Criticism packet paragraph 3) "In a capitalist economy, Marx explains, the two
principle classes are the bourgeoisie, who own the modest of production and the proletariat, who are
forced to become contract laborer most commonly used as slaves." ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Showing how the feud between both classes will consume a lot of problems. In the novel
Raskolnikov commits the crime of killing two people throughout the story. For different reasons
many of which involving his pride. Raskolnikov gives a lot of reasoning why he killed Alyona
Ivanovna. The first person he killed for a utilitarian reason as he proclaims. As Raskolnikov says
"The old woman was a mistake perhaps but she's not the point! The old woman was merely a
sickness...I was in a hurry to step over...it wasn't a human being I killed, it was a principle! So I
killed the principle, but I didn't step over it, I stayed on this side....All I managed to do was kill. And
I didn't even manage that, as it turns out..(part 3 chapter 4) The quote shows how Raskolnikov is
trap in his own mindset of himself that he only cares about himself and how supposedly is helping
his society. He shows how he needs to assure himself about the motivation towards killing
Ivanovna. There are many scenes from the book that relate to the base and superstructure of the
Marxist model of consciousness. It explains In the critical experience packet. "Philosophers from
Plato to Hegel have insisted that the elements of human consciousness such as our intellectual
reasoning, our knowledge of right and wrong, and our ability to make aesthetic judgements are
inherent in our very humanity".( Pg.180) The reasoning for Raskolnikov would of been coming
from – human conscious as that shapes your relationship to society. He believed he was doing a
right to himself and society and that's why he committed both

Raskolnikov Ubermensch Quotes
Although, Raskolnikov tries to hold on to his morality, he starts to develop a concept of Ubermensch
in his mind. Raskolnikov justifies his future actions by many reasonings. Not only would the death
of the pawnbroker bring him wealth but everyone would benefit from her death. In this quote,
Raskolnikov overhears this conversation about wanting the pawnbrokers. This further convinced
Raskolnikov that everyone including him would appreciate her death. Additionally, Raskolnikov
explained the theory of Ubermensch. The concept of a individual being extraordinary by having the
possibility to go above the law without guilt. He wanted to test this concept to see if he is an
ubermensch. Raskolnikov character shows in the novel the wrong and insufition

Meursault And Raskolnikov
How can the way a character acts or treats other people push the plot of a book forward? Fyodor
Dostoevsky's novel Crime and Punishment and Albert Camus' novella The Stranger both feature
main characters guilty of committing murder; however, the the two main characters, Meursault and
Raskolnikov, act very differently and so their fates end up very different. The main character of the
The Stranger is a man simply called Monsieur Mersault. Camus presents Meursault as an honest
person. This doesn't necessarily work in his favor, as he tells people repeatedly that things don't
matter. He is very emotionally detached from everyone and everything. He does not even cry when
his own mother dies, and he does not love the woman who is supposed to be his love interest.
Meursault ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Meursault, true to his characterization, doesn't really react. He feels no guilt because he does not feel
like anything matters. The murder he committed was just another thing that happened. He is caught
and put on trial for his crimes. The prosecutor uses his indifference toward the death of his mother
and everything else to get him convicted. Even after his conviction, he doesn't show any emotion.
Raskolnikov, however, immediately becomes paranoid about what he has done and thinks that
everyone knows. He falls ill after his crime and the people around him start to believe he has gone
insane. This leads people to suspect him of committing the crime. Perhaps had he not acted the way
he did, no one would suspect of the crime. Despite actually having feelings after his crime,
Raskolnikov also feels no guilt for killing the old woman because of his philosophy about
extraordinary men. He simply dislikes the fact that he wasn't successful and therefore not an
extraordinary man. Raskolnikov ends up confessing to the crime and because of his supposed
insanity after the murder it is decided that he is not some simple

Raskolnikov Conscience

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