...At the close of Crime and Punishment, Raskolinkov is convicted of Murder and sentenced to seven years in Siberian prison. Yet even before the character was conceived, Fyodor Dostoevsky had already convicted Raskolinkov in his mind (Frank, Dostoevsky 101). Crime and Punishment is the final chapter in Dostoevsky's journey toward understanding the forces that drive man to sin, suffering, and grace. Using ideas developed in Notes from Underground and episodes of his life recorded in Memoirs of the House of the Dead, Dostoevsky puts forth in Crime in Punishment a stern defense of natural law and an irrefutable volume of evidence condemning Raskolnikov's actions (Bloom, Notes 25). Central to the prosecution of any crime, murder in particular, is the idea of motive. Not only must the prosecutor prove the actus rectus or "guilty act," but also that the criminal possessed the mens rea or "guilty mind" (Schmalleger 77). The pages of Crime and Punishment and the philosophies of Dostoevsky provide ample proof of both. The first is easy; Dostoevsky forces the reader to watch firsthand as Raskolnikov "took the axe all the way out, swung it with both hands, scarcely aware of himself, and almost without effort, almost mechanically, brought the butt-end down on her head" (Crime and Punishment 76). There is no doubt Raskolnikov caused the death of Alena Ivanovna and, later, Lizaveta, but whether he possessed the mens rea is another matter entirely. By emphasizing the depersonalization...
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...What interests me most in the epilogue of Crime and Punishment is the continuation of Raskolnikov’s pride even in prison because it shows how deeply pride is rooted in him. The fact that Raskolnikov sets himself so far apart from others in prison shows the separation he feels from others and perhaps why he allowed himself to kill Alyona. Raskolnikov’s pride can be traced all the way back to the beginning of the novel. When Pulcheria Alexandrovna is shocked at the health and mental state of her son, Razumikhin describes Raskolnikov as “sullen, gloomy arrogant, proud...[setting] a terribly high value on himself” (215). While he may be much more intelligent then most, Raskolnikov is not justified in putting his worth higher than others, although he does not see this error. It is because of this elated view of himself that Raskolnikov feels he is an extraordinary man, making it morally permissible for him to kill Alyona. However, after the unexpected murder of Lizaveta,...
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...The paradox of religion is prevalent in Crime and Punishment and is a major component in describing Raskolnikov as a character. In Russian society, religion, particularly Christianity is seen as illogical and insensible; however, Raskolnikov gradually shifts from possessing a nihilistic perception of life to a viewpoint that includes Christian values and beliefs. Furthermore, distinct parallels can be drawn between the characters in the novel and biblical figures. These characters play irreplaceable roles in the novel’s development and Raskolnikov’s character development. Additionally, it seems as though Dostoevsky uses religious symbolism to make assertions about the importance of religion in an increasingly secular society, and how Russian...
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...Triumphant Farwell The English Dictionary defines an epilogue as a “concluding section of a speech or literary work”. Though usually short, an epilogue may be as long as an entire chapter in a book. Readers are often curious about what happens to the characters after the narrative ends. An epilogue satisfies this curiosity, leaving the reader informed and fulfilled. In Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Epilogue in Crime and Punishment, there have been speculations in regards to if the epilogue had any sort of significance. This argument sways both ways, but in the case of Crime and Punishment the books identity would be altered if the epilogue were to be absent. Ultimately, the role of the epilogue plays a vital role and is indeed necessary in the establishment of this novel. The epilogue gives the audience a accurate view on the character of Raskolnikov, allows them to see through his imperfections. It ties up any loose ends that the readers may have and most importantly displays the strong affection Raskolnikov and Sonia possess. Crime and Punishment’s epilogue truly uncovers Raskolnikov’s class as a human being. The audience can appreciate that fact that Raskolnikov is not a complete selfish human being, that he is capable of portraying acts of selflessness. Throughout most of the novel, Raskolnikov is characterized as a man who only thinks about himself. He in visions himself as a human of elite status, and the consequences of the average human do not apply to him. This theory of his...
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...Jada Williams-Davis Per.2nd 3/28/2013 CRIME AND PUNISHMENT Prompt: 2004, Form B In Dostoevsky’s novel “Crime and Punishment”, Raskolnikov is the main character as the story is told almost exclusively through his point of view. Raskolnikov decides to plan his idea of the perfect crime, the murder of an old woman who is a pawnbroker, but when he actually commits the crime he embraces both a mental and physical devastation throughout the rest of the novel. The psychological journey the reader takes as they read the novel arises from this particular crime. Dostoevsky depicts the twisted mind of Raskonikov before and after his murder, making it evident what drives him to commit the crime and why. The story begins with Raskolnikov, a former student, who appears to be completely alienated from the world around him. He seems to have this resentment toward humanity leaving him to always remain alone. He already had an idea regarding the crime and had planned this out thoroughly but yet, he still could not bring himself to it. He is unsure and it is apparent in the context that he was dealing with an affective internal conflict. The reader sees how he struggles with his uncertainty “If I am so scared now, what would it be if it somehow came to pass that I were really going to do it?” He thought just before he visited the old woman. The reader can apprehend how he is reluctant to the idea of literally murdering her but he also still has the desire to do it. This idea contributes...
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...argument that it will better humanity in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment. Crime towards humanity has never been rightly justified, but it seems as if the crime towards humanity misinterprets the goal of the crime. Criminals would like to believe that their crimes were done for humanity rather than towards humanity. Fyodor Dostoevsky exposes the argument of bettering humanity as a scapegoat for criminality in his novel, Crime and Punishment. The wealthy and those in poverty have had a strong dissonance for hundreds of thousands of years, usually caused by envy and frustration of the poor and the arrogance and lack of empathy of the rich. Raskolnikov, frustrated that he could not finish his studies in law and had to drop out of law school, has grown a type of soft hatred to the pawnbroker, Alyona Ivanovna. Due to her wealth and unfair treatment to the people that pawn items to her, Raskolnikov undoubtedly turns his soft hate into violent thoughts. He envisioned murdering her and taking her money, but the moral side of him always brought a sense of disgust to his own thoughts, and Raskolnikov would not want to go through with the crime. Although he tried to take the idea off his mind, the struggle of him having owe the landlady dues as well as him already behind on payments, Raskolnikov’s thought turned to a plan, but he still could not go through with it. Raskolnikov needed a good reason in committing the crime that would not come out as purely selfish. There was a consistency...
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...Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction ‘Jonathan Culler has always been about the best person around at explaining literary theory without oversimplifying it or treating it with polemical bias. Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction is an exemplary work in this genre.’ J. Hillis Miller, University of California, Irvine ‘An impressive and engaging feat of condensation . . . the avoidance of the usual plod through schools and approaches allows the reader to get straight to the heart of the crucial issue for many students, which is: why are they studying literary theory in the first place? . . . an engaging and lively book.’ Patricia Waugh, University of Durham Very Short Introductions are for anyone wanting a stimulating and accessible way in to a new subject. They are written by experts, and have been published in 15 languages worldwide. Very Short Introductions available from Oxford Paperbacks: ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY Julia Annas THE ANGLO-SAXON AGE John Blair ARCHAEOLOGY Paul Bahn ARISTOTLE Jonathan Barnes Augustine Henry Chadwick THE BIBLE John Riches Buddha Michael Carrithers BUDDHISM Damien Keown CLASSICS Mary Beard and John Henderson Continental Philosophy Simon Critchley Darwin Jonathan Howard DESCARTES Tom Sorell EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY BRITAIN Paul Langford The European Union John Pinder Freud Anthony Storr Galileo Stillman Drake Gandhi Bhikhu Parekh HEIDEGGER Michael Inwood HINDUISM Kim Knott HISTORY John H. Arnold HUME A. J...
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...Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction ‘Jonathan Culler has always been about the best person around at explaining literary theory without oversimplifying it or treating it with polemical bias. Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction is an exemplary work in this genre.’ J. Hillis Miller, University of California, Irvine ‘An impressive and engaging feat of condensation . . . the avoidance of the usual plod through schools and approaches allows the reader to get straight to the heart of the crucial issue for many students, which is: why are they studying literary theory in the first place? . . . an engaging and lively book.’ Patricia Waugh, University of Durham Jonathan Culler LITERARY THEORY A Very Short Introduction 1 Great Clarendon Street, Oxford o x2 6 d p Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide in Oxford New York Athens Auckland Bangkok Bogotá Buenos Aires Calcutta Cape Town Chennai Dar es Salaam Delhi Florence Hong Kong Istanbul Karachi Kuala Lumpur Madrid Melbourne Mexico City Mumbai Nairobi Paris São Paulo Shanghai Singapore Taipei Tokyo Toronto Warsaw with associated companies in Berlin Ibadan Oxford is a registered trade mark of Oxford University Press in the UK and in certain other countries Published in the United States by Oxford University Press Inc., New York © Jonathan Culler 1997 The moral rights...
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