Allusion In Svidrigailov's Death

From Svidrigailov’s death, the topic of religious allusion emerges explaining the importance of society’s ability to symbolically transform a person from death to life. Through the story of Lazarath, Dostoevsky suggests that Lazarath symbolizes a chance to regain life and raise from the dead. Although Svidrigailov doesn’t grab the opportunity of a second life, Raskolnikov is seen desperately trying to hold to this glimmer of hope and to regain his connection with society. With this desperation, a similarity between Raskolnikov and Lazarath appears and that both characters are in similar situations. This allusion shows that like Lazarath, Raskolnikov is experiencing a spiritual death instead of a physical death. Although Raskolnikov is constantly embraced by the people who love him, he rejects them because

Lazareth’s resurrection from the dead brings hope to Raskolnikov and his opportunity to escape death and become a living person who can then be able to return to humanity. Therefore during the scene of Raskolnikov demanding Sonya to read the story of Lazarath, my journal mentions that Raskolnikov reveals his “underlying plan for Sonya to read the story of Lazarath, reveals his desire for Sonya to take the role of Jesus and bring him back to life to be among the living.” Furthermore, another religious allusion that builds and emphasize Raskolnikov’s desperation for Sonya to be his Savior is when he kisses her feet after she finishes the story of Lazareth and says “I was not bowing to you, I was bowing to all human suffering” (322). In the New Testament of the Bible, a similar scene emerges and shows an immoral woman kissing and using her hair to wash Jesus’ feet with her tears and perfume. Raskolnikov’s similar action again shows his suffering and that he is a sinner who needs Sonya to bear all of his sufferings on behalf of