Gennaro Santangelo’s criticism of Crime and Punishment fully inspects the motives behind Raskolnikov’s murder, the driving influence on the plot of the book, but he only partially probes the resultant ramifications that emerge in the forms of choices that Raskolnikov makes that resolve the failures of his original goals. Overall, in the context of the paper’s subject, the information Santangelo chooses to include and omit make sense, but the crucial results, or how Raskolnikov eventually reverses his original motivations, are insufficiently appraised. Santangelo’s essay, however fascinating, seems like it does not tell the complete story, that it needs a complementary work to fulfill its purpose. That work, should it have properly met its goal, is beginning to …show more content…
draw its own conclusion as someone reads it, unbeknownst that it is suggestively addressing them and its purpose. In the end, Santangelo does not recognize that Raskolnikov has learned something through the murder and its reverberating effect. Raskolnikov’s life so far, full of ups and downs, has given him wisdom he can keep, which may not have happened without the murder and Sonya’s help. What matters is Raskolnikov’s displacement, or what his experiences have amounted to in terms of his character and consciousness. In the end, he has finally found what he has been looking for, and he can only reflect on the unimaginable way he got there. The culmination of the crime and the suffering Raskolnikov endured psychologically before confession and during confinement results in, as far as what Dostoyevsky leaves the reader with, a rejuvenated man who is another story in and of itself.
Deep down, Raskolnikov’s motives behind his deed amount to something profound in the end, how he rejects his past and learns much from it. Santangelo’s criticism touches on the meaning of Raskolnikov’s motives, but seems incomplete in terms of the impact their resolutions have on the end of the novel and Dostoyevsky’s message. This is where the motives transform into greater meanings. How does Raskolnikov redeem himself at the end? Is there one choice that explains the action? Each of his choices alone and together are gripping because seldomly is a person’s emergence from transgression the product of a single force. All results are intertwined with unfathomable levels of choice that begin subliminally but come down to a conscious decision. Dostoyevsky had the audacity to expose the root complexity of human emotion, then show how it can consciously choose its ending, happy or unhappy. Raskolnikov’s redemption was a public, pragmatic, individual, and ideological
finish.
In the novel, Crime and Punishment, the principle character, Raskolnikov, has unknowingly published a collection of his thoughts on crime and punishment via an article entitled "On Crime." Porfiry, who is trying to link Raskolnikov to a murder, has uncovered this article, read it, and tells Raskolnikov that he is very interested in learning about his ideas. Porfiry brings Raskolnikov into this conversation primarily to find out more about Raskolnikov's possible involvement in the crime. Raskolnikov decides to take him up on the challenge of discussing his theory, and embarks into a large discussion of his philosophy of man.
Understanding how far your psyche is able to be pushed is useful for everyday life, and for the long run. Dostoevsky properly displayed how Raskolnikov was shaped by his mental and outward conflicts, ultimately showing how important this character was in the book. Even though he’s the main character, if Dostoevsky failed to highlight how Raskolnikov’s sanity was getting away from him, it would be hard for the reader to understand his actions. In the end, knowing that Raskolnikov was mentally incapable when he committed the crime of murder and went on to hide the fact he was guilty, it foreshadowed that in the end of the book he would give himself up one way or another. Mental capacity and its limits can be seen as an important aspect of a person’s personality, as displayed in Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment with Raskolnikov, who was unaware of the limits of his psyche which resulted in him loosing his sanity.
Dostoyevsky's writing in this book is such that the characters and setting around the main subject, Raskolnikov, are used with powerful consequences. The setting is both symbolic and has a power that affects all whom reside there, most notably Raskolnikov. An effective Structure is also used to show changes to the plot's direction and Raskolnikov's character. To add to this, the author's word choice and imagery are often extremely descriptive, and enhance the impact at every stage of Raskolnikov's changing fortunes and character. All of these features aid in the portrayal of Raskolnikov's downfall and subsequent rise.
Although the novel begins by focusing on the crime itself, the majority of the book discusses Raskolnikov's struggle through denial and redemption after the murder has been committed. His own "greatness" leads to his denial of God, and his attempt to suppress his conscience causes insanity and sickness. However these negative consequences force him to acknowledge his rectitude and realize his need for confession.
First, Dostoevsky gives the reader the character, Raskolnokov. He is the main character, whom Fyodor uses to show two sides of people their admirable side and their disgusting side. He loves Raskolnokov, which is why Fyodor uses Raskolnokov’s point of view throughout the whole novel. Personally, Fyodor dislikes some of his qualities but understands that all people are plagued with some bad traits, and that Raskolnokv is trying to make emends for some of his wrong doings, i.e. the murder of the pawnbroker and her sister. He knows that what he did was wrong and is willing to suffer for his crime, and he does throughout the whole book with his constant depression. Dostoesky believes in punishment for your crimes, this is why he shows Raskolnokov suffering through most of the novel, to show his great love for penance. Dostoevsky likes the kind giving nature of people; this is why he portrays the main character as a kind, gentle, and giving, person. Often, Raskolnokov thinks only of others benefits such as when he helped Katerina by giving her all his money for Marmelodov, as well as his caring about what happens to his sister with her marriage to Luzhin. Raskolnokov hates Luzhin’s arrogant and pompous attitude, which reflects Dostoevsky’s animosity of the same qualities in people in the real world.
In Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, Raskalnikov undergoes a period of extreme psychological upheaval. By comparing this death and rebirth of Raskalnikov's psyche to the story of the resurrection of Lazarus, Dostoevsky emphasizes not only the gravity of his crimes, but also the importance of acceptance of guilt.
Dostoevsky was made aware of the problems with Nihilistic ideas while he was exiled in Siberia. Crime and Punishment was Dostoevsky’s first attempt at a psychological analysis of a person’s inner struggles to rationalize this radicalism. Raskolnikov represents that intelligentsia and is being used by Dostoevsky to portray and warn against succumbing to these ideals. Dostoevsky uses Raskolnikov’s life to illustrate the implications and applications of this Nihilist to the public and then expands upon it in Demons.
A highly educated individual, avoiding the hardships of society while pondering the possibility of great wealth, Raskolnikov, in Fyodor Dostoevsky's "Crime and Punishment," frustrated with his immoral actions, suffers from an abrupt physical and mental breakdown after brutally mutilating a wicked pawnbroker. After this soul-scarring incident, the initial feelings of success in completing his mission quickly changes once he realizes possible flaws in his, otherwise considered, perfect murder. Raskolnikov's imperfect conscience finally comes to an emotional awakening once his saint, Sonya, an unintelligent prostitute, brings him the love, sensitivity, and inner serenity to help him confess to the murder he so coldly commits.
Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment begins with Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov living in poverty and isolation in St. Petersburg. The reader soon learns that he was, until somewhat recently, a successful student at the local university. His character at that point was not uncommon. However, the environment of the grim and individualistic city eventually encourages Raskolnikov’s undeveloped detachment and sense of superiority to its current state of desperation. This state is worsening when Raskolnikov visits an old pawnbroker to sell a watch. During the visit, the reader slowly realizes that Raskolnikov plans to murder the woman with his superiority as a justification. After the Raskolnikov commits the murder, the novel deeply explores his psychology, yet it also touches on countless other topics including nihilism, the idea of a “superman,” and the value of human life. In this way, the greatness of Crime and Punishment comes not just from its examination of the main topic of the psychology of isolation and murder, but the variety topics which naturally arise in the discussion.
In his novel Crime and Punishment Fyodor Dostoevsky uses Raskolnikov as a vessel for several different philosophies that were particularly prominent at the time in order to obliquely express his opinions concerning those schools of thought. Raskolnikov begins his journey in Crime and Punishment with a nihilistic worldview and eventually transitions to a more optimistic one strongly resembling Christian existentialism, the philosophy Dostoevsky preferred, although it could be argued that it is not a complete conversion. Nonetheless, by the end of his journey Raskolnikov has undergone a fundamental shift in character. This transformation is due in large part to the influence other characters have on him, particularly Sonia. Raskolnikov’s relationship with Sonia plays a significant role in furthering his character development and shaping the philosophical themes of the novel.
Throughout the novel, Raskolnikov consists of two different personalities; one represents the humane side, while the other represents the selfish, inhumane side (Uwasomba, 290). The inhumane side encourages the murder of Alyona Ivanovna, and convinces him to create something of himself by becoming the Robin Hood of his community. Like Raskolnikov, many others are also “suffocated by poverty,” so he decides to take the life of Ivanovna for his people (Dostoyevsky, 4). However, it’s ironic he commits murder for his community, because he struggles with schizophrenia and remains “socially withdrawn reclusive, [and] alone” (Uwasomba 292). Instead of sharing the items he robbed like Robin Hood, he hides the items under a rock, and becomes more withdrawn (Dostoyevsky, 103). The guilt of the murders encaged him in his internal prison, where he became so reclusive he was only able to truthfully speak with Sonia, at the end of the novel when he confesses his crimes and sins to her (Dostoyevsky, 391). Although Raskolnikov’s “free to roam the streets, he cannot escape the return to a
In Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov's initial crime, failure, and acceptance of mistakes are his road to overcoming his ego, as well as self discovery.
Suffering is inevitable to life. Since the beginning of time, humans have tried to find ways to cope with suffering. Being born in nineteenth century Russia, Fyodor Dostoevsky put up with more suffering than we could even imagine today. Poverty and social upheaval were a daily challenge for people at this time. Determined to let the suffering be known, Dostoevsky adds it to his novel Crime and Punishment. In the beginning, we are introduced to Raskolnikov, a college dropout who is poverty stricken. He gets to the point where he murders an elderly pawnbroker because he thought that it would benefit him financially and all humanity. Throughout the novel, Raskolnikov is fighting an “internal” battle and struggles with his emotions. Through the characters Raskolnikov encounters, Dostoevsky shows us many types of people and how they deal with their daily suffering. All these characters together mirror Dostoevsky’s view on the necessity of suffering and how embracing the suffering ultimately allows a person to redeem themselves.
Raskolinkov’s beliefs transform from the beginning of the novel to the ending. His theory was never complete and to test his theory he commits the murder of an evil soul. The irony of this novel is Raskolinkov who though he was an extraordinary men, have the will to commit murder but not the power to live with the crime on his hands.
Before and following Raskolnikov’s murder, he lives a life of anxiety and pride. Raskolnikov has no concern for anyone. But gradually Raskolnikov changes his attitude and actions. This alteration then leads him to confess and recognize his crime. This positive change is all thanks to Sonia. Throughout Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov meets with Sonia and at each meeting Raskolnikov advances in recovering his lost emotions. Sonia was necessary for Raskolnikov’s growth because without her Raskolnikov would have remained a prideful, miserable, man. Sonia’s actions and thoughts for Raskolnikov influence and move him. Yet Raskolnikov is the one who truly changes himself. But this transformation is only possible by Sonia. So she is a positive and