Crime and Punishment

by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Fyodor Dostoevsky - Biosketch

He was born in 1821 and lived to age 60. He was the 2nd of 7 children. His father was stern and self-righteous, while his mother was passive, kind and generous. His characters from his literary works display diametrically opposing traits as well. His early education was in an army engineering school, Dostoevsky however, was interested in literary pursuits. His father was killed by serfs on their estate while Dostoevsky was at school.

Fyodor Dostoevsky - biosketch

The murder of his father caused him to be obsessed and preoccupied with death. It became the pervasive theme in his literature. In Crime and Punishment, a person believes themselves above punishment and therefore commits the heinous crime of murder. In his novel, The Brothers Karamazov, the father is murdered.

CAST OF CHARACTERSRodion Romanovitch Raskolnikov The main character who is alternately called Rodya, Rodenka, and Rodka. Avdotya Romanovna Raskolnikov Rodya's sister, alternately called Dounia. Pulcheria Alexandrovna Raskolnikov Rodya's mother. Semyon Zakharovitch Marmeladov A drunkard who figures prominently in a bar conversation with Raskolnikov. Katerina Ivanovna The wife of Marmeladov. Sofya Semyonovna Marmeladov Marmeladov's daughter and devoted step-daughter of Katerina Ivanovna, who prostitutes herself and later falls in love with Raskolnikov. Also called Sonia. Arkady Ivanovitch Svidrigaïlov Dounia's former employer who arrives in St. Petersburg. Marfa Petrovna Svidrigaïlov's wife who dies and leaves Dounia a bundle of needed money. Pyotr Petrovich Luzhin A rich man who thinks he can buy happiness for Dounia, his love. His name, comically, means "puddle." Dimitri Prokofitch Razhumikin Raskolnikov's best friend and guardian of Dounia. Andrei Semyonovitch Lebeziatnikov A tenant in the same building as the Marmeladovs and a liberal. Porfiry Petrovich The overseeing police officer on Raskolnikov's case. Alyona Ivanovna The moneylender who Raskolnikov murders. Lizaveta Ivanovna The simple-minded sister of Alyona and a friend of Sonya. Praskovya Pavlovna Raskolnikov's complaining landlady who is owed back-rent. Nastasya Praskovya's servant and a friend of Raskolnikov. Amalia Fyodorovna The Marmeladov's landlady who causes a big scandalous fight at a dinner party. Kapernaumov Sonia's landlady. Zossimov A friend of Razhumikin and a doctor who cared for Raskolnikov. Nikodim Fomitch Chief of the police. Zametov A clerk in the police station and a fiend of Razhumikin. Ilya Petrovitch A police official. Nikolay and Dimitri The painters, one of whom admits to the crime.

Authors never name their characters accidentally or

without conscious consideration to the traits they are

assigning to that character.

Name

Word

Meaning (in Russian)

Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov

raskol

a schism, or split; "raskolnik" is "one who splits" or "dissenter"; the verb raskalyvat' means "to cleave", "to chop","to crack","to split" or "to break"

Pyotr Petrovich Luzhin

luzha

a puddle

Dmitri Prokofich Razumikhin

razum

reason, intelligence

Alexander Grigorievich Zamyotov

zametit

to notice, to realize

Andrey Semyenovich Lebezyatnikov

lebezit

to fawn on somebody, to cringe

Semyon Zakharovich Marmeladov

marmelad

marmalade/jam

Arkady Ivanovich Svidrigailov

Svidrigailo

a Lithuanian duke of the fifteenth century

Plot Summary

Raskolnikov, the protagonist, is an impoverished student who devises the theory that he is extraordinary and therefore has the right to commit murder of someone who has nothing worthwhile to offer. Herein lies the premise of the entire novel. The murder occurs fairly early in the story and by the time Raskolnikov has committed the murder he has already been in a depraved state, unkempt, reclusive, isolated and alienated from everyone, although he is an attractive, intelligent young man.

Plot Summary cont’d

Following the murder of the pawnbroker and her mentally challenged half-sister, Roskolnikov becomes ill from his crime. When he does emerge again it is to read newspaper accounts of the crime to find out as much as he can. He even nearly confesses to a police official. Roskolnikov later witnesses the death of Marmelodov, who was struck by a carriage while crossing the street. Roskolnikov impulsively gives all the money he’s acquired to his widow.

Plot Summary cont’d

When Roskolnikov returns to his room, he finds his mother and sister, Dunya, there talking of plans of her impending wedding to Luzhin, whom Roskolnikov denounces. He also hates the former employer of his sister, Svidrigalov who has arrived in town to appeal to Roskolnikov in order to meet with Dunya who he lusts after. Svidrigalov’s previous attempt at seduction had caused Roskolnikov to despise him.

Plot Summary cont’d

Meanwhile, Roskolnikov hears that all people that had dealings with the pawnbroker are to be interviewed by the police. He goes believing himself to be suspect. En route he visits Sonya, the daughter of the dead Marmelodov, who happens to be a friend of the pawnbroker’s sister. Sonya was forced into prostitution because of her father’s drinking and subsequent debt. After his interview he confesses to Sonya and inadvertently Svidrigalov hears the confession, and tries to blackmail Dunya to sleep with him.

Plot Summary cont’d

Dunya refuses Svidrigalov and he kills himself. Porfiry the police investigator tells Roskolnikov he knows who committed the murders. After talking with Sonya, Roskolnikov confesses and is sentenced to 8 years in a Siberian prison. Sonya follows him and he begins his rehabilitation.

Themes

Crime and Punishment - the title is also a theme

Alienation and Isolation - Roskolnikov isolates himself both before and after the murders

Superman Theory - extraordinary individual

Nihilism - the idea that moral decisions should be based on the greatest happiness for the larges amount of people - Alyana Ivanova was a louse, the world’s better of w/o her

Motifs and Symbols

Poverty is a motif in that Dostoevsky is making commentary on the social class structure in Russia, the majority of the people are impoverished

The City of St. Petersburg is a symbol as it represents the state of society itself - crowded, dirty, corrupt, prejudiced, etc.

Discussion Questions

http://us.penguingroup.com/static/rguides/us/crime_and_punishment.html

http://www.enotes.com/crime-and-punishment-text/reading-pointers

Related Readings

The Trial - Franz Kafka

Notes from the Underground, The Brothers Karamazov - Fyodor Dostoevsky

The Tell-Tale Heart - Edgar Allen Poe

Related Films

A twist on the idea of Crime and Punishment is Woody Allen’s film “Crimes and Misdemeanors”

Another similar idea is presented in Alfred Hitchcock’s film, “The Rope”