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REVISITING EXISTENTIALISM IN DOSTOYEVSKY’SCRIME AND PUNISHMENT THROUGH THE STUDY OF
RASKOLNIKOV’S PERSONALITY CHANGES
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirementsfor the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
DAVID BAYU PRAWIRO HERYANA
Student Number: 024214036
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMMEDEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERSSANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA2007
REVISITING EXISTENTIALISM IN DOSTOYEVSKY’SCRIME AND PUNISHMENT THROUGH THE STUDY OF
RASKOLNIKOV’S PERSONALITY CHANGES
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirementsfor the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
DAVID BAYU PRAWIRO HERYANA
Student Number: 024214036
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMMEDEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERSSANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA2007
i
Only a life lived for other is a life worthwhile
- Albert Einstein -
iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I would like to thank my creator for the freedom that He has
given to me. Without freedom I would not be what I am. I wish to thank
wholeheartedly my beloved parents, Ko Charles, and Cie Pauline, for their love
and support. I apologize for making them wait so long.
I do thank my advisor, Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka, M.Hum. for spending
his time to guide me finishing this thesis. His advice and suggestions give a large
contribution in improving my writing. My next gratitude goes to Dewi
Widyastuti, S.Pd., M.Hum. for being my co-advisor. I really appreciate her
suggestion and criticism that have improved my thesis. Special thanks are
addressed to Romo Hary Susanto SJ for a short but inspiring discussion. I would
also express my appreciation to all the staff in English Letters Department
secretariat. Their great services ease me in accomplishing my study.
I want to give also special thanks to Thoms, Danang, and Sigit for the
discussion enriching my knowledge. I would like to say thanks to WW, Leonardo,
the couple Cecep-Minthul, Dimas, Parjo, Step, Téh Ria, Ajeng, Cak Diqin,
Munyux and all my friends in English Letters 2002. I thank them for the happy or
sad memories they have shared with me.
Lastly, I would like to thank everyone who deserves my gratitude. I am
sorry that I forgot to name them all. May God bless them.
David Bayu Prawiro Heryana
v
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE .................................................................................................. iAPPROVAL PAGE ........................................................................................ iiACCEPTANCE PAGE .................................................................................... iiiMOTTO PAGE ................................................................................................ ivACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................ vTABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................ viABSTRACT .................................................................................................... viiiABSTRAK ...................................................................................................... x
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION .................................................................. 1A. Background of the Study ............................................................. 1B. Problem Formulation ................................................................... 5C. Objectives of the Study ................................................................ 5D. Definition of Terms ...................................................................... 5
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL REVIEW.................................................. 7A. Review on Related Studies ........................................................... 7B. Review on Related Theories ........................................................ 10
1. Theory of Character and Characterization ............................... 102. Theory on Character Developmen ........................................... 133. Theory of Personality Changes ................................................ 144. The Relation between Literature and Philosophy .................... 165. Existentialism and Attempted Definitions ............................... 176. Sartrean Existentialism ............................................................ 18
C. Theoretical Framework ................................................................ 21
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY .............................................................. 23A. Object of the Study ....................................................................... 23B. Approach of the Study .................................................................. 24C. Method of the Study...................................................................... 24
CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS ........................................................................... 27A. The Character of Raskolnikov before the Murder ......................... 27B. Raskolnikov’s Personality Changes after the Murder.................... 37C. Existentialism Reflected in Raskolnikov ...................................... 47
CHAPTER V CONCLUSION ...................................................................... 57
BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................................................................................... 60
vi
APPENDIX. .................................................................................................... 63Summary of Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment ................................... 63
vii
ABSTRACT
DAVID BAYU PRAWIRO HERYANA (2007). Revisiting Existentialism inDostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment through the Study of Raskolnikov’sPersonality Changes. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty ofLetters, Sanata Dharma University.
In Crime and Punishment Dostoyevsky drowns into the psychologicalcombat that might be undergone by a criminal. Raskolnikov, the major characterof the novel, tries to find his existence through his action of murdering an oldwoman pawnbroker. The murder is based on an assumption that the pawnbrokercarries out poverty. Such action can be seen as a free act. A free act can be amanifestation of a man’s freedom. On the contrary, it might also be an antithesisof his freedom. The writer attempts to examine Raskolnikov and his freedom fromthe point of view of existentialism, mainly existentialism by Jean-Paul Sartre.
This study is led to accomplish three objectives. The first objective is togain a description of the character Raskolnikov before he commits the murder.The second objective is to see the personality changes he undergoes after themurder. The last objective rises to observe the character from the point of view ofexistentialism.
In accomplishing the analysis the writer uses library research method.Most of the data needed are collected from several books and essays. Theories oncharacter are employed to answer the first problem. Then, theories on personalitychanges from the domain of Psychology are essential to examine the personalitydevelopment that happens to Raskolnikov. Lastly, the writer applies philosophy ofexistentialism in studying Raskolnikov’s personality journey.
In the beginning of the story Raskolnikov is described as a smart andproud man who lives in poverty. These two contradictory facts make him feel thathis life is meaningless. Based on empirical theory of the concept of man, he triesto look for his existence by murdering a pawnbroker. He has an obsession to be anextraordinary man. In fact, Raskolnikov experiences a psychological punishmentas the consequence of his act. His pride is slowly falling down. Nonetheless, dueto the love given by the people who care for him, he is able to rise up from theagony and repent his sin. The murder done by Raskolnikov is obviously anantithesis of his freedom. He does not realize that he has been enslaved by hisown obsession. As an impact, Raskolnikov happens to be in despair because hefeels that he has failed. An existential act is reflected precisely in his personalitychange from being proud to being humble and his will to live.
viii
ABSTRAK
DAVID BAYU PRAWIRO HERYANA (2007). Revisiting Existentialism inDostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment through the Study of Raskolnikov’sPersonality Changes. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra,Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Dalam novel Crime and Punishment Dostoyevsky menyelam ke dalampertarungan psikologis yang mungkin dialami seorang kriminal. Raskolnikov,tokoh utama dalam novel tersebut berusaha menemukan eksistensinya dalamtindakannya membunuh seorang wanita tukang gadai. Pembunuhan ini didasarianggapan bahwa tukang gadai tersebut menyebabkan kemiskinan terus berjalan.Tindakan Raskolnikov ini dapat dilihat sebagai sebuah tindakan bebas. Tindakanbebas dapat menjadi perwujudan dari kebebasan manusia. Di sisi lain, tindakantersebut juga bisa menjadi pengkhianatan atas kebebasannya. Penulis mencobamelihat tokoh Raskolnikov dan kebebasannya dengan kacamata eksistensialisme,utamanya eksistensialisme Jean-Paul Sartre.
Studi ini diarahkan untuk menjawab tiga permasalahan. Permasalahanpertama ditujukan untuk mendapatkan gambaran tentang karakter Raskolnikovsebelum dia melakukan pembunuhan. Permasalahan kedua adalah untuk melihatperubahan watak yang dialaminya setelah pembunuhan. Permasalahan terakhirmuncul guna mencermati karakter Raskolnikov dari sudut pandangeksistensialisme.
Dalam menyelesaikan analisis, penulis menggunakan metode kepustakaan.Sebagian besar data yang diperlukan didapat dari beberapa buku maupun esar-esai. Teori karakter digunakan untuk menjawab permasalahan pertama.Selanjutnya, teori perubahan watak/kepribadian dari ranah Psikologi bergunauntuk mengamati perkembangan watak yang terjadi. Terakhir, penulismenggunakan filsafat eksistensialisme dalam mencermati perjalanan pribadiRaskolnikov.
Pada awal cerita Raskolnikov digambarkan sebagai pria cerdas dan tinggihati yang hidup dalam kemiskinan. Dua fakta kontradiktif ini membuat ia merasahidupnya tak bermakna. Dengan dasar teori empiris tentang konsep manusia, iaberusaha mencari eksistensinya dengan membunuh seorang tukang gadai. Iamemiliki obsesi untuk menjadi extraordinary man (kategori manusia yangmempunyai hak untuk melanggar norma-norma lama demi dunia yang lebih baik).Faktanya, Raskolnikov mengalami hukuman psikologis sebagai konsekuensi daritindakannya. Perlahan-lahan keangkuhannya runtuh hingga ia berniat bunuh diri.Namun, berkat perhatian dari orang-orang yang mencintainya, ia mampu bangkitdari keterpurukan dan bersedia mengakui kesalahannya. Pembunuhan yangdilakukan Raskolnikov jelas merupakan pengkhianatan atas kebebasannya. Secaratidak sadar ia telah diperbudak oleh obsesinya. Sebagai akibat, ia menjaditerpuruk karena merasa gagal. Tindakan eksistensial justru tercermin padaperubahan wataknya dari tinggi hati menjadi rendah hati dan kemauannya untukterus menjalani kehidupan.
ix
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Freedom may be believed as the most important right possessed by human
being. In the Bible, which some consider as one of the eldest works of literature,
the freedom of human being is shown in the beginning part of the Old Testament
(Genesis). Eve’s act of eating the fruit of knowledge and Adam’s act of following
his companion are clear illustrations of man’s freedom. Although God has
forbidden them to eat that fruit, yet God does not prevent their action, which later
on is known as man’s original sin. Only then God gives punishment by expelling
them from Eden.
The concept of freedom has been developing together with human
population and its civilization. The idea of freedom in today’s people’s mind is
different from yesterdays. From time to time human being is always trying to gain
the most adequate form of freedom. For an individual, as stated by Hary Susanto,
SJ in his essay “Memeluk Agama, Menemukan Kebebasan” included in Sesudah
Filsafat, life is a process into a freedom. This process is often defined as
“history”. In this sense, history of human being might be called history of freedom
(2006: 301, my own translation).
Unfortunately, freedom is often misinterpreted and abused. Total freedom
becomes boundless and oppressing. Some people are unaware of other’s freedom.
History has noted many form of freedom abuse. The world has once witnessed a
1
holocaust done by Nazi to build a new order led by the race of Aryan Superman. It
seems that Hitler has successfully spread Nietzsche’s doctrine. By following the
idea of Nietzsche’s “Superman”, he has unintentionally raised existentialism
movement. The victims of the holocaust (Jews) are then wondering where God is,
and questioning why He does not save them as He has done for Israel. They lose
something to rely on so that they decide not to rely on anything but themselves.
This is the principle of existentialism.
As an anthropological philosophy, existentialism places man, as an
individual, as its center. He is free to think and do whatever he wants. In his
relationship with others and the universe, he acts as a subject who is free to decide
what is true and what is false. This is what we call subjectivity.
Existentialism emphasizes not only freedom to think, but also freedom to
act. Existentialists say that man must act individually, and everyone must act
differently. It means that human behavior should be original from himself, not by
social influences (Rentz, 1995: 296). Still according to Rentz, the society norms
are useless. Existential ethics tend to place individual above the law. It is a belief
that living human being is a higher value than any abstract idea, even the idea of
good (1995: 296).
Speaking of existentialism, we must refer to philosophers such as
Heidegger, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, or Sartre. However, it is important to notice
that there is a Russian writer whose works are frequently claimed as existential.
He is Fyodor Mikhailovic Dostoyevsky.
2
There is no reason to say that Dostoyevsky is an existentialist. He never
claims neither himself as existentialist nor his works as existential writings.
However, through his early work, Notes from the Underground, he may be called
the father of existentialism. In Existentialism from Dostoyevsky to Satre,
Kaufmann regards that work as a “best overture of existentialism” (1969: 14).
Without disrespecting Dostoyevsky’s other works, this thesis chooses
Crime and Punishment as the object to analyze. While nowadays the world is
facing a super power country doing an invasion to another country, which even
kills its own soldier, in the name of democracy and human rights, Dostoyevsky
has painted it on a smaller scale more than a hundred years ago. The subject of the
novel is a young man named Raskolnikov, who commits a murder for the sake of
the others. He considers the crime as a heroic act based on his own theory of
“extraordinary man”. The story then focuses on the psychological combat in his
mind whether or not he will admit to the police that he is the murderer. Through
the psychological combat, Dostoyevsky presents the value of humanity. In the
introduction of the English translation version, the translator David Margarshack,
writes that the theme of the story, as said by the narrator, is that the man will die
not because of the crime he has committed, but because he has destroyed what is
best in him and what still entitles him to be called a human being (1958: 11). The
philosophical aspect is touched by the theory of “extraordinary man” professed by
the main character. This topic becomes the mostly–discussed aspect of the novel.
It is understandable since such philosophy then is popularized as “Superman
3
philosophy” by, as mentioned before, a famous German philosopher, Friedrich
Wilhelm Nietzsche.
Nietzsche once said, “Dostoevsky was the only psychologist from whom I
had anything to learn” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fyodor_Dostoevsky). It is
interesting to see an existentialist, who is famous with his theory ‘the death of
God’, has learnt from a Christian. Dostoyevsky surely is a really great writer. In
Raskolnikov, he at his best has gone to the depth of man’s psychological combat.
Peter McDuff points out in his introduction to the Penguin Classic edition that
“Dostoyevsky has created a man who is singular yet universal. He (Raskolnikov)
is someone with whom we can sympathize, empathize, and pity, even if we cannot
relate to his action. He is a character we will remember forever, and whose story
will echo throughout history” (http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guides2/crime
andpunishment.asp).
It is a bit contradictive to find out that when Boyce Gibson in his book The
Religion of Dostoyevsky discusses Christianity in Crime and Punishment, some
studies suggest that Raskolnikov reflects atheistic existentialism. Unfortunately,
those studies on existentialism occasionally get stuck in differing freedom and
free act. It is these facts that make the writer choose study on Raskolnikov to
analyze how he reflects existentialism. Furthermore, it can be noticed whether or
not it is still important to give the theistic-atheistic label to existentialism.
4
B. Problem Formulation
These research questions below are formulated in order to guide and limit
the subjects that will be discussed.
1. What are the characteristics of Raskolnikov before the murder?
2. How does Raskolnikov’s personality change after the murder?
3. In what way do Raskolnikov’s characteristics express existentialism?
C. Objectives of the Study
The study aims to answer the research questions stated before. Therefore,
there will be three objectives of the study. Firstly, this study is trying to figure out
the depiction of the Raskolnikov’s characteristics before his crime. Secondly, this
study aims to observe how Raskolnikov’s personality changes after he has
committed the crime. Lastly, the analysis focuses on seeing how far this main
character in the novel represents existentialism.
D. Definition of Terms
Some words will be defined to guide the readers in understanding this
thesis. The writer gets definition of the specific terms mostly from books which
are considered well - qualified.
1. Existentialism
In his writing “Existentialism is a Humanism”, taken from Existentialism
from Dostoyevsky to Sartre by Walter Kaufmann (1969), Jean-Paul Sartre
5
explains some basic aspects of existentialism. The very starting points of
existentialism are “existence precedes essence” and human subjectivity (1969:
290). Those two points mean that men do not have fixed natures that limit or
determine their choices, but rather it is their choices that bring whatever nature
they have into being. It is a doctrine which makes human life possible and, in
addition, declares that every truth and every action implies a human setting and a
human subjectivity. As an atheist existentialist, Sartre adds that existentialism is
nothing else than an attempt to draw all the consequences of a coherent atheistic
position (1969: 310).
2. Personality Change
According to Hurlock (1974: 108), personality change is the personality
pattern which can change in some areas and remain persistent in other as well.
Furthermore, the change itself is not synonymous with improvement but can be
either for better or worse. Therefore, a personality change of people can be seen as
the way to adjust the world.
In Concise Encyclopedia of Psychology (1987: 669), personality changes
are defined simply as the changes in personality. Those might be the effect of
aging, psychological trauma, education, and altered circumstances. The changes
can be seen when human behavior is governed by the lowest unfulfilled need,
changes in job, family, or social condition that will alter fundamental motive
structure.
7
CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
A. Review of Related Studies
Born in 1821, Fyodor Mikhailovic Dostoyevsky is one of the greatest
Russian novelists together with Maxim Gorky and Leo Tolstoy. Besides a
novelist, he is also known as a short-story writer, journalist, and editor who is
widely regarded as one of the influential writers of modern literature. Although he
has spent his study at Military Engineering School, he is more interested in
literature. He has been imprisoned for being a member of radical socialist
organization. His first post-imprisonment writing, The House of the Dead (1860)
is influenced by his experience in a labor camp. His most highly regarded are
Notes from the Underground (1864), Crime and Punishment (1866), The Gambler
(1866), The Idiot (1868), The Devils (1872), and The Brother Karamazov (1880).
Among above, Crime and Punishment is the best-known work that is often-
discussed by the critics.
The novel tells about a young man who is in bad financial condition;
murders an old lady and robs her stuffs. The psychological combat inside his mind
becomes the main focus of the whole story. The background of the story is a
reflection of Dostoyevsky’s real experience. By the time he started doing this
novel, Dostoyevsky was depressed and in a serious financial straits. The important
idea of the novel, that is a murderer’s confession, can also be found in
7
Dostoyevsky’s real experience during his prison time in Siberia.
(http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guides2/crime_and_punishment.asp).
The murderer, namely Raskolnikov, is the main character of the story. He
is the character who is mostly-studied by the experts and researchers. In
Masterpiece World of Literature, Frank Northen Magill states that Crime and
Punishment is a novel that expands upon philosophical problem embodied in the
main character, Raskolnikov. He also says that the idea of existentialism appears
in Raskolnikov’s consideration whether or not he will commit suicide after the
murder as his redemption (1989: 154).
Another critic who also concerns about philosophical issue in the novel is
William Barrett. His analysis on Raskolnikov comes into a hypothesis that
Dostoyevsky has expressed the idea of “superman philosophy” before Nietzsche.
In Irrational Man: A Study in Existential Philosophy, Barrett says:
The hero, Raskolnikov, is the alienated intellectual-alienated at once fromthe collective body of mankind and from his own being. Hungry andsolitary, he spins out of the bowels of his own reason a Nietzchean theory(before Nietzsche) of the superman who through his own superior daringand strength rises above all ordinary moral codes (1962: 137).
Besides the “superman philosophy”, Dostoyevsky is one step forward than
Nietzsche in revealing the theory of will to power. Barrett states that “The will to
power – the demoniacal will to power – was thus discovered by Dostoyevsky
before Nietzsche made it his theme” (1962: 137).
An anonymous essay also focuses on Raskolnikov in its comment on
Crime and Punishment, and Dostoyevsky as the author. The novel is said as
giving irresistible questions: Who among us is innocent? If we all have done a
8
crime, what punishment do we deserve? These questions then lead to an idea,
which is written in the introduction of the novel, that:
…true punishment is not the sentence imposed on him by the court of law,but that imposed on him by his own actions: the psychological andspiritual hell he has created for himself; the necessary sentence of isolationfrom his friends and family; the extreme wavering between wanting toconfess his crime, and desperately hoping to get away with it(http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guides2/crime_and_punishment.asp)
As for Dostoyevsky, the essayist says that he has created a character
(Raskolnikov) who can draw various emotions from the readers. “Dostoyevsky
has created a man who is singular yet universal. He is someone with whom we
can sympathize, empathize, and pity, even if we cannot relate to his actions”
(http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guides2/crime_and_punishment.asp). In his
closing, the essayist claims Raskolnikov as a character the readers will remember.
Most of the studies that have been done by the critics and researchers are
discussing the philosophical and psychological issues drawn from the character
Raskolnikov. The discussion on its philosophical issue is about nothing but
existentialism. This thesis will neither strongly support nor strictly argue the
opinion which says that the main character of the novel, Raskolnikov, shows the
idea of existentialism. The writer would like to suggest an alternative perspective
on Raskolnikov’s freedom and free act for a better understanding of
existentialism. This understanding is reflected from Raskolnikovs’s awareness of
himself, people around him, and his freedom.
9
B. Review of Related Theories
As the study is dealing with the characters and existentialism, it will be
necessary to understand about characters and characterization in literary work and
also about existentialism.
1. Theory of Characters and Characterization
According to Murphy (1972: 161-173), there are nine ways that an author
can apply to present the characterization of characters in a literary work. They are:
a. Personal description
The author can describe a character’s appearance and clothes. The readers will
get only a visible look of a character.
b. Characters as seen by another
The author can describe a character through the eyes and opinions of other
characters. The readers get, as it were, a reflected image.
c. Speech
The author describes a character by giving readers an insight into the
characteristics through what he says. Here the readers are able to analyze a
character from the sentences he uses.
d. Past life
The author can provide a clue to events that help to shape a person’s
characteristics by giving the readers the character’s past life. This is quite helpful
to analyze the motives that a character has when he has a particular characteristic
or does something special.
10
e. Conversation of others
The author can also provide a clue to a person’s characteristics through the
conversation of other people and what they say about him. Readers will learn that
what others say about a character may reveal some of his characteristics.
f. Reactions
The author can describe a person’s characteristics by showing how a character
responds to various situations and events. The reaction may give a clue to what
characteristics a character has.
g. Direct comment
The author may describe a person’s characteristics by directly giving readers
comments on the character. This is somehow the best way for the readers to find
out any characteristics because they know what exactly the author wants to reveal.
h. Thoughts
The author gives readers direct knowledge of what a person is thinking about.
Here the author is able to do what people cannot do in a real life. He can tell
readers what different people are thinking of. In a literary work, it is acceptable.
The readers then are in a privileged position; they have a secret listening device
plugged in to the inmost thoughts of a character in a novel.
i. Mannerism
The author can characterize a character through the mannerisms, habits or
idiosyncrasies. It may tell readers something about his characteristics.
Abrams says that
Characters are the persons presented in a dramatic or narrative work,who are interpreted by the readers as being endowed with moral and
11
dispositional qualities that are expressed in what they say – the dialogue– and by what they do – the action. The grounds in a character’stemperament and moral nature for his speech and actions constitute hismotivation (1981: 20).
The quotation means that characters in literary works are understood by readers as
persons whose behavior and individuality are observed through their speeches and
actions. Later, their dialogues and actions can serve as clues to their motivations
for committing some particular events. This is what is expected for the readers to
recognize when they read literary works. They do not only enjoy the aesthetic
value of the stories but also identify the reasons for any events.
Harvey classifies characters into three categories. The most important is
clearly the protagonist. The character has fully established motivation and history
and engages readers’ responses more fully and steadily, in a way more complex
though not necessarily more vivid than other characters. The character evokes
readers’ beliefs, sympathies, and revulsions, exists as an individual case, and
demands special consideration. The second is known as the “background”
character. This character may almost be completely mysterious, voices rather than
individualized characters. It means that the “background” characters are less
important and appear simply to support the protagonists (1965: 56).
The last is called intermediate figures, which has at least two kinds of
characters. The first, called the Ficelle, is the character who while more fully
delineated and individualized than any background character exists in the novel
primarily to serve some particular function. Another type of intermediate creation
is the Card, the character who is a “character.” Most Cards are not the nominal
heroes of the novels that contain them. Few novels make the Card a protagonist,
12
and these few, although they may be very good, do not approach real greatness.
The distinguishing feature of the Card is his relative changelessness, combined
with a peculiar kind of freedom. These categories – protagonist, background,
Card, Ficelle – are, of course, only approximate.
2. Theory of Character Development
According to Harvey (1965: 56), the protagonists, who are the most
important characters in a novel, most of the time change as the story progresses.
They experience the change through many things, including conflicts with which
they deal in the story. They are actually what the novel exists for; it exists to
reveal them. Forster and Perrine also explain about character development in
their books. In Aspects of the Novel and Related Writings, Forster suggests that
character development is the metamorphosis of a character starting from the
beginning until the end of a story. A character is developing if he is experiencing
a change in aspects of disposition, personality, or outlook. He is not the same
person who appears at the beginning of the story, which means that he has
achieved new characteristics. The changing depends on the events which occur in
the story (1974: 54). According to Perrine, the changing of the characters should
meet the following three conditions.
1) The changing must be within the possibilities of the characters who make it.
The characters in the story should not change suddenly. The author should
present the changing of the characters step by step. The characters must begin
the changing with smaller changes.
13
2) The changing must be sufficiently motivated by circumstances in which the
character finds himself. The character should have strong motivations or
reason in doing their actions.
3) The changing must be allowed sufficient time for a change of its magnitude
believably to take place. The characters need enough time for a change
(Perrine, 1974: 71).
3. Theory of Personality Changes
In Personality Development, Hurlock cites Allport’s definition of
personality, which explains that personality is “the dynamic organization within
the individual of those psycho-physical systems that is determined his
characteristics behavior and thought” (1974: 137). Personality is determined by
some factors, such as physical, intellectual, emotional, social, sex, education, and
family.
Change in personality is divided into three major aspects. However, those
three are not in a counter-relationship. Meaning to say, one change of personality
may be examined from all aspects. Later on, each aspect will be divided into two
antonymous categories. First, the changes are into the better or into the worse. The
latter usually happens at puberty and middle age.
Second, the changes are qualitative or quantitative. In qualitative changes,
the present traits are reinforced, strengthened, or weakened. An already-present
trait, usually an undesirable one is replaced by another trait, usually a desirable
one. In quantitative, the changes may produce the impression that the person has
14
changed his personality patterns. This impression is correct in the sense that here
have been shifts in the traits.
The last aspect is the period of time. One may experience rapid or slow
personality changes. Normally, personality changes are slow and steady. Too
rapid changes can be seen as dangerous signals. Rapid personality changes
indicate an abnormal condition of the person. It may be caused by a physical
illness such as brain injury, or mental illness such as schizophrenia (1974: 120).
Personality changes do not occur on their own harmony. Usually they are
the result of multiple revisions in the thoughts feelings related to the person’s
concept of self. A change in the self concept will bring out a change in the entire
personality pattern. This change is getting more difficult to happen as the person
grows older. Changing one’s self-concept requires tremendous self-insight. It
means that a person should be able and willing to recognize himself as he actually
is, not as he would like to be or as others perceive (1974: 128).
It is very hard for a person to see himself as he actually is. There are at
least three obstacles on doing it. They are intellectual, emotion, and environment.
Hurlock (1974: 128-129) mentions some conditions that may facilitate changes in
one’s self-concept. He points out what he considers as the most important as
follows.
a. The use of introspection to see oneself as one actually is
b. As analysis of why one thinks of oneself in a particular way.
c. A critical examination of one’s behavior to see if it creating an unfavorable
impression on the others.
15
d. An objective comparison of oneself with others to see if one is inferior,
superior, or equal.
e. Self-disclosure to those for whom one has respect and confidence as a way of
gaining new self-insight.
f. Reading books that emphasize what contributes to success in life.
g. Avoiding trying to model one’s personality after the personality of an ideal.
h. Changing one’s aspiration when they are unrealistically high for one’s
potentials.
i. Changing from an environment that fosters an unfavorable self-concept or, if
this is possible, ignoring the unfavorable aspects of the environment.
j. Patient practice in trying to see oneself according to the new self-concept until
on becomes accustomed to it, likes it, and accepts it.
4. The Relation between Literature and Philosophy
The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy tells that both philosophy and
literature produce understanding. Philosophy produces understanding of
reality/fact while literature produces the understanding of feeling. A literary text
may contain philosophical interest and value. The philosopher may identify,
examine, and evaluate the philosophical content of the literary text. Literature and
philosophy are essentially the same in matters of contents and references, the
difference occurs in the physical form. What philosophy expresses in the form of
argument is expressed by literature in lyrics, dramatic, or even narrative form
(1999: 678).
16
In Literature Considered as Philosophy the French Example, Knight
explains the relationship between literature and philosophy by stating,
Philosophy and literature have acted upon another in the past, but theynever lost their identity in one another. Writers who were not philosopherswrote about philosophy, what they wrote was not in itself philosophy inthe strict sense of word (1962: 175).
The explanation above wants to say that although an author is not a philosopher,
he/she might convey philosophical thoughts or values in his/her work.
In many literary works, the idea of existentialism mostly can be found
through the presentation of the characters. The existential fiction frequently strikes
through all aspects of morality to get at certain basic truths about man and his
behavior (Karl and Leo, 1963: 19). They present an example that is Proust’s
“Filial Sentiments of a Parricide” in which the author tells its readers that beneath
the seeming joy of life, there is the dying person; and often to seek the truth of
things may lead to murder or suicide (1963: 21).
5. Existentialism and Attempted Definitions
Many philosophers such as Nietzsche, Heidegger, Sartre, Kierkegaard,
Pascal, and so on, have made interpretation of human existence. Indeed,
existentialism is not easily definable. In The New Dictionary of Existentialism
(Nauman, 1972: 46), it is stated that existentialism represents a revolt against
traditional philosophy. Meaning to say, it denies that truth can be ever
synonymous with reason. Existentialism conducts a general examination of
existence, its emotions, asserting that existence must be the primary category
through which such concepts as essence must be achieved.
17
Troisfontaines in What is Existentialism? (1968: 5) clearly states that
existentialism is a movement. He defines the movement as a philosophy of
subjectivity, or selfhood, whose fundamental doctrine proclaims man’s freedom in
the accomplishment of his destiny, and whose principal method is consequently
that of description, or phenomenology.
Existentialism is different from other philosophical movements because it
is based on social conditions of human life. Collins states that:
Existentialism, perhaps more than other philosophical movements, isusually evaluated on cultural and social grounds. Both its supporters andits opponents point to the general condition of society as an explanation ofits appearance and rapid spread in Europe (1952: 1).
Even though it is impossible to define existentialism for there are many
existentialists with their own concerns, Dr. T. Michel, as cited by Louis Leahy SJ
in his book Aliran-Aliran Besar Atheisme, states that all existentialists put their
major interest on phatos existentiae, which means individual suffering as a result
of an unknowable, chaotic, and seemingly empty universe. Existentialism, then,
believes that the suffering individual must create meaning in such empty universe
(1985: 58, my own translation). In his effort to create the meaning, a man is
anxious to understand his being.
6. Sartrean Existentialism
The most emphasized aspect of Sartre’s existentialism is freedom.
Human freedom, as the very first condition of acting and choosing, is one basic
theme of existentialism that cannot be separated from the term responsibility. As
stated by Sartre in his book Existentialism and Humanism, “thus the first effect of
18
existentialism is that puts every man possesses of himself as he is, and places the
entire responsibility for his existence squarely upon his own shoulders” (1960:
29). Sartre’s opinion on freedom is described in his essay about Cartesian freedom
in which he provides a discourse based on the thought of a French philosopher,
René Descartes, about the freedom of thinking. On one hand, Sartre seems to
agree with Descartes on the differentiation of freedom and power. On the other
hand, Sartre somehow criticizes Cartesian freedom which he thinks is passive and
not productive. Sartre thinks that people should be able to say no to themselves,
which is called self-deception.
The self-deception means being deceptive towards any form of essence. A
man should not possess essence. With essence, a man cannot be free. According
to Sartre, a man is free. To make it more emphasized, a man is freedom.
Therefore, it can be stated that freedom is the base of essence. In life, existence
precedes essence. It means that “man first of all exists, encounter himself, surges
up in the world—and defines himself afterwards” (Sartre, 1969: 290).
The explanation on the essence is the central theme of Sartre’s most
famous thought of the phenomenology of Being, which is widely explained in his
magnum opus, Being and Nothingness; An Essay on Phenomenological Ontology
(1976). He divides Being (Sartre’s term) into two modes, being-in-itself (ětre en-
soi) and being-for-itself (ětre pour-soi). The former category includes things like
trees, tables, rocks, and other inanimate object, which have specific roles and
functions for particular purposes. A man is different from those things, which
makes him included in the latter category, being-for-itself. It is restated that a man
19
has no essence which makes his existence. It is free existence which helps a man
form his essence. It then can be concluded that a man is free and completely
responsible to himself. This does not mean he is responsible only to his own
individual, but rather to all human being, for in doing an action there is a
consideration whether or not the other will do the same as he is about to do.
“Existentialism is a Humanism”, this is the title of Sartre’s brief exposition
with which he responds the reproaches from the Communists, Christians, and so
on. Sartre himself recognizes the difficulty when dealing with the phenomenon.
The difficulty occurs because in fact there are two groups of existentialists. On
one hand, there is theistic existentialism represented by Jaspers and Gabriel
Marcel, while on the other hand there is atheistic existentialism represented by
Heidegger and Sartre. Furthermore, Sartre describes his rejection towards God as
follows.
…if God does not exist there is at least one being whose existence comesbefore its essence, a being which exists before it can be defined by anyconception of it (1969: 290).
Sartre again refuses any form of conception of man. He disagrees that God makes
man according to a procedure. By applying an analogy, Sartre states that man is
no ready-found function like a paper-knife. This is to say that a man is not created
with certain function.
Besides in that brief exposition, Sartre also describes his perspective on
God in his essay on Cartesian freedom, compiled in Literary and Philosophical
Essays. Although he frankly declares himself as an atheist, his opinion on
Descartes’ God is very interesting. Sartre excitedly discusses the idea of free God
20
according to Descartes. Sartre considers Descartes’ God as the freest God of all
conceptions of God ever suggested by man. This assumption is deducted from
Descartes’ statement that “God’s freedom is no more entire than of man and that
one is in the image of other” (1970: 193). The creative God is free and not only a
subject to principles. Moreover, Sartre says that “He is not disposed by His
perfection to decide what is the best; rather, that which He has decided is, as a
result of his decision itself, absolutely Good” (1970: 195).
According to Sartre, man is condemned to be free. There are no moral
values as the branch of humanity in dealing with freedom and responsibility.
Good and bad values depend on man himself not on the universal values of
humanity. If a man sees his action is good, it is so because he chooses and
considers his action good. On the contrary, if man sees his action is bad, it is so
because he chooses and considers it bad (Sartre, 1960: 47), which is Sartre’s
explanation on a man’s subjectivity and truth.
Being free does not mean to be able to do what one wants, but rather to be
able to choose what one wishes. This is the nature of freedom as being the very
first condition of action. Therefore, a success is not important in freedom. It
creates a clear distinction between freedom and power. Man is said to have total
freedom even though he has limited power. In the essay on Cartesian freedom,
Sartre describes the position of existentialism in facing the phenomenon of power.
Here we perceive the negative aspect of freedom. For if I do not havepower to perform such and such an action, I must always try to conquermyself rather than fortune and to change my desires rather than the orderof the world (1970: 184).
21
C. Theoretical Framework
This part will give an overview on the contribution of the theories and
their application in the analysis in order to solve the problems of the study. The
theory of character and characterization is considered suitable as the means to
answer the first and second questions. By applying the theory, the writer will be
able to describe the characteristics of the major character, Raskolnikov, both
before and after he commits the murder.
The theory of character development and personality change will give an
essential contribution in solving the second research question. It is useful to figure
out the personality change happens on Raskolnikov. The theory of personality
change will provide more information so that the problems can be appropriately
solved.
The philosophy of existentialism and existential ideas mainly by Sartre
will be very important especially in answering the third question. Since
existentialism is not what one has but what one is, the findings on Raskolnikov‘s
characteristics before the murder and the change/s after the murder, may be best
analyzed using the philosophy of existentialism. In other words, in answering the
third problem, the philosophy will be used in the process of observing the
connection between the preceding findings to the idea of existentialism.
22
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
The object of this study is the best-known novel ever written by a famous
Russian writer Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky entitled Crime and Punishment.
First published as Prestupleniye i Nakazaniye in 1866, the novel became
Dostoyevsky’s successful work. It became world wide-read when the English
translation version was published in 1958 by Penguin Book Ltd. The novel has
559 pages, and consists of six parts with several chapters in each part. Part one
and two are in seven chapters. Part three and four have six chapters in each of
them. The fifth part consists of five chapters. The last is in eight chapters. The
story is closed by an epilog.
Crime and Punishment tells about a young man named Raskolnikov who
murders two old women. One is well-planned, and the other is spontaneously. He
does not consider his act as a crime because he thinks that the old woman, whom
he murders intentionally, deserves to be killed. Moreover, Raskolnikov expresses
the theory of extraordinary man, which says that some men have a right to step
over the law for a better world, as an excuse of his act. The story ends with
Raskolnikov’s imprisonment after he confesses his crime. The psychological
combat whether he should confess or not is the novel’s basic theme.
The novel presents more than twenty characters. The main character is
Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov, the murderer. This is the character on which
most of the analysis focuses. Like in almost all novels, the author constructs the
23
basic theme of his work through the major character. Raskolnikov’s personality
and its change/s will be analyzed using Sartrean existentialism to find out how far
his thoughts and acts reflect the themes of existentialism. Dimitri Prokovitch
Razumikhin, Raskolnikov’s best friend, and Sofya Semyonovna, Raskolnikov’s
girlfriend, are two most important minor characters.
B. Approach of the Study
The use of appropriate approach/es in analyzing the work is essential in
order to have a fair analysis on the topic. The approach/es then, will lead the study
into a vivid conclusion. Considering the topic of the study, which conveys the
philosophy of existentialism, the writer applies moral-philosophical approach with
the intention of achieving a balance analysis. Moral philosophical approach is an
approach that is employed to figure out what moral teaching or what philosophical
issue probing in literary work. The proponent of this approach tends to interpret
literature within a context of the philosophical thought of a period or group
(Guerin, et al, 1999: 29). This approach is considered appropriate since the writer
intends to analyze how far the philosophy of existentialism is reflected by the
main character of the novel.
C. Method of the Study
The method that the writer uses in this study is library research. In library
research, the study is done by reading and collecting data and information from
certain books and other writings that support the subject matter of the research.
24
However, to get more and more information about the work, the author, and any
information related to existentialism, the writer has browsed many websites. Some
data are taken by considering their relevance, validity, accuracy, and
appropriateness.
The primary data of the study is the novel itself. Then, some books
discussing intrinsic elements in literary work, especially character, are used as
secondary data to get best understanding of the topic. The theory on character and
characterization is taken from Abrams’ book A Glossary of Literary Terms
(1981), Murphy’s book Understanding Unseen (1972), and Harvey’s book
Character and the Novel (1965). The theory on character development is taken
from Forster’s book Aspects of the Novel (1974) and Perrine’s Literature:
Structure, Sound and Sense (1974). In getting the understanding about personality
changes, the writer uses Personality Development (1974) by Elizabeth B. Hurlock.
The writer uses Klarer’s book An Introduction to Literary Studies (1999)
and A Handbook of Critical Approach to Literature (1999)-written by Guerin,
Labor, Morgan, Reesman, and Willingham-to gain basic understanding of moral-
philosophical approach. Three books by Jean-Paul Sartre are used as the sources
to obtain good understanding and better knowledge about existentialism. They are
Existentialism and Humanism (1960), Literature and Philosophical Essays
(1970), and Being and Nothingness (1976). Other books that are very useful in
getting more information about existentialism are Kaufmann’s book
Existentialism from Dostoyevsky to Sartre (1969), Barret’s Irrational Man: A
Study in Existentialism Philosophy (1962), and The Encyclopedia of Ethics
25
(1995). Those sources help the writer get better understanding of the subject
matters and composing the writing.
There were some steps that the writer has done in doing the research. The
first step was reading the novel until getting best understanding of the story. The
second step was formulating the problem to guide the study. The next step was
collecting the supporting sources for the research. Then, the writer answered the
research questions using the knowledge that was gained from the sources. The
first question was answered by observing the major character in the story. Theory
of character development and personality changes were employed in solving the
second problem. Then, the writer examined the characteristics of that character
and his personality change/s using philosophy of existentialism. The last step was
writing down the thesis systematically.
26
CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
In this chapter, the writer will try to find the answers for the three
problems formulated in the problem formulation. Therefore, the writer will make
an analysis firstly on the characteristics of Raskolnikov before he commits the
murder, secondly on the personality changes he undergoes after the murder, and
the last on how Raskolnikov’s characteristics are seen from the point of view of
existentialism.
A. The Characteristics of Raskolnikov before the Murder
This part discusses the character Raskolnikov before he commits the
murder. The writer will give the description of his physical appearance and his
personality. It is considered important to separate Raskolnikov before and after
the murder to see that Raskolnikov does not undergo personality changes instantly
and how a psychological combat is involved on the changing process.
Studying Raskolnikov will remind us of one of our friends, someone we
meet on the street, our neighbor, or even the reflection of ourselves. In other
words, he is a character who is extremely close to the real life. He is neither a
super hero nor a villain. Besides being a part of a history, Raskolnikov also lives a
history. Meaning to say, his life is a history which he creates through every action
he takes. Therefore, he should be noticed from several perspectives just like when
studying history.
27
Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov, Russian: Родион Романович
Раскольников (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_and_Punishment) shortly
called Roddy by his beloved family and friends, is the major character from
whose perspective the story is primarily told. He is a young man with a quite
handsome face, beautiful dark eyes, and dark brown hair. He has an over medium
height, slim, and well-built body. Most women will be attracted to him. It seems
that, physically, Raskolnikov is one of those “blessed” persons. However, his
social condition is a contradiction.
He was a student, now fallen out, who is living in abject poverty in Saint
Petersburg. He lives in a little room at the top of a house in Carpenter Lane. The
room is so small that it looks more like a cupboard than a living room. The
condition of the flat where he sleeps – he spends most of his time sleeping on the
sofa – is as disastrous as his economic condition. His friend, Razumikhin, even
calls it a ship’s cabin when he first visits Raskolnikov, “’What a ship’s cabin!’ he
cried, entering…” (p. 137). Living in an awful economic condition makes him
owe the landlady the rent so that he always sneaks around everytime he is about to
go out to avoid her. This terrible condition ruins his social life.
Everytime he goes out, Raskolnikov rarely has some exact destination or
reason. He never pays attention to everyone he meets on the street. Instead of
having a conversation with other people, he prefers talking to himself. He prefers
a world of his own than of reality. In that soliloquies, many thoughts struggle in
his mind. However, he always fails to concentrate on a certain idea. He recognizes
this habit as a ‘disease’ and at the same time extacy.
28
“However, I’m talking too much. It’s because I talk too much that I donothing. Still I daresay the opposite is probably true too. I talk too muchbecause I do nothing. It is during the last month that I got into the habit oftalking to myself. Lying about all day long in that beastly hole andthinking – thinking of all sorts of absurd things” (p. 20).
This habit not only makes Raskolnikov addicted, but it is also considered as
somekind of work. He mentions this when he has a conversation with his
landlady’s kind maidservant, Nastasya.
“Well, why is it you do nothing now?”“But I am doing something…” Raskolnikov said reluctantly and sternly.“Are you now? Well, what is it?”“Working…?”“What kind of work?”“I am thinking,” he replied seriously, after a short pause (p. 46).
Raskolnikov’s habit of talking to himself creates bad impacts to the
relationship with other people. He is a person who is not used to crowds. He
refuses to get involved in any kind of society. Such behaviour has been his
characteristic since he was at the university, where he only had few fellow
student. He feels more comfortable when left alone, and irritated when being
approached. Actually, Raskolnikov was a single hard worker, which made him
respectable, but not likeable. One thing that makes him feel that it is not necessary
to make friend with other students in the university is his being superciliously
proud. Some of his fellow-students felt that they had been underestimated.
Some of his fellow-students had the impression that he looked on them allas though they were children, from above, as though he were miles aheadof them in general development, knowledge, and convictions, and asthough their own convictions and interests were beneath him (p. 69).
29
Raskolnikov only makes friends with those whom he considers to be clever as he
is. Razumikhin is one of those few. For some reason, Raskolnikov becomes friend
with Razumikhin. He wants a kind of mutual relationship.
“Well, listen. I came to you because I don’t know anyone except you whocould help me to – to start fresh – and because you’re better than any ofthem – I mean cleverer – and because you could advise me what to do” (p.130).
However, they are not really friends. It is only a matter that Raskolnikov is more
communicative and frank with him. Razumikhin himself indeed is an
extraordinarily cheerful communicative young fellow so that it seems impossible
to be on any but friendly terms with him. As friends, their relationship is far from
what is called a friendship. One day they had run across each other on the street,
but Raskolnikov avoided his fellow by turning away and crossing to the other
side. Even though Razumikhin saw him, he passed him by as he did not want to
annoy a friend. It is pretty clear that Razumikhin is really aware of such behaviour
of Raskolnikov. He shares his ideas about Raskolnikov when talking to
Raskolnikov’s mother.
“And what can I tell you? I’ve known Roddy for a year and a half: he’s amorose, gloomy, proud, stuck up. More recently (and perhaps for a longtime) he’s been rather suspicious and moody” (p. 232).
The quotation above gives description about Raskolnikov’s general
characteristics. Then, Razumikhin continues telling about the characteristics
which are specifically related to social life.
“He’s terribly uncommunicative sometimes: always busy, everybody’salways in his way, but actually he just lies about and does nothing. Heisn’t sarcastic, but that’s not because he lacks of wit, but because hedoesn’t want to waste time on such trivialities. He never seems to listen
30
what you are telling him; he never shows any interest in whatever peoplehappen to be interested in at any given moment” (p. 232).
As a friend, Razumikhin considers Raskolnikov as a kind of person who is
difficult to be made a close friend.
Raskolnikov is indeed a clever student. Even Marmeladov, a drunkard ex-
civil servant appearing when Raskolnikov suddenly has strange desire for a
companion, dare says that Raskolnikov is an educated young man in their first
meet.
“For though, if I may say so, you don’t look like a person of consequence,my experience of life tells me that you’re a man of education and one,moreover, who is not used to drink” (p. 29).
For a clever student like him, it is not so hard to get a job. Once Raskolnikov gave
lessons to children. However, his pride makes him quit from that work. He thinks
that teaching children does not give him enough money to have a decent life. For
him, it is better to be idle than having a job that is worth only few coppers. As an
unemployed, he makes a living from the money sent by his mother.
Raskolnikov’s mother, Pulcheria Alexandrovna Raskolnikov, who is
already a widow, lives with her daughter Avdotya “Dunya” Romanovna
Raskolnikov in Ryazan province. She is a kind of mother who is willing to
sacrifice everything for a son’s happiness. In her letter to Roddy, she tells about
Dunya’s plan of marriage with Peter Luzhin, a practical businessman. The
marriage itself is arranged for the sake of Raskolnikov. It is expected that later
Peter Luzhin can give a job to Roddy. It is clear here that Raskolnikov is the
backbone of the family. It is also clearly written in the letter.
31
“You know how much I love you, dear. You are all we have in the world,Dunya and I; you are our only hope of a better and brighter future” (p. 48).
She even repeats those words at the end of the letter. Besides a beloved mother,
Raskolnikov also has a sister who really loves him, even more than herself, as the
mother has written in her letter, “Love her as she loves you, and remember she
loves you very much, much more than herself” (p. 57). It is also reflected through
her sacrifice by agreeing to get married to a quite practical old (he is about forty-
five) man, with whom she has not fallen in love yet. Raskolnikov himself,
however, wonders why his sister is eager to make that sacrifice for he knows very
well what kind of woman Dunya is. He understands Dunya as a woman who will
not sell herself.
“…but I know all the same that my sister would rather work as a Negroslave for an American plantation-owner or as a Lett serf for Baltic Germanlandowner than debase her spirit and her moral feelings by a marriage to aman she does not respect and with whom she has nothing in common – forher own advantage! And even if Mr Luzhin had been made of pure gold orhad been a diamond of the purest water, she would never have agreed tobecome his legal concubine!” (p. 61).
The marriage itself is the most essential part of the letter on which Raskolnikov
puts a great concern. For this matter, he has made up his mind to refuse. His
refusal can be seen from two different points of view. On one hand, it may
represent Raskolnikov’s pride, which means that he does not want to have a better
life because of someone’s help. In his soliloquies, he talks to himself as though
Dunya and his mother stood before him.
“And who asked you to think about me, anyway? I don’t want yoursacrifice, Dunya! I don’t want it, mother! It shall not be, so long as I live!It shall not! It shall not be! I won’t have it!” (p. 62).
32
On the other hand, it shows that Raskolnikov loves his sister from the very deep
of his heart. He does not want Dunya to suffer for the rest of her life being a wife
of a busy and practical businessman. He can hardly imagine what kind of
miserable life her sister will deal with.
The paragraph above may describe how deep Raskolnkov’s mother and
sister love Roddy. Raskolnikov’s love to his family can be seen even at the very
moment he receives the letter from Nastasya. Soon as he is left alone with the
letter, he raises it to his lips and kisses it. Tears moisten his face almost all the
time he reads the letter. This description shows Raskolnikov’s deep longing to his
family although he is ashamed to show it before the other people. He used to have
a happy family. In the letter, his mother reminds him of the moment Roddy grew
in a happy and religious family. It was a long time ago when his father was still
alive.
“Do you still say your prayers, Roddy, as you used to, and do you believein the goodness and the mercy of our Creator and our Redeemer?”“Remember, dear, how as a child, while your father was still with us, youused to lisp your prayers on my knees and how happy we all are then?” (p.57).
As a human being Raskolnikov has undergone personality development.
He is no longer the same person his mother last saw three years before before
moving to Petersburg, not to mention the child she has described on the letter.
With such economic condition that he has, it is rather difficult to be nice to
everybody. As explained before, he is a kind of person who is more comfortable if
left alone. A favor might become a terror for him. It is obviously seen from his
refusal on the job offered by Razumikhin when Raskolnikov, for a spontaneous
33
reason, delivers himself to his clever friend. He indeed goes to Razumkhin with a
hope that his friend may offer him a job. However, also with spontaneous reason,
he refuses it by saying that he does not need help anymore. This indicates that he
is not only proud but also wishy washy.
There are many facts showing that Raskolnikov has unstable thoughts. It is
difficult for him to focus or concentrate on a certain point. The plan about the
murder can be a good example. He at once has an idea of murdering an old
woman pawnbroker named Alyona Ivanovna. This idea first occurs in his mind
right after he sees the old woman in order to pawn his father’s old silver watch
and a little gold ring with three red stones given by his sister. It is then justified by
the same idea uttered by a student while Raskolnikov has his meal in a little
restaurant. He even does a rehearsal for the murder by once again visiting the
pawnbroker in order to observe the forthcoming victim and crime scene.
However, it comes to his mind for several times a thought that the murder should
not be done; a thought that he is completely unable to do such thing.
“No! It’s impossible! It’s absurd!” he added firmly. “And how could sucha horrible idea have occurred to me?” (p. 26).“I knew very well that I wouldn’t be able to carry it out…I knew very wellthat I shouldn’t be able to go through with it” (p. 78).
Those thoughts show Raskolnikov’s sense of humanity, but then, the idea of
murder torments him again promptly for he cannot control his thoughts very well.
Whether or not he realizes it, that idea has become an obsession for him. This
obsession really confines his freedom of thinking.
He thought of nothing, and indeed he was quite incapable of thinking; buthe suddenly felt with all his being that he no longer possessed any freedom
34
of reasoning or of will, and that everything was suddenly andirrecoverably settled (p. 81).
From intellectual aspect, that obsessive-compulsive symptomp is closely
related to Raskolnikov’s characteristic of being a free thinker. As a law student he
has written an article entitled On Crime, in which he shares his idea on the nature
of crime. He also invents a theory of “extraordinary man”, which may suggest
Nietzsche’s Ubermensch theory. According to this theory, there are two sub-
divisions of human being. The first is ordinary man, whose fates are preserving
the world and increasing its numbers; the second is the extraordinary one, whose
duty is leading the world to its goal. Thus, in leading the world to its goal, those
who are included in the second category have a right to step over the ancient
environment or transgress the law.
“I simply hinted that the ‘ extraordinary’ man has a right – not an officiallysanctioned right, of course – to permit his conscience to step over certainobstacles, but only if it is absolutely necessary for the fulfilment of hisidea on which quite possibly the welfare of all mankind may depend” (p.276).
In other words, a crime might be justified if it is done by the extraordinary and for
the goodness. Roddy mentiones Newton, Mahomet, Napoleon, and so on, as the
example of extraordinary men. Having such thought, there is a possibility for him
of questioning whether or not he belongs to the second category. From the
psychological point of view, the murder becomes an experiment to answer his
anxiety.
The murder itself, at last, is committed due to the ‘disease’ that
Raskolnikov suffers from for a whole month until the crime. Early after he pawns
the watch and the ring, Raskolnikov becomes so superstitious. He considers every
35
coincidence happens to him during that month as a sign. The first coincidence that
he assumes to be a sign is the moment he unintentionally hears, but then listens to,
the conversation between the student and an army officer. The student says that he
would gladly murder the damned old woman and rob her of all she has.
Raskolnikov really puts a great interest in the student’s idea of saving thousands
of lives by one death. A month after this coincidence, Raskolnikov puts the plan
into actual action. It is not without any reason that the murder is done at some
particular time. He decides to conduct his plan at about seven in the evening due
to the coincidence happened the day before. It is unintentional when Raskolnikov
sees Alyona’s half-sister, Lisaveta, and listens to her conversation with a street-
trader. From eavesdropping, he has got information that Lisaveta makes an
appointment to come again the following day, so that the moneylender would be
left alone in her flat. Since he is superstitious, Roddy considers this as a hint.
Though Raskolnikov has planned a murder, he is not a natural-born
criminal. As noticed before, he does not completely lose his sense of humanity.
There are still held by him the characteristics that are supposed to be possesed by
a person who grew in a happy and religious family. He is indeed a believer. When
he is in the perplexity of his plan, he asks for guidances from his God whether or
not he should carry out the murder.
He felt that he had already cast off the terrible burden that had so longbeen weighing upon him, and all of sudden he felt greatly relieved and atpeace with himself. “O Lord”, he prayed, “show me the way and I shallgive up this – this damnable dream of mine” (p. 79).
Another good nature that Raskolnikov has is kind-hearted. There is no
doubt that he is actually a helpful man. It is reflected through his deed giving his
36
money to Marmeladov’s family. Realizing how poor the Marmeladovs are after
visiting their flat, he puts his money unobserved on the windowsill. Other
evidence that shows his helpful nature is the moment he fights against a man in an
effort to help a girl. He also gives twenty copecks to a policeman to help the girl
get home. Those two facts show Roddy’s kindness. However, he often questions
the reason for what he has done as though he was not aware of himself.
“What the hell did I do that for?” he thought. “They have Sonia to lookafter them, and I want the money for myself” (p. 44)“And what the hell made me interfere? Who am I to help her? Have I anyright to help anyone? Let them devour each other alive for all I care. Whatbusiness is it of mine? And what right had I to give away the twentycopecks?” (p. 68).
We may also see from the quotation that Raskolnikov has a deep curiousity on
self-concept.
All the descriptions above give a portrait of Raskolnikov, an idle clever
ex-student who is living in poverty in Petersburg. He is a naturally kind-hearted,
but rather too proud of himself. To live in poverty is a kind of humiliation for a
proud man like him. Such burden together with his being superstitious bring
Raskolnikov to a nihilistic act of murdering. The description of Raskolnikov’s
condition after the murder will be discussed in the next part.
B. Raskolnikov’s Personality Changes after the Murder
This second part of the analysis will provide the description of personality
changes experienced by Raskolnikov after he commits the murder. It is in this
phase that a psychological combat of Raskolnikov, which is the longest phase of
the novel, arises. The changing process that takes a long time obviously matches
37
the theory suggested by Elizabeth Hurlock. Moreover, we will see some factors
that take part on those changes.
The murder brings an immediate effect to Raskolnikov. He undergoes a
kind of disharmony especially because he kills not only the pawnbroker, but also
her step-sister, Lisaveta for she unexpectedly catches him in the act. This
condition results in the imbalance both physically and psychologically. He falls
into delirium and completely loses his self-control. Many thoughts torment his
mind, and yet he still cannot concentrate on a single one. A thought that perhaps
he leaves traces keeps haunting him. There is no doubt that Raskolnikov has
become paranoid.
This paranoia is clearly noticed when there is a summons from the police
station. He is wondering what the summons is about. He is afraid that it is for the
murder he has committed. The interesting thing is that at this early moment he
already has a strange thought of making a confession, “If they ask me, I shall
probably tell them” (p. 112). This thought just disappears by the time he knows
that the summons is about his promise to pay the rent to his landlady. Such
thought occurs to him again, but soon it vanishes after hearing that the police has
suspected someone but him. It appears that Raskolnikov has no gut to tell the
truth.
Being paranoid, Raskolnikov keeps feeling worried, even with his fellows.
There is some anxiety that the people around him have known the whole thing but
just pretending. Suffering from his illness, he often falls into delirium.
Raskolnikov is afraid that he has told the secret when he is raving. All the total
38
confusion makes him hard to make up his mind. Cowardice just emerges inside
him, which makes him want to runaway, even yet he does not know where to.
“Oh, I remember now: I must run! I must run away quickly! I must! I mustrun! Yes, but where? And where are my clothes? No boots! They’ve takenthem away! Hidden them! I see. Ah, here’s my overcoat! They’ve missedthat! And, thank God, here’s the money on the table. The promissory note,too….I’ll take the money and go” (146).
Besides being suspicious, the psychological burden he carries worsens his
attitude towards people near him who always do him favour. Raskolnikov
becomes more indifferent – which truly is his characteristic due to his pride – to
others. Razumikhin once again becomes a victim of this negative behavior. His
care for Raskolnikov when he is mentally ill is considered as a terror.
“Look here, Razumikhin,” Raskolnikov began quietly and to allappearances very calmly. “Can’t you see that I don’t want any favoursfrom you? And-I can’t understand why you should want to offer favourson people who – who don’t care a damn about them. I mean, people whoreally find it difficult to accept favours. Why did you bother to find mewhen I first fell ill? Perhaps I’d have been glad to die” (186).
From the quotation above, a portrait of a proud man is obviously shown: a man
who rejects others’ help although he really needs it.
Raskolnikov himself indeed realizes that this disharmony happens to him
promptly just at the same night of the murder. It even occurs to his head, a thought
that such disharmony is a punishment for him, “What if it is already beginning, if
my punishment is already beginning?” (p. 109). Not only does Raskolnikov feel
the suffering, but he also wants to bring it to an end. It is just that he does not
know the way.
All he knew was that that this must be brought to an end to-day, once andfor all, now! And that he would never return home unless he did end it,
39
because he did not want to go on living like that. How end it? In what wayend it? He had not the faintest idea (p. 174).
For several times, the desire to end the terror comes in his mind. However,
carrying the entire burden, he cannot think clearly to achieve the solution. Just like
what happens when he is obsessed with the murder, his thought is again strangled.
His mind gets even more imprisoned because for this time Raskolnikov deals not
only with himself, but also the surrounding.
As mentioned before, Raskolnikov does not want to keep on living in fear.
What he needs, like everyman needs, is freedom. It is this desire of freedom that
makes him keep himself away from others even his own family, who has arrived
in Petersburg. In fact, he remains feeling extremely worried and anxious. In
loneliness, the terror comes as a nightmare. One night, a dream about his act of
murdering wakes him up from a heavy slumber.
Suffering from restless thoughts, Raskolnikov once has a will to commit
suicide. Each time he comes to the Little Neva, he keeps thinking of drowning
himself. He believes that ending his life will automatically end all the terror. The
moment where Raskolnikov wants to commit suicide is indeed not vividly
described in the novel. Nonetheless, it can be interpreted from his farewell to his
family.
He seemed to smile, and yet it was not exactly a smile, either. “Well, younever can tell. Perhaps this is the last time we’ll see each other,” he added,unexpectedly (p. 328).
In the end, he does not do that. On one hand, it can be understood to be his
confusion on what should be done. On the other hand, this indicates that there is a
will to live.
40
In the first part of the analysis, it is said that Raskolnikov has a kind heart
that is reflected from his deed helping the Marmeladovs. This nature comes out
again when an accident happens to his fellow, Mr. Marmeladov. He offers sincere
helps; bringing him to the family, paying the doctor, and giving his entire money
to the widow Mrs. Marmeladov. It is in this moment that Raskolnikov first meets
Sonia Marmeladov, the widow’s stepdaughter, who later on gives a huge
influence to Raskolnikov’s view towards many things. Having done such
goodness, Raskolnikov feels the energy of freedom.
He went downstairs slowly, without hurrying, in a fever, but without beingconscious of it, full of a new, great and exhilarating sensation oftremendous energy and will to live which suddenly surged up within him.It was a sensation not unlike that of a man condemned to death who isquite unexpectedly pardoned (p. 206).
In other words, that kind of action has become a remedy for the crime. This
sensation proves to bring bad impact to his mind. With such energy inside,
Raskolnikov feels sure that he already gets back his life, which for a long time has
been haunted by fear, “My life hasn’t come to and end with the death of the old
women!” (p. 208). Such assumption confines his awareness of his mistakes.
Besides, Raskolnikov happens to be imperceptive. He considers strength to be the
one he really needs to overcome his fear, “What I want is strength – strength! You
can’t get anything without strength …” (p. 208). In fact, as the time goes, he again
suffers from great agony both physically and psychologically.
The incapability of releasing himself from constant anxiety that keeps
attacking him is influenced by Raskolnikov’s opinion on his crime. Using the
basic theory of extraordinary man, he claims his crime to be justified since it is
41
done for the sake of many people. Therefore, he may regard himself as having
done a heroic act. He also calls the old woman a louse who is completely
unworthy. Quotation below may illustrate how he hates his victim.
“The old woman was only an illness – I was in a great hurry to step over –I didn’t kill a human being – I killed a principle! Yes, I killed a principleall right, but I did not step over – I remained on this side (p. 291).
By considering Raskolnikov’s hatred to the late pawnbroker, it can be concluded
that he still undergoes the disharmony.
All the agonies from which Raskolnikov suffers affect not only his
relationship with others, but also his ‘relationship’ with God. Although the writer
has never mentioned that Raskolnikov is a very religious person, at least he still
holds a faith. Because of many absurdities he has seen, he changes from a believer
into a skeptic. The skeptical thought is uttered when he is indirectly tormenting
Sonia by supposing that Mrs. Marmeladov will go mad and die soon.
“God – God would never allow such a horrible thing!”“But he lets it happen to others.”“No, no! God will protect her!” she repeated, beside herself.“But what if there is no God?” Raskolnikov replied with a sort of gleefulmalice, and he laughed and looked at her (p. 336).
Before Sonia, Raskolnikov feels superior. He feels sorry for Sonia’s sacrifice as
being a prostitute to earn money for the Marmeladovs. For him, her sacrifice is
useless looking at the fact that Mr. Marmeladov has died and the widow is driven
to madness by that incident. According to Raskolnikov’s idealism, an ideal
sacrifice should result in a significant change.
That superior feeling in fact brings out some positive effects in
Raskolnikov’s journey to freedom. It is to Sonia that he first confesses that he is
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the murderer of the two sisters. Such phenomenon is very commonly done by
almost every man. After a man has done a mistake, he has the bravery to reveal it
only to a person he considers to have also done a mistake. It is more natural if one
is inferior to the other. Psychologically, the person is not really oppressed because
there is some awareness of other people who feel more suffered. It is the reason
why Raskolnikov chooses Sonia as the one to whom he will tell his secret. Up to
this moment, we are still facing the proud Raskolnikov.
Small transformation starts taking place when what he has imagined
becomes reality. Mrs. Marmeladov, who has really turned mad, dies in her
madness because of tuberculosis. Her children are automatically orphans. The fact
that Sonia is still strong and loyal to her faith touches Raskolnikov. When he
confesses his sin, Sonia puts great cares on him and does not blame it on him.
Sonia is willing to follow him even if he will be imprisoned in Siberia. However,
Raskolnikov refuses to confess before the law. Applying his monomania of theory
of extraordinary man, he once again claims his crime to be justified. On one hand,
he admits that he is not a Napoleon, and he has killed only for his own sake “…I
wanted to murder, Sonia, to murder without casuistry, to murder for my own
satisfaction, for myself alone” (p. 432). On the other hand, he keeps insisting that
it is not compulsory for him to make a confession in front of people.
“Don’t be a child, Sonia,” he said quietly. “How am I guilty before them?Why should I go? What will I say to them? Why, the whole thing’s anillusion. They themselves are destroying people by the million andconsider it a good thing. They’re swindlers and blackguards, Sonia, Iwon’t go” (p.434).
43
According to Raskolnikov, everyone makes mistakes, and, by doing so, there is no
need to judge anyone else. He persists to refuse to go to prison, which shows that
he is not ready yet to accept suffering. However, due to Sonia’s persuasion and
care, Raskolnikov eventually gives up. At this moment, he realizes Sonia’s great
love for him, which makes his feeling distressed that someone like him should be
loved so much.
The confession to Sonia results in a significant change on Raskolnikov’s
attitude. His awareness of Sonia’s great care and love changes his point of view
towards people who he has formerly considered as terror. He begins to recognize
the care given by Razumikhin as sincerity. To Dunya, he talks about his opinion
on his late fellow student. He wants to be the matchmaker for his sister and
Razumikhin.
“Dunya,” Raskolnikov stopped her, getting up and walking up to her.“Razumikhin is a very good man.”Dunya coloured a little.“He’s a practical, hard-working, honest man, capable of great devotion andlove. Good-bye, Dunya” (p. 439).
He is not even ashamed to tell it to Razumikhin by himself. He hopes that
Razumikhin will be able to take care of his family supposing that he is
imprisoned.
“Of course she does! Now, whenever I may go and no matter whathappens to me, you ought to stay with them and look after them. I, as itwere, hand them over to your care, Razumikhin. I’m telling you thisbecause I know how much you love her and because I’m quite convincedthat you’re a decent fellow” (p. 455).
From the explanation above, it can be seen that Raskolnikov starts appreciating
others’ kindness for him. This nice behavior is also shown to Dunya and his
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beloved mother. There is a regret that he has not acted as a brother to his sister
and a son to his mother. He is no longer ashamed to express his love. This
moment reminds the mother about Roddy in his childhood.
In the end, Roddy admits his failure and weakness. After conducting what
he thinks is necessary, trusting Razumikhin to take care of his family and saying
farewell to his mother and sister, he decides to give himself up to the police, even
though he does not know for sure why he is doing it. He just thinks that there is a
burden inside of him that should be unchained. The decision is marked with his
visiting Sonia for a cross she has once offered him. He has promised that when he
is ready to suffer, he will wear the cross. In the beginning, he is not sincere and
only pretends to be ready for the remedy. Sonia, nevertheless, succeeds again
crushing his pride.
But he felt touched; his heart bled as he looked at her. “Why,” he thought,“why is she so upset? What am I to her? Why is she crying? Why is shetaking leave of me like my mother or Dunya? My future nurse!” (p. 534).
Through Sonia’s love, Roddy realizes that he cannot stand on his own; that he has
to have someone to hold on to.
Raskolnikov is sentenced eight years in Siberia for his crime. In prison, his
life is not automatically renewed. He still cannot understand the fact that his being
imprisoned is the consequence for his crime. He suffers from illness which is not
caused by virus, bacteria, or injury, but rather by his own pride, “…his pride had
been deeply hurt; he fell ill from wounded pride” (p. 551). What remains absurd
for him is his blind decision of self-surrender. An anxiety of future life settles
deeply in his mind.
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And what did it matter that in another eight years he would be only thirty-two, and that he could start life afresh? What had he to live for? Whatwould his aim in life be? To live in order to exist? (p. 552).
If only Raskolnikov could feel a repentance of his crime, he would completely
gain freedom in prison. It will be completely difficult for a prisoner to feel free
while he does not consider himself to be guilty.
The most significant change occurs when Sonia, who fulfils her promise to
follow Raskolnikov to Siberia, suffers from an illness. In Siberia, Sonia always
spends sometime visiting Raskolnikov and then reports his condition to Dunya
and Razumikhin. The proud Raskolnikov turns into the humble when he realizes
that Sonia has done self-sacrifice for him. At last, he descends himself, admitting
that he loves her and really needs her by his side.
How it happened he did not know, but suddenly something seemed toseized him and throw him at her feet. He embraced her knees and wept. Atfirst she was terribly frightened, and her face was covered by a deathlypallor. She jumped to her feet and, trembling all over, looked at him. Butat once and at the same moment she understood everything. Her eyesshone with intense happiness; she understood, and she had no doubts at allabout it, that he loved her, loved her infinitely, and that the moment shehad waited for so long had come at last (p. 557).
Raskolnikov has learnt a new concept of living, which is living for others. A
sensation of resurrection overcomes him and renews his being.
We have seen that Raskolnikov, as many other protagonists, undergoes
changes as the story progresses. Personality changes that happen to him are not
instant, nor they are radical changes. These changes take place step by step
beginning with the smaller changes. Both internal and external factors are getting
involved in changing Raskolnikov’s personality. His entire personality pattern
changes when he already achieves a new self-concept.
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C. Existentialism Reflected in Raskolnikov
From the two previous discussions, we have seen almost a whole picture
of Raskolnikov from the beginning until the end of the story. As the protagonist,
Raskolnikov has undergone a journey of all mankind, a journey of freedom. As
stated earlier in the introduction, freedom is the most important right possessed by
human being. Extremely speaking, a human being is freedom. Discussing
freedom, we must refer to a philosophical school named existentialism. In this
part, the writer will observe the characteristics of Raskolnikov using Sartrean
existentialism since Sartre’s view on freedom is the most extreme.
Sartre firmly states that existentialism is a humanism. Thus, it posits
freedom as the only essence of human being. In Crime and Punishment, the
murder committed by Raskolnikov can be best representation of freedom of
doing. From this point of view, it is clearly seen that a man is free to do what he
wants to do. The act of murdering is, of course, considered as a crime according to
legal law. Religious teaching calls it as sin. In the eye of morality, such action will
be classified as wrong. To such phenomena, existentialists will recall freedom,
with which a human being is condemned, as a response.
An act, according to Sartre, should be intentional. A careless smoker who
has caused the explosion of a powder magazine through negligence has not acted.
Thus, the murder done by Raskolnikov should be considered as an action since he
really intends to kill the old woman. Nonetheless, it does not entail that the doer
must foresee all the consequences of his act. In fact, Raskolnikov is completely
blind of the disharmony happening to him after he commits the murder. Such
47
consequence is beyond his expectation. This is to say that the doer only foresees
the consequences as far as his intention.
Discussing action, we should inevitably draw our concern to motive for
there is always a motive behind every action. In the case of Raskolnikov’s act, we
are even dealing with two motives. The first is the environment including the
social and economic condition. In the first part of the analysis, we have seen an
awful economic condition in which Raskolnikov has been living since he has left
the university. The situation is getting worse when he realizes that his family puts
a great hope on him. All these burdens create a disappointment with the world.
Such disappointment is a phenomenon, on which all the existentialists put their
major interest.
Raskolnikov’s disappointment with his world is reflected through his
indifference to the society and his behavior of alienating himself. In the very
beginning of the analysis, the writer has mentioned that Raskolnikov has a
tendency to talk to himself rather than to have a conversation with others. In his
mind, he has a belief, which is also the first principle of existentialism, that
“everything is in a man’s own hands” (p. 20). Sartre states in Existentialism is a
Humanism (1969: 291) that “man is nothing else but that which he makes of
himself”. There entails a consequence for a man to create meaning in life by
himself since he is a free agent. Raskolnikov is indeed anxious of the significance
of his being. The quotation below may give an illustration how he still finds his
being to be meaningless.
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“However, I’m talking too much. It’s because I talk too much that I donothing. Still I daresay the opposite is probably true too. I talk too muchbecause I do nothing (p.20).
Here we might see Raskolnikov as a suffering individual.
It has been several months that Raskolnikov lives in debt to his landlady.
He earns living using the money sent by his mother which is not enough for his
needs. As the backbone of his family, Raskolnikov does not want his mother and
sister to be disappointed. Then he plans to murder a woman pawnbroker and rob
her articles so that his mother does not have to send him money. This can be seen
as Raskolnikov’s way to show his existence. Why should this old pawnbroker? To
answer this question we must recall Raskolnikov’s view on his victim.
“The old hag is all rubbish!” he thought heatedly and impetuously. “Theold woman is most probably a mistake. She doesn’t matter! The oldwoman was only an illness” (p. 291).
This description again proves Raskolnikov’s disappointment with the
environment. What he means by an illness is perhaps related to capitalism, an
ideology by which today’s world economy is constructed. For Raskolnikov, such
terrible environment should be changed. The murder is the manifestation of his
will to modify the shape of the world. He claims the crime to be justified since it
is done for the sake of many people. For this claim Raskolnikov refers to his
theory of extraordinary man, in which he also conveys his opinion on the nature of
crime. As aforementioned, he divides human being into two categories; the
ordinary and the extraordinary. This implies that man is free not only to act, but
also to think. The problem rises when Raskolnikov becomes anxious to test
49
whether or not he belongs to the second category. This is the second motive which
the writer identifies as psychological motive.
According to Raskolnikov’s theory, the extraordinary men have a right to
step over the ancient norms if necessary for the goodness of all humankind. They
have a duty to lead the world into its goal. Meaning to say, they are placed above
the law. As for the ordinary, it is their nature to be conservative, respectable, and
docile, even though they have the same right to exist in the world.
“The first category is always the master of the present; the second categorythe master of the future. The first preserves the world and increases itsnumber; the second moves the world and leads it to its goal” (p. 278).
Looking at the nature of the second category, it suggests one tendency of
existentialism, which is to place individual above the law. The existentialists
believe that “a living human being is higher value than any abstract idea even the
idea of the good” (Rentz, 1995: 296). However, if we examine the whole theory
thoroughly, it can be noticed as a denial to another principle of existentialism. The
classification of human being into two different categories with their own duties
obviously betrays the hypothesis which says that existence precedes essence. This
hypothesis indicates that a man has no essence which constructs his existence so
that he can fill his life as he chooses. In his theory, Raskolnikov claims that a man
is born with a duty. Thus, he should fulfill his duty in order to exist. Both the
ordinary and extraordinary are not free. While the former has to be docile, the
latter has to lead the world into its goal.
By saying that the extraordinary man has an exceptional right to step over
the law which is not possessed by the ordinary one, Raskolnikov has betrayed the
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principle of human freedom. In his essay on Cartesian freedom, Sartre explains
his opinion about the equality of freedom for all human beings.
“It is evident that, precisely because this entire freedom is not a matter ofdegree, it belongs equally to every man. Or rather, – for freedom is not aquality among other qualities – it is evident that every man is a freedom”(p. 183).
Comparing the statement above with theory of extraordinary man will result in a
finding that Raskolnikov fails in obeying the nature of human freedom. His theory
tends to posit the ordinary man inferior to the extraordinary. In other words,
extraordinary man has more freedom than the ordinary one, while Sartre firmly
declares that freedom is equal for all men.
Up to this level, we have just discussed the surface of the psychological
motive. A deeper observation needs to be held on Raskolnikov’s obsessive-
compulsive. Actually there is nothing wrong when Raskolnikov proposes the
presence of great men such as Newton, Mahomet, Napoleon, and so on, as a
premise of his extraordinary man theory. He places those men into the second
category based on their existences. Thus, their essence comes after their existence.
The problem rises when he is obsessed to prove that he also belongs to the
category in which Napoleon is included. Since it is the right to transgress the law
that separates extraordinary man from the ordinary one, the only way to test
whether or not he is an extraordinary man is by breaking the law. While holding
such obsession, he meets Alyona Ivanovna, the pawnbroker. Raskolnikov then
thinks that the pawnbroker only gives nothing but problems to the society so that
her death will bring benefit for many people. However, instead of being a
benefactor of the others, Raskolnikov commits the murder for only himself.
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“I wanted to murder, Sonia, to murder without casuistry, to murder for myown satisfaction, for myself alone. I didn’t want to tell a lie about it. I didnot commit this murder to become the benefactor of humanity by gainingwealth and power – that, too, is nonsense” (p. 432).
Raskolnikov has betrayed not only one principle of freedom, but also his own
words.
The murder is indeed a manifestation of Raskolnikov’s freedom to act.
However, the essence of freedom is far beyond its expression. According to
Sartre, freedom should appear in the very first condition of action. This is to say
that a man is free not only to act, but even not to act. In fact, Raskolnikov does not
undergo such condition. His mind is already conquered by the anxiety to test
whether or not he is an extraordinary man. As aforementioned, murdering the
pawnbroker has become his only choice in doing so. He realizes this after the
murder has been done, “All I could do was to kill! And it seems I couldn’t even
do that!” (p. 291). The fact that he undergoes a disharmony soon after committing
the murder makes Raskolnikov think that his action has failed. This experience of
disharmony proves that he is not an extraordinary man.
Besides the discussions on freedom and existence, Raskolnikov’s
obsessive-compulsive also offers a discourse on the modes of being. Sartre
divides modes of being into two types. The first is being-in-itself, meaning being
as what it is. The characteristic of this mode of being is to be passive. This
category includes things like trees, tables, and rocks, which have specific roles
and functions for particular purposes. The second type is being-for-itself, which is
the negation of the first type. Since a man has consciousness that differentiates
him from those things, he should refuse the being-in-itself. In being-for-itself, a
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man can make a life of himself. Having been monomaniac to his own theory,
Raskolnikov does not stand in the position of being free. Instead of making a life
of himself, he happens to be trapped on imitating Napoleon, whom he considers
as an extraordinary man. He forgets that Napoleon does not conquer a nation in
order to fulfill his duty. Napoleon has no tendency to prove that he is an
extraordinary man.
It has been mentioned in the discussion of the first motive that the murder
is Raskolnikov’s way to show his existence. It implies an assumption that he still
considers his life meaningless. Thus, he wants to escape from such a condition by
the for-itself. What is inconsistent in Raskolnikov’s act is that he has a
determination in the way he creates the existence. The for-itself cannot be
determined to particular being. In contrast, it is the presence of the for-itself which
causes the existence of this being. In doing the murder, Raskolnikov has an
expectation that his act will lead into a conclusion that he is an extraordinary man.
It is this determination which makes him suffer after the murder has been
committed. The murder itself is indeed success in the sense that the pawnbroker is
taken down. However, Raskolnikov considers it has failed on account of the
agony he has undergone. For Sartre, a success is not important in relation to
freedom, due to the nature of freedom.
In addition it is necessary to point out to “common sense” that the formula“to be free” does not mean “to obtain what one has wished” but rather “byoneself to determine oneself to wish” (in the broad sense of choosing). Inother words success is not important to freedom (p. 459).
It is therefore the consequence of his own determination that Raskolnikov
completely loses his pride. All the agonies from which he suffers prove that he is
53
just ordinary man (according to the theory constructed by himself). In parallel,
finding that he cannot be Napoleon brings him into a greater agony. Interestingly,
it is this same agony that leads Raskolnikov into a new self. This is what the
writer is going to discuss in the next paragraph.
In the second part of the analysis the writer has described the disharmony
undergone by Raskolnikov; how he is haunted by fear, how he is self-alienated,
and so on. These sufferings indeed play a significant role in changing his
understanding of self-concept, which then results in personality changes. Finding
that living in such disharmony is miserable, Raskolnikov wants to escape from
that condition. One way to end the terror once coming to his mind is to drown
himself to the river. However, he cancels it. He realizes that it is not the best
solution for his problem. In this situation, Raskolnikov can be seen as having an
existential decision. For existentialists, death is the only limit of freedom. Thus,
committing suicide means terminating our own freedom.
For a reason yet he does not understand, Raskolnikov promises to Sonia
that he will tell her who kills Lisaveta. In fact, he considers it is important to make
a confession. For a long time he has realized that his suffering needs an immediate
solution. Finally he finds someone to whom he is willing to confess. However, he
does not think that he should make a confession to the police. He keeps insisting
that he has done no crime since the one he kills is an unworthy person whose
death will bring benefit to many others.
“Crime? What crime?” he exclaimed in a kind of sudden frenzy. “That Ikilled a nasty, harmful, wicked louse, an old hag of a money-lender, awoman who was of no use to anybody, for whose murder a score of sins
54
should be forgiven, a woman who made the life of the poor a hell on earth– do you call that a crime?” (p. 529).
The quotation above clearly shows Raskolnikov’s arrogance. It is this arrogance
which then becomes the obstacle of his purification.
Nonetheless, again without a certain reason, Raskolnikov decides to
confess to the police, “I’m going now to give myself up. But I don’t know why
I’m doing it” (p. 529). Here we see the confession is not an obligation, but rather a
choice. Existentialism puts everyman in possession of himself as he is and places
the entire responsibility of his existence upon his own shoulders. What
Raskolnikov has undergone might best be an illustration of this statement. Instead
of to the law or morality, he is responsible rather to himself.
The people around who always take care of Raskolnikov have a great
influence in changing the way he sees himself. In existentialism, the presence of
the Other (the writer uses Sartre’s term) may affect one’s being. By the time a
man is the subject of his life, he is also an object for the Other. Through his family
and fellows, Raskolnikov sees himself that is not in the possession of himself. He
is always wondering why they keep loving him although he behaves indifferently.
“But why do they love me so much, if I’m not worthy of such love? Oh, ifonly I were alone and no one loved me and I, too, had never loved anyone!There would have been nothing of all this!” (p. 531 - 532).
In Sonia, Raskolnikov finds a tremendous love. She keeps her promise to
accompany him when he is imprisoned in Siberia. It seems that she lives for him.
Raskolnikov is indeed touched by her sacrifice. He finally descends himself and
shows that he also loves her. Sonia’s faith and love have a great contribution in
transforming the proud Raskolnikov into the humble. Embracing a new self-
55
concept, he feels being renewed. Here, he has achieved the high existential act
where he succeeds in releasing himself from the disharmony and creating a new
self without any determination.
Is it then still necessary to classify the philosophy of existentialism that is
reflected in Raskolnikov’s personality changes into theistic or atheistic? It cannot
be denied that Dostoyevsky puts several symbols of Christianity in Crime and
Punishment, such as the cross which offered to Raskolnikov. Sonia’s love can also
be seen as a major value of Christianity. However, Raskolnikov gets himself
purified without having the same conviction as Sonia does. In “Existentialism Is a
Humanism”, Sartre (1969: 311) says that existentialism is not atheistic in the
sense that it would struggle to prove the non-existence of God. Its concern is more
on the consequence of God’s existence, that men will completely lose their
controls of themselves. Nevertheless, a good theistic doctrine will not suppress
man’s desire to be a creative creature. In the essay titled “Terang Yang
Tersembunyi dalam Kegelapan”, included in Sesudah Filasfat, Sindhunata (2006:
8, my own translation) cites an essay about creation written by Joseph A. Tetlow
SJ. A creation does not mean that God just creates everything all at once and
neither is a starting point to become something. Instead, the creation is done
continuously and dynamically.
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CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION
From the analysis that has been done, the writer will try to draw a vivid
conclusion. The conclusion is deduced from the findings of the study on each
research questions.
Through Raskolnikov, Dostoyevsky has illustrated a man’s journey to gain
freedom and understanding of his existence. He also has gone into the deepest part
of psychological combat that a murderer might have. Raskolnikov, the protagonist
of the story, is depicted as a clever dropped out-student who finds his life to be
meaningless. He lives apart from his family in a country named Petersburg. His
life is far from decent. As an unemployment, he cannot earn a living properly.
Having an awful economic condition, Raskolnikov blames the environment. His
being indifferent to the others reflects the disappointment toward the society. He
is described as a proud man who finds it difficult to join the crowds.
Finding his life to be meaningless, Raskolnikov wants to show his
existence by murdering the old woman pawnbroker. He considers this action as a
heroic act because he thinks that the pawnbroker’s death will bring benefit to
many people. A murder is a crime according to legal law. However, existentialism
throws away any norm constructed by human being. It proposes freedom as the
only endowment with which a man is condemned. The murder itself becomes an
obsession for Raskolnikov. He uses it as an experiment to test whether or not he is
an extraordinary man, a category of human being who has a right to step over the
57
law. The murder becomes the only way to answer his anxiety. This anxiety has
confined his freedom.
The murder happens due to Raskolnikov’s arrogance. It is shown by his
ambition to be included into the category of extraordinary man. By doing so,
actually he has overlapped his own theory. He steps over the law in order to test
whether or not he is an extraordinary man. However, he states in his theory that it
is only the extraordinary man who has the right to transgress the law. It can be
concluded that Raskolnikov claims himself to be an extraordinary man. From the
point of view of existentialism, the murder can be seen as a manifestation of
man’s freedom to act. Nonetheless, at the same time it is a treachery of the
essence of freedom.
The agonies from which Raskolnikov suffers after committing the murder
prove that he is just an ordinary man. The agonies then bring a domino effect to
him. He becomes more indifferent, even to his beloved mother and sister.
However, Raskolnikov gradually undergoes a process of personality changes. The
love which the others give to him is the most important factor in his
transformation. He learns a new concept of living, that is living for others. The
failure of his experiment makes him realize that he cannot be anything but
himself. It is this change on self-concept, as Hurlock said, that results in the
changes on the entire personality pattern.
As for the murder, Raskolnikov regrets that he should have done such
useless experiment. He feels sorry for having done that silly thing. However, he
refuses to admit that the murder is a crime. In fact, Dostoyevsky seems to
58
emphasize more on the inner punishment than the legal one. It can be seen as a
representation of existentialism tendency which places a man above the law.
The psychological combat that occurs to Raskolnikov’s mind dominates
the whole story. It takes a long time for Raskolnikov to get himself purified,
which is signed by his repentance. Here the writer sees that Raskolnikov has
undergone a series of phenomena which usually happen to a person who has done
a sin. Soon after Raskolnikov commits the murder, he experiences a kind of
disharmony. His life is completely haunted by fear. In the second phase, he is
sorry for the mistake he has done. In this level, a sinner usually wonders why
he/she should have done such sin. The final stage is the emergence of repentance.
Raskolnikov at last admits that he has done a mistake. His remorse reflects the fall
of his pride that has occupied him for a long period. The proud Raskolnikov
transforms into the humble one. This process of transformation conveys the nature
of humanity, which always continuously modifies the heart of a man, from being
self-centered into being self-sacrificing. Raskolnikov reaches a high existential act
in the moment of purification where he succeeds liberating himself from his pride.
59
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APPENDIX
Summary of Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment
Set in St. Petersburg, the novel first introduces Rodion Romanovich
Raskolnikov as the protagonist, from whose point of view the story is mostly told.
The novel consists of six chapters, and ends with an epilogue. The first chapter
describes Raskolnikov’s characteristics and the problems he holds. He is depicted
as a clever dropped out-student who lives in abject poverty. Since he is the only
man in the family, his mother and sister put a great hope on him. He then kills a
pawnbroker in order to rob the money. The murder itself proves to have dual
motive. He is obsessed to prove that he is an extraordinary man, as Napoleon.
The second until the sixth chapters are dominated by the disharmony from
which Raskolnikov suffer. The disharmony is a kind of psychological punishment
for his crime. Initially, he insists that what he has done is not a crime, and refuses
to confess before the law. His high pride increases his indifference to others.
However, his pride finally falls down since the suffering goes worse. In such
suffering, Raskolnikov feels there is no use to stay alive. An idea of committing
suicide once comes to his mind. In the end, which is in the epilogue, Raskolnikov
succeeds in obtaining his new self, which is signed by his repentance. The endless
love from the people who care for him plays an important role in transforming
Raskolnikov, from being proud to being humble.
63