- How does the motif of duality function in the novel?
- What is Dostoevsky's view of the relationship between crime and punishment? (consider points about suffering, law, morality, existentialism, nihilism, and religion)
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Crime and Punishment Discussion
Discuss the following topics in preparation for your test on Monday.
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The motif of duality functions greatly in Crime and Punishment. For Raskolnikov it becomes a battle between his overwhelming guilt and attempted justification of the murders he had committed. He is constantly torn between what is good and what is evil throughout the book. He even says to himself, “They did not know how to judge and could not agree what to consider evil and what good; they did not know who to blame, who to justify.” This is a great example of the interior battle Raskolnikov is going through. Also, close to Raskolnikov are the polar opposites of Svidrigailov and Sonya. Svidrigailov represents the evil side of humanity. He is the uncaring, unfeeling, almost psychopathic side. He poisons his wife and forces himself upon anything that he desires. Sonya, on the other hand, is a sacrificial, religious, and humanitarian. Raskolnikov alternates between the two personalities, showing the duality of his personality.
ReplyDeleteDostoevsky’s view on crime and punishment is that there is ultimately no way to avoid being punished for what you have done. Raskolnikov was suffering day in, and day out from the guilt. He was struck with illness and night terrors. It was inescapable for him. Prison was, in a sense, almost freeing for him. He was being repented for all that he had done. He was also saved my religion. While it doesn’t say Raskolnikov read the bible, it can be easily inferred. He found savior and infinite happiness in religion which also counteracted his crime. Svidrigailov, on the other hand, was numb to what he had done. This was just as maddening as the guilt. He committed suicide, as almost an escape. He suffered in a different sense, that he was unable to suffer, a basic human emotion. This ultimately caused him to kill himself. Dostoevsky’s view on crime and punishment is that guilt and suffrage is inevitable. With the lack of it, madness and death is the next step. Also, the only way you can be repented would be through religion, prison, and death. Through all of them, punishment is necessary to pay for the crimes. The crime and the punishment vary in correlation to each other.
-Neve
I think Dostoyevsky certainly considers suffering, particularly in the form of guilt, a serious punishment. He shows us how seriously he takes this punishment by portraying how deply it impacts Raskolnkov. In his case, the more difficult part is grappling with the feelings he has after the murder; not the strain of living in prison. The emotional distress he experiences is a punishment all on its own. Clearly the weight of guilt isn't something Dostoyevsky takes lightly.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget to say who you are!!
DeleteDostoevsky's view on the relationship of crime and punishment is a very Christian one, believing in forgiveness and repentance. This is evident by the character Raskolnikov. Dostoevsky shows that after a crime is committed there are two reactions, the one of the ubermench who is cold and unfeeling, and the one of the common person, who will feel guilt and remorse. The ubermench Svidrigailov commits several murders and crimes in the book, and never feels bad about them, always stating that his consciousness was at rest. Because of this mentality he was detached from society, with no friends or loved ones. Dostoevsky shows the other reaction that a person could have after committing a crime, the reaction from "slave mentality", or a religious perspective. Raskolnikov was constantly plagued by his guilt and memories of the murder he had committed. He constantly tried to forget what he had done and move past it, doing things like feverishly cleansing the evidence of the crime, hiding the loot from it, and giving what money he had to the Marmeledov family to help them in the death of Marmeledov. Doing good things like the charity of his donation to the Marmeledovs made him feel good, as charity is a deep fundamental Christian idea. But only until he faced his crime and repented for it, by going to jail was he able to put his mind to ease. This shows that how Dostoevsky believes that those who cut them selves off from human emotions and guilt like Svidrigailov did will never be truly happy, they will live with out guilt at the expense of friends and true joy and that is the ultimate punishment. He believes that the only way to truly absolve a crime and be happy is to accept the punishment and carry on living.
ReplyDelete-Josef Lenz
Nice response. Clear and concise.
DeleteDostoevsky believes that people who commit transgressions against their personal moral code (the one they believe rather the one they convince themselves they believe) are punished at least by themselves if not society. Raskolnikov deals with paranoia, depression, hysteria, and eventually guilt as result of his actions involving the murder of the old pawnbroker woman and- more specifically-her daughter, who he had not pre-rationalized that it was okay to kill when he formed his initial plan. He is punished by his continual need to rationalize that what he did was acceptable and his inability to soundly do so as indicated by the Q&A sessions he seemed to conduct with himself throughout the novel. He also becomes suspicious of those around them, and becomes socially isolated from those who love him, adding to the loneliness that contributed to his initial crime, and the fact that the very guilt Raskolnikov is dealing with is to him indicative that he failed the test that was the reason for his crime- to prove he is an Ubermensch- and even that such evidence would mean he had no right to kill the pawnbroker woman in the first place because he lacks that inborn power. Marmeladov, a drunkard who abandoned his job and family for food, knowingly punished himself for his behavior towards his wife and large number of children. The characters that do not punish themselves for their actions are punished by others. Luhzin, a selfish lawyer who attempts to humiliate Sonia and send her to prison in order to seek revenge upon and discredit Raskolnikov, is himself humiliated by those around him when his plot is revealed. Svidrigalov, a murderer, rapist, and all around immoral individual, is denied Donuia’s love, in all probability at least because of these traits. Dostoevsky’s novel indicates that all who misbehaved were punished in some way, and those who could feel guilt punished themselves worse than those who were punished by society.
ReplyDeleteDuality is used to portray the inner turmoil and identity felt by the characters in the book. Raskolnikov, who’s name means schism in Russian, speaks with, contradicts, and practically argues with himself throughout the whole novel. This stems from a conflict between his true nature and the one that he wants to have, that of the morality-deprived and totally selfish Übermensch. His self-deception leads to his murder of the aforementioned pawnbroker and the other problems mentioned above. In general, self-deception makes characters in this book unhappy. Katerina Ivanovna is always miserable because she believes her superiority on account of her nobility, despite the fact she is an impoverished single mother of a large family who is dying of TB. Luhzin believes he can win back Donuia and make her submissive, despite the fact that she has become aware that he is a selfish, lying, scurrilous individual and a narcissist to boot, and he is sorely disappointed. In the epilogue, Raskolnikov’s mother dies in denial about her son’s previous homicidal behavior.
Self-deception makes characters in Crime and Punishment very miserable. By having two contradictory realities competing for the same space in one’s life also could be part of the socio-political commentary that Dostoevsky makes in the piece on how the nihilist and socialist views of young radicals were incompatible, and how a philosophy of unlimited sharing and one of unlimited greed might not function in the same country without the latter corrupting the former.
-Harry Taylor
Raskolnikov literally translates to split or schism, so it is clear that his dual personality is a major theme of Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment. This duality functions in the novel to, as Neve, said, show Raskolnikov's internal struggle. There are two sides to him- a humanitarian side, kind and sympathetic, as well as a murderous, dark side. The reader can literally watch as he switches from one to the other, as in the scene where he saves a young woman in a vulnerable position: "'The chief thing is,' Raskolnikov persisted, 'to keep her out of this scoundrel's hands!'...At that moment something seemed to sting Raskolnikov; in an instant a complete revulsion of feeling came over him...'Let them be! What is it to do with you? Let her go! Let him amuse himself.'" It is clear that there is an intense conflict within Raskolnikov, one which will lead to his committing vicious murder. The results of his behavior when controlled by his "evil" side versus those of his "good" serve to show Dostoevsky's belief that Nihilism is wrong, and will only sicken the mind. Raskolnikov is always vastly more Nihilistic when controlled by his dark side, and less so when acting towards "good." Dostoevsky's feelings about Nihilism are furthered by Raskolnikov's dream in the Epilogue, as he moves away from his murderous personality and towards a future shaped by the goodness of Sonya. He dreams of a plague that strikes men and makes them believe they are God-like. "Never had men considered...their decisions, their scientific conclusions, their moral convictions so infallible." These men, representing the Ubermensches and master mentalities of Nihilism, are plagued, and doomed to die. On the other hand, the quieter men who reject Nihilism survive: "Only a few men could be saved...but no one had seen these men, no one had heard their words and their voices." These men had not tried to spread their morals as an Ubermensch would; Dostoevsky contends that the truly best people are those who understand that they are not better than anyone else (excuse the oxymoronic nature of that sentence).
ReplyDeleteAs for beliefs about crime and punishment, Dostoevsky certainly believed that legal law does very little to provide punishment for a crime when the mind does not accept that it has done anything wrong. Raskolnikov, in fact, feels more free in prison than he had in his "square foot of space" back in St. Petersburg. This relates to existentialism. A person creates his or her own morality, and therefore cannot be punished by the law. The punishment for Raskolnikov's crime has nothing to do with legality or prison. It is entirely in his own mind. His mind rebels against him, accosting him with sickness and delusions as a direct result of the murder. His suffering is a self-inflicted punishment, whether he realizes it or not. His morality forces him to punish himself, even when the rest of the world has no hint that he had committed any crime. Dostoevsky also shows religion as a pathway to redemption after such a heinous crime. Again, this has nothing to do with the law, but is entirely about the morality of one's mind. With Sonya's help, Raskolnikov begins to be saved by religion (it is implied at the end of the book that he will be successful in the future, despite the seven years he has remaining in Siberia). This also shows Dostoevsky's doubts about Nihilism, as this is a philosophy that explicitly rejects religion- "God is dead!" Dosteovsky believes that Nihilism, and trying to avoid your own morality, will only lead to punishments of one's own making.
-Kaitlin Sandmann
The way in which the motif of duality functions in Crime and Punishment in obvious, and concrete in its ways. Most notably, the reader can observe the duality expressed by Raskolnikov's character. Frequently, throughout the novel, Raskolnikov contradicts himself in the quality of his morals. On the one hand, Raskolnikov is, at times, portrayed to the reader as a muderous villain, with an observance of only his own desires and a thirst to statisfy them at all costs; most clearly shown in the murdering the old pawnbroker. Conversly, on the other hand, he can be seen displaying admirable acts of kindness, acts that go much further than the respect and love he displays to his family. Throughout Crime and Punishment, he is shown as a selfless individual giving money to those in need, though, in fact, he himself is in the despair of poverty. Finally, Raskolnikov's duality is shown in his repentence for the accidental killing of Lizaveta, and, at the end of the novel his coming around to religion with a hope for forgiveness from God. Clearly, Raskolnikov is a major part of the repeated theme of character duality in the piece.
ReplyDeleteBriefly, I would like to comment on Neve's post. Neve, you write Svidrigaïlov committed suicide "as almost an escape" and because of the fact that he was unable to suffer it "caused him to kill himself". I disagree with that theory. Recall Svidrigaïlov's past as an Übermensch, never once was he denied something he wanted, or more accurately, never did he allow himself to be denied what he wanted. He molested little girls, he preyed on their vulnerability, knowing he could always get his way without the risk of being exposed. He sexually abused his mute maid, again successfully, and effortlessly getting what he wanted. Never in the book does it tell of an instance when he is unable to have his way. That is, until Dounia. Finally, he has met his match and realized he will never be able to have her. Thus, he takes the only step any other Übermensch would do, he kills himself, for that is the premier demonstration of control over ones own reality and being. With the truth that he will be denied Dounia he makes the conciouse descion to end his own life as proof to himself that he is still, in fact, the Übermensch. Just some ideas from our class discussion as adapted by my own thoughts.
~Spencer Russo
Good comment. I like that you are responding directly to other posts.
DeleteDosteovsky uses the concept of duality throughout the novel in order to portray "both sides of the coin", so to speak. He uses this to help develop Raskolnikov's character. Raskolnikov is constantly in a dialogue with himself, asking rhetorical questions to himself and then answering them. He also is almost bipolar in his actions, at one point being generous and sensitive, then suddenly switching to being callous and cynical. This is portrayed when he meets the young drunk woman being followed by a man with "vile" intentions. He goes so far as to convince a policeman to escort her home, then at the very end says "Let him (the man) have his fun!". He completely changes his mind, going at once from genuinely caring for the woman's safety to just not caring at all and being completely cynical about the whole affair. Dosteovsky is using this concept of Raskolnikov having a dual personality to further the portrayal of the effect of intense guilt on human phsychology.
ReplyDeleteDosteovesky illustrates his view on the relationship between crime and punishment as a cause-and-affect relationship. if you cause a crime, you will be affected by the law, the judgements of those around you, and your own conscience. Raskolnikov suffered from all three. Eventually, he was sent to prison, and so suffered his punishment for violating the letter of the law. He suffered from the judgement of Sonia and Porifiy Petrovitch, both of whom denounced him for his crime and urged him to turn himself in. But most of all, Raskolnikov suffered from his own guilt. Dosteovesky is portraying his belief that guilt is the most powerful punishment a person can suffer. Although it may be said a hardened criminal can have no guilt, who can say how that 'hardness' affects them in the long run? Are they happy? Do they have nightmares like Raskolnikov? Ultimately, it can depend on the person. But as Dosteovesky points out, no 'normal' one can go through such an immoral and unnatural experience and come out unchanged.
Garrett Boland
Raskolnikov—“Raskol” meaning split or divided—has two opposite personalities. One side of him is intelligent and loving for his mother, sister, and Sonia. The other side of him is a cold-blooded, heartless murderer. The theme of duality is evident in “Crime and Punishment” through the two different halves of Raskolnikov. In part III, chapter 6, Raskolnikov is talking to himself, asking questions and then answering them. During this period, he contrasts many of the things he says. His duel personality is battling itself, “Mother, sister—how I loved them! Why do I hate them now? Yes, I hate them, I feel a physical hatred for them…I went up to my mother and kissed her, I remember…” Raskolnikov goes from loving his family, to hating them at the moment, to thinking about how he loves them again. The “good” side of him shows when he loves them, and the “bad” side of him shows when he declares he has deep hatred for his mother and Dunia. Raskolnikov especially demonstrates a duel personality with the concept of trying to be an Ubermensch. He murders the pawnbroker because that is the Napoleon thing to do; he believed the world would be a better place without her in it, and therefore decided that killing her was the only option because it would benefit everyone. However, Lizaveta ruins his plan. He kills her as she walks in on the murder, but then feels extreme guilt for he killed an innocent person. This demonstrates the opposite of his previous Ubermensch mentality since the extraordinary man would never feel guilt. At the beginning of the novel, he acts as an Ubermensch, but as the story progresses he goes back and forth between being one and not (two different sides of him).
ReplyDeleteDostoevsky believes that when people commit crimes, the only way they can redeem themselves is through religion. In part I, chapter 5, Raskolnikov has a dream in which a man is beating an old, weak mare. This upsets the seven year old Raskolnikov, whom the dream is in the perspective of. The young Raskolnikov tries to protect the dying horse. During the killing, some members of the crowd are shouting, “What are you about, are you a Christian, you devil?” in disbelief that someone could kill an innocent horse. This brings a religious aspect into the murder. The horse owner represents a Nihilist who, according to Dostoevsky, only does wrong. The crowd represents the Christians who are good and pure because they are going against the Nihilism. The man beating his mare needs Christianity to save him from his wrongdoings in this dream. This dream also foreshadows and has a parallel resemblance to the pawnbroker’s murder. Raskolnikov is symbolized by the owner, and the horse symbolizes the pawnbroker and Lizaveta who he murders. Raskolnikov is only redeemed from killing the two women when he finds religion through Sonia. Dostoevsky implies the idea that one can only be rid of his/her crimes once he/she has suffered a punishment, and finds faith in religion.
-Abby Wolff
Throughout Dostoevsky’s artfully written novel, the main character Raskolnikov is constantly fighting a battle between his dual personalities. The motif of duality continues through the entire book and is especially highlighted in Part III, chapter 6 when Raskolnikov is ranting in his room. In this scene Raskolnikov is incoherently raving to himself and asking rhetorical questions. This not only shows his deteriorating mental state but also highlights his dual personality. Raskolnikov literally means “split, divided or schism” and his name directly plays into the duality motif. After the murders of Aliona Ivanovna and Lizaveta, Raskolnikov starts to have the internal struggle between what is good and what is bad. He is constantly flipping between evil and good mentalities which the reader can see through his ravings and also the actions that he goes through. The motif of duality also plays into Svidrigailov and Sonia. Svidrigailov represents the evil in the world because of his Nihilistic, Ubermensh ideas and Sonia represents all the good in the world. She is the self-sacrificing prostitute that turns to religion to be her savior. The way Dostoevsky plays with duality as a recurring theme makes the reader constantly be on guard and watch as the struggle between good and evil plays out in front of them.
ReplyDelete~~Kelly Feola
The motif of duality functions greatly in Crime and Punishment. This motif comes up many times throughout the novel. The most obvious dual personality is within Raskolnikov himself. He has a split personality. One side of Raskolnikov is this humanitarian, smart, and family loving man. However, the other side of him is cold blooded killer and ubermensch. This signifies the good and evil and the constant debate in Raskolnikov in what is right and wrong. Duality also functions with the two victims in Raskolnikov’s murder. He murders both Alyona Ivanovna and Lizaveta Ivanovna. Alyona is a mean old woman who enslaved her younger sister. Lizaveta, her younger sister is this opposite figure of Alyona who is a virtual servant to her sister and like Sonya, she is very religious. These two characters portray the motif of duality in this novel. Dostoevsky included duality throughout Crime and Punishment to show the opposites and contradicting characters, personalities, and setting throughout the novel.
ReplyDelete-Stephanie
Rasko means "split". When you think of something that is split more than likely it is imagined to be split into two. Duality, a reoccurring motif in Crime and Punishment, starts with the meaning of Raskolnikov's name. There are two sides to Raskolnikov, the dark murderous übermensch character, and the humanitarian, smart and caring character. The two murder victims are a prime example of duality in Crime and Punishment. They are very contradicting and play a big role in the book and into other themes. Alyona Ivanovna, the old pawnbroker, represented the dark side of Raskolnikov. She is a cruel old lady, and according to Raskolnikov she needs to go. The other victim is the contradictory part of the duality. Lizaveta is a caring, giving young lady. She was not intended to be killed, but walked in at the wrong moment. She represents the good in Raskolnikov. These two victims represent the two sides of Raskolnikov. Alyona represents the übermensch part of Raskolnikov, and Lizaveta represents the guilt driven, humanitarian side to Raskolnikov.
ReplyDeleteI would also agree with Spencer that Svidrigailov was most definitely an ubermënsch. The way that he got everything he wanted was exactly how an übermensch would act. I thought it was a very interesting point when he said "Svidrigailov met his match". I'm not in his class so I'm not sure if he is referring to Dounia as an übermensch or simply someone that got in his way (she didn't love him). I think because she shot the gun at him, he realized that he could not get what he wanted. This was new to him because he was an übermensch and has always got what he wanted. I believe this is what Spencer met, but either way, I also look forward to discussing this in class.
-Brian Patterson
Good comment about the two women illustrating duality!
DeleteWow. Your responses are very thorough! For those who still have to post, try to consider the duality question in terms of the entire novel. Many people have already mentioned Raskolnikov...think of themes of duality too, like rationalism vs spiritualism or setting: St. Petersburg vs Siberia, and so on.
ReplyDelete--Mrs. Dwyer
Dostoevsky's novel is clearly a social and political commentary of the time, as we all know now. He explores the relationship between crime and punishment in a different way than we see it today. We view the relation as you commit a crime and then you are caught and punished by serving time. Crime and Punishment explores what happens in between the crime very early in the novel and his jail time at the very end. Through stream of consciousness and an internal monologue of questions and answers we see the guilt of his crimes gnawing away at Raskolnikov, this is almost a self punishment. Raskolnikov falls ill, feverish and practically insane from his crimes. His suffering is a punishment for the murders he has committed in his attempt at validating his ubermensch theory. Existentialism and nihilism also play a role in this self punishment. Believing in those two theories typically involves rejecting laws created by the masses. So, if they don't follow and get any meaning by judicial punishment, jail time means nothing and this self suffering and anxiety is the true punishment. Crime and Punishment explores the psychological effects of crime, and the emotional aftermath of committing murder is the true punishment against common morals and by saying this he rejects the ideas of nihilism and existentialism. The true punishment isn't Raskolnikov serving time in Siberia, but the emotional tole the murders had on his conscious as he dealt with the aftermath. Raskolinikov actually sees prison as freedom from the guilt that was weighing on him in St. Petersburg.
ReplyDelete-Shelby O
Duality is a very important motif in the book. Raskolnikov has two sides, the person he wishes to be and the person he truly really is. Raskolniov desperately wants to be the ubermensch, the whole point of the murder was to prove this to himself. He had been impressed upon by the ideas of Nihlism, that say one should create their own morality and do everything for the good of themselves. These ideas were rampant among student, such as Raskolnikov, during the 1860s. From the beginning of the book Raskolnikovs poor mental state is apparent, but it is only after the murder that the his duality become strikingly clear. After attempting to prove he is the ubermensch, the person he wishes to be, as well as the side of evil, his own subconscious good begins to fight back. As his true nature ‘punishes’ him after the crime you begin to see where Raskolnikovs desired character and true character break through. In many scenes, such as in part III chapter 6 mentioned by both Kelly and Abby, Raskolnikov has a literal back and forth between the two.
ReplyDeleteThis mental battle between right and wrong only begins to be solved once he fines Sonia and the power of Religion. Raskolikov first sees faith as a solution in part IIII chapter 4, when he has Sonia read to him from the Bible.
“And what does God do for you? “ He asked , probing further… “Be Silent Don’t Ask!! You don’t deserve” She cried suddenly, looking sternly and wrathrully at him.
“That’s it, that’s it.” He repeated to himself.
Raskolnikov sees how Sonia has overcome great sin through religion without the mental anguish he has endured. It should also be noted the passage being read is about the resurrection of Lazerus, Raskolnikov also wishes to be cured and reborn. It is at this point when Raskolnikovs duality begins to dissipate and with it his ‘sickness’. Raskolnikov begins to adopt the ideas Christianity , as he did previously with Nihilism. This desire to be a religious person begins to mend his two personalities together. He wishes to be good and he truly is, without conflicting thoughts, he becomes whole. This singularity of though, emotion and desire is what finally breaks him free, of course there is irony in the fact that he has reached this point just after being physically imprisoned.
Katirina Ivonvna is also a character that should be noted for her duality . She considers herself to be of a higher class, because of her childhood. She is now in the lowest of standings but can’t bring herself to truly admit it. The same struggle Raskolnikov faces between the desire to be something you are not , and your reality, also causes her metal anguish. She cannot bring herself to admit her situation. This is where you begin to see the connection of duality and class. Neither Raskolnikov nor Katrina Ivonvna could change their situation . They both also resented those above them , for Raskolnikov it was Svidrigailov and Katrina those with greater wealth. These conflicts between low class and high class and the internal conflict that the character suffer after trying to live as something they are not, may be a social commentary. This is the time of the Russian revolution and the end of serfdom, when many people were stepping out of place in traditional society.
Britta McCarthy
Dostoevsky uses duality as an ongoing theme throughout the novel of Crime and PuniFshment. To begin with, Raskolnikov’s name means “split” in Russian, so Dostoevsky obviously considered duality to be an important aspect of the novel. From the beginning, Raskolnikov struggles to fight his inner battle. On one side he is kind, intelligent, and a humanitarian. On the other side, he is a violent murderer. Raskolnikov does not know where he fits in and he tries to become something he is not by committing murder. When Raskolnikov is on his violent murderer side, he always isolates himself from society and becomes weak with guilt. On the other hand, when he is being kind and intelligent, he connects with other people and feels stronger and happier. Duality is not only found within the character of Raskolnikov, but also in the setting of the novel. When Raskolnikov is in St. Petersburg, he feels trapped and in a “square yard of space.” This shows that he is in his own mental and physical confinement. He has punished himself for what he has done to the pawnbroker and innocent Lizaveta. Then, when Raskolnikov is sent to Siberia, he feels like he is free. He is in a prison camp where he is told what to do and how to do it, yet he feels like he has more freedom. This is because Raskolnikov has admitted that he is the murderer, so he is no longer carrying around the burden, and he has realized his love for Sonia. Because he loves someone, he feels free no matter where he is, as long as Sonia is by his side. This shows duality because Raskolnikov feels trapped in a big city and free in a prison camp. These two completely different settings allow him to change and grow as an individual. In one setting, he is trapped inside his mental prison filled with guilt. In the other setting, he is in a prison camp, but has discovered love and Christianity. All in all, Dostoevsky uses duality to show Raskolnikov’s inner battle and his growth as a person.
ReplyDeleteHolly Riccitelli
In Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment the theme of duality can be shown in the settings of St Petersburg and Siberia. St Petersburg is very crowded and has a feeling of people trying to survive. In this city there is also a big divide between social classes. This can be seen in the scene of Marmeladov’s death in part 2, chapter 7, where Marmeladov gets kicked by a horse and then turned in the wheels of the carriage. Even though Marmeladov is dying, the police officer is more concerned with making sure that this upper class person is able to get on his way. This is in contrast to the way Siberia is described. In Siberia all the prisoners are equal; they are being sentenced for committing a crime. Raskolnikov goes from being very low in a hierarchy to being the same as others around him. This in part shows his evolution over time since his murder. The crowdedness of St. Petersburg is shown throughout the story when “a square yard of space” is referred to. This shows not only confinement but also isolation. In St Petersburg this space is closing in on Raskolnikov and it is as though he is suffocating with not having enough room. In the epilogue this “square inch of space” is all he needs. When in Siberia Raskolnikov’s guilt is gone and he has lifted the guilt of the murder off his chest. Dostoevsky describes the prison as “…in the fortress, there is a prison…”, it is interesting that he uses the word fortress to describe where the prison is. Fortress has a connotation of power, such a word is never used to describe St. Petersburg. The reader gets a sense that the buildings in St. Petersburg are nothing special, in fact they seem to be quite lowly. The way Dostoevsky describes these two settings makes the prison seem a better place than the rooms where the characters live. While in prison Raskolnikov’s only connection to the outside world is through Sonia. This shows how important Sonia is to Raskolnikov now and to show how he interacts so much more now. Back in St. Petersburg there is no word or connection to any life outside of the city. When in St. Petersburg this was also a time of isolation for Raskolnikov. The duality between the two of these settings shows how even though to most people a place like a prison would seem such a terrible place to go, it seems a content place to go for Raskolnikov.
ReplyDelete-Lizi Bouregy
The motif of duality is greatly seen in the contrast between the small town of St. Petersburg and its effect on Raskolnikov's state of mind. As Dostoevsky sets the scene in the beginning of the novel, he describes the mood in the small town of St. Petersburg as "The heat was so terrible: and the airlessness, the bustle and the plaster, scafolding, bricks, and dust all about him, and that special St. Petersburg stench..." (Dostoevsky 9)Dostoevsky immediatly states to the reader how depressing the small town is, filled with poor civillians and prostitutes, and how the town is never really left. This scene sets up foreshadowing for how the depression of the town along with Raskolnikov's state of mind, described as ready to run from the land lady because of poverty and no way to pay his rent, makes him shalowly do anything for money. The small town had sucked any feeling of happiness or power to do well in his studies immediately vanish and turn into depression. Raskolnikov in return for his depression while living in the town, led to him to killing Alyona along with Lizaveta, to gain money. The small town of St. Petersburg is always pictured as a zone with no way out, just like Raskolnikov's guilt after the murder for money was committed. In this way, Raskolnikov's suffering first- off in the town, led to his suffering after the murder, as Dostoevsky creates through his writing. If Raskolnikov wasn't living in such a poverty stricken place, he would not feel the need for money by overpowering two women through murder, for anything valuable that they had owned. The poverty of Raskolnikov living in St. Petersburg contrasts with his state of mind, leading to his suffering.
ReplyDelete~Lily Anderson
Raskolnikov slides between two personalities throughout the novel, Crime and Punishment. In one instant, he is compassionate and generous as he gives all the money he has left to those who desperately need it, or shares kind words with his mother and sister. However, as he slips into his false ubermensch mentality, he lashes out at those who have put all of their time into healing him. Raskolnikov’s extreme duality continues throughout this piece of literature, and leads his peers to believe he’s insane. Not only does Raskolnikov suffer from a dual personality, but Svidrigailov hints at one himself. The first time he is mentioned in the novel, he is described in a letter to Raskolnikov from his mother and sister as a horrid man of no morals. After Dunia left his service due to attempted rape and obsessive love, Svidrigailov had not given up on her. He “turned his life around”, and befriended Raskolnikov to create the illusion of a change of heart; he even offered Dunia a handsome sum of money to make up for his scandalous actions. As soon as he had her in his grasp, however, his previous self snapped back, and the act almost got him killed by Dunia herself. In both of these characters’ lives, doing good keeps them in more of a slave mentality in regards to the existential spectrum. As a conversation moves towards personal events, or Raskolnikov and Svidrigailov are left alone with their thoughts for too long, is when they shift back into their ubermensch mentalities. The function of duality in the novel is to portray the internal strife brought about by crime.
ReplyDeleteThe majority of Crime and Punishment is Raskolnikov’s punishment for committing the murder of the pawnbroker, and of Lizaveta; while the crime itself takes up a little less than a chapter. This absurd ratio alone portrays Dostoevsky’s belief that there is no crime without punishment and suffering--whether it be by law, inner turmoil, or both. Though Raskolnikov did not receive punishment by law until the very end, his self-inflicted punishment concerning whether or not he should feel guilty was the foundation of the novel. He racked his soul for the ubermensch mentality he immensely desired, and upon failing his quest, fell into an anxious state of illness. Dostoevsky also implies that all suffering must come to an end. In Raskolnikov’s case, the end to his suffering came in the form of love and religion (offered by Sonia). His “healing” is often referred to in the novel by the story of Lazarus in the New Testament. Like Lazarus, Raskolnikov was dead (although it was his spirit that had perished, not his body). Raskolnikov was also given hope of a new life when he accepted Christianity, as Lazarus was resurrected by Jesus Christ. However, in the case of Svidrigailov, suicide was the way out of his suffering. Although he would never admit it, Svidrigailov was crushed when Dunia left him for the last time. He was not used to such a reaction, due to his ubermensch mentality, which enabled him to control every aspect of his life. With this idea in mind, he took it upon himself to commit the ultimate act of controlling his life by taking it away, in hopes of being able to also control the life beyond. Through his characters, Dostoevsky demonstrates the idea that the greatest punishment to any crime is one’s own conscience.
Fyodor Dostoevsky presents and explores a religious relationship between crime and punishment within his novel. Additionally, Dostoevsky emphasizes the idea of suffering that is inflicted in response to crime. To begin, following the murders of the pawnbroker and Lizaveta, Raskolnikov suffers mental repercussions and feels an excessive amount of guilt. These feelings tear him apart mentally, but also cause him to be physically sick. This is where the suffering comes in. Later on in the novel, Raskolnikov frantically converses with himself, essentially discussing the ubermensch. Raskolnikov realizes that he, in fact, does not have the ubermensch mentality, but does however posses the slave mentality. This moment is one of many that exemplifies Raskolnikov's internal dilemma and suffering. When viewing Dostoevsky's novel in a religious light, one will see that Raskolnikov's idea of punishment is repentance and asking others for forgiveness. As Josef previously mentioned, Raskolnikov acts charitable by giving Marmeladov's family money following Marmeladov's death. Acts of kindness such as this allow Raskolnikov to feel better, and he feels it is only right to act this way after the crimes he committed. Another religious aspect presented is Raskolnikov's continuous search for forgiveness. One character in particular that reflects religious ideas is Sonia. Raskolnikov asks Sonia to forgive him, and believes that forgiveness is crucial to truly move on. Repentance is another key religious idea expressed within the relationship of crime and punishment. Ironically enough, Raskolnikov finally feels "free" when he is in jail in Siberia. At this point, he feels that he has done all he possibly could to punish himself. The additional punishment of the work camp and prison makes Raskolnikov feel even more at ease, because he is now being punished by another entity besides himself. Overall, Dostoevsky expresses the idea that one's mind can be fully at ease only when they have been punished and endured the adequate consequences for their actions.
ReplyDelete-Alicia Wichtowski
In Crime and Punishment there is a motif of duality in Raskolnikov. For the duration of the story he is stuck in an identity crisis. One side of him is smart, caring, compassionate, and –quite possibly most importantly- plagued by guilt, and the other side is isolated, arrogant, murderous, and not remorseful. Deep down, Raskolnikov is truly a caring and compassionate man. This is evident on multiple occasions in the novel when he acts on instinct, without thinking things over beforehand. One such occasion is after the death of Marmeladov. Raskolnikov does his best to save Marmeladov after he is run-over by a carriage, but saving Marmeladov is impossible. He sees the poverty that the Marmeladovs have to suffer through and impulsively gives them 20 copecks to help them. He hurriedly exits their apartment is “entirely absorbed in a new overwhelming sensation of life and strength that surged up suddenly within him. This sensation might be compared to that of a man condemned to death who has suddenly been pardoned” (Dostoevsky 102). The reader can see that this is the natural Raskolnikov for two reasons, the first being that he always feels comfortable and happy when he is compassionate. Acts of goodness give him overwhelming feelings of joy. The second reason is because Raskolnikov’s initial reaction to a situation is almost always a kind one, and it is not until he analyzes his actions later that he regrets his nice gestures. He regrets kind actions often because of his identity crisis. Throughout the novel, Raskolnikov is trying to prove to himself that he is an ubermench, a man who Raskolnikov feels is of superior mentality to all other humans. In his attempt to be this superior being he pushes away his friends and family, and kills two women. This conflict is evident throughout the entire novel, and at one occasion Raskolnikov has a dialog with himself where his good and his bad sides question each other.
ReplyDeleteDuality is also found in the two settings of the novel, Saint Petersburg and a Siberian prison. In Saint Petersburg, the setting is always described as poverty stricken and crowded. Marmeladov’s death scene depicts a very small, cramped apartment that is crowded with people, both the Marmeladovs and onlookers. Additionally, Raskolnikov’s apartment is described as a square yard of space. He feels imprisoned here, isolated from the world and always deep in thought. The irony is that when Raskolnikov is sentenced to imprisonment in Siberia, he is much happier. Though he now really lives in a square yard of space, he feels freer than ever. He sees beauty in Siberia and he only sees filth and confinement in Saint Petersburg.
Dostoevsky makes many statements throughout the novel about crime and punishment. He believes that the true punishment for crime is not what the court sentences; it is the overwhelming guilt and isolation. After Raskolnikov murders Alyona and Lizaveta, he nearly goes insane because of the guilt he feels. The vast majority of the book is about the mental anguish that tortures Raskolnikov. It even makes him physically sick. He spends his days in isolation in his small apartment which makes him feel more confined than anywhere else. If he is not alone in his apartment, he is alone in a crowd on the streets where he still feels cramped and poverty stricken. It is his misery that forces him to confess his crime to the authorities. In jail, while facing society’s punishment, Raskolnikov feels a massive weight life off his shoulders. Ironically, he feels free for the first time. He is able to be happy in this place because he no longer feels such guilt for his crime; he is paying it off. In this way, Dostoevsky is saying that punishment for crime is never avoidable. It may not come in the form of legal punishment, but there is always an inner punishment. This guilt is far worse than any legal punishment.
-Ben Stevens
Duality is a constant theme in Crime and Punishment. Through the eyes of Raskolnikov, the reader witnesses two sides of many spectrums. For one, we see Raskolnikov's own internal conflict; there is the charitable, moral Raskolnikov, the one who gave his money to a widow and loved his family, and the senseless Raskolnikov that murdered two people. Another duality present is the difference in the two settings of the book - the main setting of Saint Petersburg, a thriving capital city, and the serene, peaceful prison of Siberia. In the busyness of the city, Raskolnikov is his most stressed, and becomes violently ill from his guilt from killing Lizaveta. In Saint Petersburg, he wishes to run away with Sonia, to escape the city that traps him. But in Siberia, while this time physically trapped in a prison, he is at complete peace, and sees the scene as serene. He has no desire to flee from Siberia. Another duality in the story is in the character of Sonia. Sonia, because of circumstances she cannot control, is a prostitute. She sells herself in order to make necessary money to support her family, plagued by a drunk father. But while she is this sinner, as a career, she is also a strong religious character. Sonia is a firm believer in Christianity, and this is a very contrasting duality. Sonia is simultaneously a constant sinner, but also a reader and believer of the bible. The ever-present dualities of Dostoevsky's novel highlight the ironies of the world, and the inner workings of Raskolnikov.
ReplyDeleteThe concept of duality is an important motif in Crime and Punishment, and weaves its way throughout many aspects of the book, the most prominent being Raskolnikov’s dual personality. The concept also shows up in the way the behaviors of different characters contrast each other. Most of the main characters in the book are relatively poor, and each of them reacts to their poverty in different ways. Characters such as Marmeladov and his wife live in a very drastic situation, with barely enough money to support themselves and their children. However, they don’t seem to do much help themselves out of their poverty, or make the best of their situation. Marmeladov spends most of their money on drink, being an alcoholic, and Katerina spends a lot of her time abusing her children and Sonia, and reminiscing about her supposedly high-class childhood. At the end of the book, she decides to make her children sing and beg in the street for money, which upsets them and ultimately causes her death. While their hapless behavior is understandable given their situation, it is of great contrast to the way Sonia behaves. Although she too experiences the same poverty as them, she is willing to step up and go into prostitution in order to help her family. Despite of the fact that she has so little, she is still a caring and compassionate individual, helping out Raskolnikov even though he is cruel to her at times and helping him has little benefit to her. Razumikhin, too, learns to make the most of his situation. He is a poor former student like Raskolnikov; however he obviously has a very different attitude and mindset than him. While Raskolnikov spends most of his time moping in his room, Razumikhin is trying to make a living for himself doing book translations. He helps out Raskolnikov when he is sick, although Raskolnikov shows little gratitude toward him, and he helps take care of Raskolnikov's sister and mother. In this way, he can be seen as almost an opposite to Raskolnikov, he stays calm and reasonable when Raskolnikov is sick and raving, and doesn't seem to feel the need to prove that he is above other people the way Raskolnikov does. While Raskolnikov obliviously cares about his sister and mother (as is evident by his anger when he learns that Dunia is going to marry Luzhin) he doesn’t seem to do as much to care for them as Razumikhin does, and instead is more focused on himself and his own ideas and well being. Raskolnikov does show that he has this same drive to help people out through his actions such as giving money to Sonia’s family, but the effects the murder has on him cause him to slowly isolate himself more from the world and the people that he cares about.
ReplyDelete- Alexandra Dilger
Raskonikov in Crime and Punishment pretty much almost develops dual personality disorder. In part 3 chapter 6 he even has a rant where he argues with himself. One side of Raskonikov is soft, caring, and in love with Sonia while his other half believes himself to be the Ubermench. This contradiction of ideals is ultimately what leads to him confessing in the end. One side looks to Sonia as a Jesus figure to be saved from being dominated by his sociopath half because she repeatedly sacrificed herself for her family and deeply cared about everyone as a whole. The other half of himself strives to become an Ubermench, which Strigalov is proven to be by his actions, personality, and the fact of him killing himself. Through this, it is safe to say that Sonia and Strigolov are a duality of each other as complete opposites. Dostoevsky shows he believes crime is paid for through suffering. This is shown when Raskonikov believes he has been redeemed through helping Katerina Ivanovna when Marmeladov died. Soon after, however, he starts to feel guilt towards the murder he committed and continues to mentally disintegrate. He only gets healthy and redeemed when he accepts his suffering in jail so that he can finally emerge a free and renewed man without a guilty conscience.
ReplyDelete---Jessica Grote
Dostoyevsky illustrates the flaws of existentialism and the importance and healing ability of religion by incorporating the idea of duality in Raskolnikov, who wavers back and forth between two starkly personalities: he who commits the crime and he who is punished by guilt. Raskolnikov, unknowingly, is a dedicated Existentialist. He believes that some are extraordinary (now known as Ubermensches), and therefore have the right and the power to kill for the betterment of their society (the society in which he creates in his mind), and furthermore, he believes himself to be one of the extraordinary. As an action of proof, Raskolnikov brutally murders Alyona Ivanovna, a pawnbroker described as a "Diminutive, withered old woman of sixty, with sharp malignant eyes and a sharp little nose" (Dostoyevsky 4). During Raskolnikov's process of killing her, Alyona's kind, helpless sister, Lizaveta, walks in and Raskolnikov murders her as well. The killing of the disgusting pawnbroker and her sweet sister is the first example of duality, and the instigator for Raskolnikov's guilt. The pawnbroker, as an ugly, vicious leach on society, fit into Raskolnikov's plan. She was vile, of no use, and therefore, it was okay for Raskolnikov, "the extraordinary man", to murder her and rid society of this useless being. Lizaveta, however, was a good woman and her death did society harm- this point is the sole reason Raskolnikov begins to feel his guilt.
ReplyDeleteThe principal example of duality in this novel, however, is Raskolnikov himself. The Raskolnikov who commits the crime is prideful and detached from society. His ideals reflect Nihilism, the belief of nothing. He doesn't believe, nor care, about anything or anyone and views murder and crime as not a crime at all, as long as it is for the betterment of society. The other side of Raskolnikov is a humanitarian. He is loving to his family, he is a scholar, he is helpful, he is kind, he is compassionate. This side of Raskolnikov is the side who helps to protect the young, drunken girl from an older, creepy man. This side is the side who gives all of his money to Marmeladov's family, and the side which brings the dying Marmeladov to his wife and children. This is the side who punishes himself with guilt, when no outside power punishes him first. The murdering side of him is the side who doesn't eat, the side who keeps put in his room all day, who is rude to Razumihim, and who completely detaches from his family. Raskolnikov's internal schism is so strong, it is seen in these physical actions, but Dostoyevsky shows it much more clearly through Raskolnikov's thoughts and the stream of consciousness on page 218, when he says, "Of all the lice I picked out the most useless one and proposed to take from her only as much as I needed... And what shows I am utterly a louse ... Is that I am perhaps viler and more loathsome than the louse I killed" (218). Here, he clearly begins to justify his crime, yet finds he is detesting himself for it, instead. He is so conflicted and guilty, it is almost unimaginable that these two personalities could thrive in the same being.
Throughout the story, a biblical allusion is weaved seamlessly, with Sonia as the christ figure and Raskolnikov, another Lazarus in need of saving. It is Sonia who Raskolnikov first connects with and, as a result, begins to become less detached from society and more focused on his humanitarian side. She is why he turns himself in, and it is for her that he finally turns fully to the bible, leaving his crime and existentialist theories behind. (continued)
Through all of this, Fyodor Dostoyevsky takes a clear stance on the side that Existentialism is greatly flawed. He points out that if, like Raskolnikov does with his murders, one acts on their Existentialist convictions, they will be punished for the crime, whether or an outside force or they, themselves is the punisher. He shows that redemption from this crime is only possible through Christ, just as Raskolnikov's redemption, and Dostoyevsky's own, occurred.
ReplyDelete- Maggie Rodriguez
Throughout the book, Dostoevsky uses the duality theme quite a lot. With Svidrigailov and Raskolnikov, the death of the pawnbroker and the death of Marmeladov, and the fact that Raskolnikov himself is divided. Each of these act as foils to each other. Dostoevsky uses the theme primarily to show how Raskolnikov copes with himself after the murder. Just after the murder he is physically and mentally ill, but over time he attempts to get over it and hold on to the belief that he is the ubermensch.
ReplyDeleteDostoevsky views the relationship between crime and punishment on a religious and moral scale. He shows that salvation can be found, in the example of Sonya. Raskolnikov, in the end, finds this salvation from his sins. This shows Dostoevsky's views on it on the aspects of crime and punishment.
-Dan Russo