Spoiler alert!
Crime and Punishment is one of the most famous universal literary works that focuses on morality. Dostoevsky is one of the most famous Russian authors in the world, and his works have traveled around the world because they highlight the complexity of human nature.
The motivation behind the review
I chose to review this book because it is one of the best novels I have ever read. Although, before reading the book I was a little skeptical, and also curious to find out why most readers of classic works recommend it, I can say that it is worth every moment I have devoted to reading this “work of art”. What makes the book unique is the way the author creates each character.
About Raskolnikov
And since we’re talking about the characters, I’ll start by describing the main character, Rodion Raskolnikov, a young man who dropped out of Petersburg University. Regarding his social status, I can say that he was a poor young man, and poverty was also the main reason that made the protagonist give up his studies. Throughout the book, the author describes the path of Raskolnikov who ends up committing a crime. The irony is that this obscure act is not done because of poverty and the desire for wealth, but because of a false illusion that man is extraordinary, unstoppable and that he can easily overcome his own moral judgment, regardless of how serious the act committed. However, throughout the novel we meet a young man who is not only pursued by the police, but also by his own conscience. All the moral and psychological shock affects not only his psyche, but also his body.
The central theme of the novel
The main idea I extracted from the novel is that moral values and conscience are strong and that a man who does not take responsibility for his dark deeds from the beginning ends up being tormented by his conscience and ends up living in a “prison” of the mind, even if he is not legally punished. Regarding the quotes used by the author, the one worth mentioning is ”To go wrong in one’s own way is better than to go right in someone else’s” link to the quote.
About Sonia and the connection with the protagonist
Another interesting thing in the book is the tension between Raskolnikov and Sonia, a poor girl who ends up prostituted because her father was an alcoholic, her stepmother was sick, and her three brothers were in danger of dying from hunger. Despite her actions, the author highlights the contradiction between her profession as a prostitute and her gentle, shy character and affinity for religion. She is seen as an angel who is forced to sacrifice her body for the people she cares about. The relationship between her and Raskolnikov is not very detailed in the pages of the book, but it has a major impact on Raskolnikov’s change.
About Svidrigailov
Another character whose life story left a mark on me, perhaps even disturbed me, was Ivanovich Svidrigailov, who, in my opinion, is a Yin-yong. That is, a man who has good sides, but more bad sides. His life is turbulent, and his life story is macabre, perhaps even grotesque. The scene that made me believe these things is the one in which Svidrigailov has nightmares about a little girl, who, at first seems innocent/vulnerable, but in the end turns out to be seductive in a romantic way. I can say that this scene is the most horrifying in the entire book. Most likely, this nightmare derives from the character’s subconscious, more precisely from his side of falling in love with young or teenage girls. However, the scene with the girl is very strange and psychologically torments him, as proof that he reaches the brink of despair and commits a tragic act. I believe that this nightmare was the last straw, perhaps the triggering factor for his actions, but it is certainly not the only one because Svidrigailov had reached the point where life no longer had meaning, and guilt and obsessions for Dunya had overwhelmed him.
Conclusion
This novel is very complex and has Raskolnikov’s drama at its core, which also affects the characters around him.
Personal note
Although I gave a few spoilers, there are many sequences in the book that were not detailed. As for the ending of the book, all that remains is to read it! I recommend you give it a chance, if you haven’t already! This review can also be read by people who haven’t had the chance to read the book, I assure you that the scenes are much more detailed and have more characters, with different life stories. I mention that the version I read has 605 pages, so I only described what marked me. Yours may have other scenes.
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