CRIME AND PUNISHMENT

From 1865-1866 Fyodor Dostoyevsky, inspired by the novel ‘Les Miserables’, wrote  ‘Crime and Punishment’. His six hundred and thirty-three page novel is about a destitute ex-student Raskolnikov who develops a theory about society. This theory is based upon the idea there are people in society who have a right to commit a single villainous act if in the end they redeem themselves by doing hundreds of good deeds. These ‘Napoleons’ can kill without feeling any guilt or shame. Going upon this theory he kills an old money lending lady.

      However when Raskolniokov begins to question his conscience as to whether he had this right he begins to se that he isn’t a Napoleon and is burdened by a great amount of guilt. Desperate he turns to Sonya a downtrodden prostitute hoping for self-redemption, and he seems to find what seems to be a sincere understanding. 

    One of the most riveting moments in the novel is when Raskolnikov has a conversation with Zamyotov. The conversation is as follows:

 ‘Well sir what about his conscience?’

‘Why should you care about that?’

‘Oh for humanitarian reasons sir’

‘If he has one, he’ll suffer when he

realizes the error of his ways. That’s

his real punishment-that, in addition

to penal servitude.’

Raskolnikov begins to understand and lets the reader understand of his true punishment, not the one that will befall him but the one that he is currently

     Crime and Punishment takes a deeper look into society and the root causes of evil within that society. At the same time it not only shows what goes through the mind of a criminal before a murder but what his thoughts are until he is caught and sentenced to his, second, punishment.

VOCABULARY

Inauspicious – gloomy, discouraging, unpromising

Morbid- morose gloomy dark

Inexorably- inevitably

Opulent- wealthy rich

Philanthropy – charity compassion

Bondage- oppression burden

By: Azarnoosh Sadeghi 8-I