Fyodor Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov

Raskolnikov confesses his crime to her, and through a very slow process is on the way to confessing his crime once and for all. Yet, even upon his occurring it is clear that Raskolnikov partially did it as a matter of practicality based on the influence of the case’s investigator, Porphyry. It is only through Sonia’s unflinching love for Raskolnikov that he is eventually transformed to love God and realize that this is the only true

Next, in Crime and Punishment, the main character Raskolnikov alienates himself before and after he murders the old pawnbroker Alyona Ivanovna and her sister Lizaveta Ivanovna. Before the murder, the book, states “(Raskolnikov) kept aloof from everyone… he was very poor, and there was sort of a haughty pride and reserve about him… he seemed to look down upon(his comrades) as children, as though he was superior in development, knowledge, and convictions, as though

In Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov, Dmitri is wrongfully accused and then convicted of murdering his father. Dmitri arrives in this situation because he was at his father’s house the night of the murder. Dmitri says himself that if it weren’t for the Griggory seeing him, he would have killed his father. He wanted to kill his father, but he didn’t. Because all the facts and evidence line up against him Dmitri must fight a losing battle in terms of finding justice through the legal system. However, through his process of integration he faces three torments which force him to see himself better and then to see himself as a part of humanity. Zosima’s philosophy of active love and God’s mercy show that the only way to truly reform a criminal is to “acknowledge one’s own conscience” (64). Zosima advises that one “go at once and seek torments for yourself… Take these torments upon yourself and

After Raskolnikov had committed the murder, he began to go through a long period of trials and upheaval. By using the story of Lazarus, Dostoevsky begins to explain further the death and rebirth of Raskolnikov’s psychological wellbeing and the importance of the acceptance of guilt. By incorporating the story of Lazarus, Dostoevsky allows readers to see a direct reflection of Raskolnikov’s own mind. Just as Lazarus lay slowly dying of illness, Raskolnikov’s guilt was inducing a slow and withering death of his psychological wellbeing. Lazarus’s death symbolizes Raskolnikov’s falling off the edge of insanity, showing forth the death of his mind. The story of Lazarus also symbolizes Sonya as Raskolnikov’s saviour. Just as Raskolnikov slips into his emotional death, Sonya reaches in to pull him out, as if she was bringing him back alive much like how Jesus Christ brought Lazarus back. She accomplishes this by providing Raskolnikov with the spiritual steadiness he that he had lost during the committing of his murders. Sonya affects Raskolnikov through her basic character, just as Christ actively portrayed his beliefs through the manner in which he lived his

The novel of Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky has a variety of themes. Throughout the novel the reader is able to see, the main character, Raskolnikov develop as a character and person. Raskolnikov is the dynamic character in the novel, who committed this heinous crime of murder. Throughout the course of the novel, he deals with the internal guilt of what he had done. He is slowly isolating himself from society. Further revealing that alienation and guilt are the main themes of the novel shown by Raskolnikov’s actions, words, and thoughts.

Every person can have contrasting personalities, and the range in personalities can cause people to respond differently to situations they face in their lives. This is no exception in Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment, as Dostoyevsky brings forth Raskolnikov, the protagonist’s conflicting personalities through his reaction to events he witnesses. Dostoyevsky highlights Raskolnikov’s selfish nature through his reaction to his mother’s letter, but also illuminates Raskolnikov’s indecisive nature, as he constantly struggles with deciding between what is right or wrong.

As Raskolnikov’s internal struggle becomes evident, Dostoevsky uses Raskolnikov’s disoriented state to illustrate nihilism’s ineffectiveness as a catalyst for social change. Raskolnikov’s radical philosophy is initially used as justification of his murder, a gambit to escape St. Petersburg’s poverty crisis. By labeling the pawnbroker Alyona Ivanovna as a “louse” and being largely apathetic towards any emotional or social repercussions, it is suggested that her death is for the greater good of not only Raskolnikov, but the whole of society; this lack of emotional substance in his logic brands him as a cold-blooded utilitarianist. However, it is a different story after the murder, where even Raskolnikov begins to doubt the legitimacy of his own argument. He realizes that his adrenaline rush prevents him from stealing much of the pawnbroker’s money, and with what he does manage to salvage, it is hidden away, nullifying any constructive benefit he had hoped to provide. Additionally, the murder of the pawnbroker’s innocent sister Lizaveta, whom prior to the even Raskolnikov feels

This ambivalence of meanings and moral principles emerges in particular during the many conversations and confronts that the protagonist has. Wasiolek, for instance, analyses Raskolnikov confession to Sonia and notices how the narrator states that Raskolnikov commits the crime " for himself only," implying that the protagonist feels superior to the social conception of wrong and right, and acts because as a free man he has the power to, even if that means killing two people. Under such prospective Raskolnikov seems "indifferent to the fate of other," but the reader knows that this is no true. As a matter of fact, the protagonist manages to help Marmeladov's family after his death, he refuses his sister engagement to Luzhin for a matter of principle and he helps a young woman

“Nothing has ever been more insupportable for a man and a human society than freedom.” –The Grand Inquisitor” “Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love.” - Father Zosima. These two quotes voice the polarized philosophies that impregnate the book, The Brothers Karamazov. Ivan, the second of the three sons, and Zosima, the old monk, are huge commentators on the question, “Is the burden of free will to much for a human to bear?”

My understanding of the significance of cultural influence on Raskolnikov in Crime and Punishment was deepened through the oral discussion. Much of the discussion focused on the role of Dostoyevsky’s choice of time and place and style of writing. The time and place Dostoyevsky sets this novel is important to take into account as, I learned through the discussion, it is heavily connected with why Raskolnikov wanted to murder Alyona Ivonka. The oral discussion also elaborated on the literary techniques Dostoyevsky uses to bring Raskolnikov's character to life, because it would be impossible to completely comprehend Raskolnikov’s transformation after the murder if it was not for his detailed descriptions. We also found it very interesting of how much of a connection does the detailed description relate with Dostoyevsky’s own life.

Similar to the story of “Queen of Spades” by Pushkin, in the story of Crime and Punishment each of the characters’ name also has a deeper meaning behind them. Raskolnikov, for example, means a split, a break, or fragment; Sonya means wisdom. In the story, Dostoevsky implement the meaning behind their names as a description for each characters—in the case of Raskolnikov, he has two separate side and Sonya becomes the angel whom capable of helping many people. This Raskolnikov’s character duality leaves an impression that the act that Raskolnikov did—the murder—feels as if it wasn’t cause by the true Raskolnikov; instead, it was the other Raskolnikov who murder Alyona Ivanovna, the pawnbroker.

In an effort to perturb Zametov, Raskolnikov’s character falters and his laughter serves to dissolve the tension. However, on the verge of a confession, Raskolnikov does not know what he wants to gain from the conversation. Instead of relieving the situation, Raskolnikov 's erratic behavior garners greater suspicion. His failure to relieve the tension parallels his failure to vindicate himself. Unaware of his transparent behavior,

Sonia is a character of great irony being both a prostitute and a dignified follower of God. She is the love interest of Raskolnikov as well. As Raskolnikov continues to struggle with his guilt, Sonia is the one who convinces him to confess, “first kiss the earth which you have defiled and then bow down to all the world and say to all men aloud, 'I am a murderer!' Then God will send you life again”(404). She is reminding him that what he has done is immoral. She does this by saying that if he were to confess only than would God forgive him for what he had

In the end, Dmitri Karamazov is not guilty and Smerdyakov confesses his crime right before taking his own life. Dostoevsky illustrates grace in the novel through Father

Proud, aloof, and scornful of humanity, at the beginning of the novel Raskolnikov has become obsessed with the idea that he is a “superman” and is therefore not subjected to the laws that govern ordinary humans. He has not only published an essay, he also tries to prove this theory, by killing an old pawnbroker, whom he regards as worthless. However, the murder goes horribly wrong: he also kills the old woman’s simple-minded innocent sister (Lizaveta), who stumbles upon the scene of the crime. So ironically, the crime fails to confirm Raskolnikov’s cool superiority. Tormented by feelings of guilt, he acts erratically, and he fears that his guilt will be obvious to others. Much of the novel centers on Raskolnikov’s irrational state of mind and the eccentric behavior that follows from this. On several occasions he comes close to boasting that he could have committed the crime, and dares others to prove that he did it. He insults his friend Razumihkin and deliberately offends his mother and sister. However, he also acts in ways that show he still has a moral conscience. For example, he defends his sister against her scheming fiancé Luzhin. He gives money to Marmeladov’s widow Katerina Ivanovna. He recoils in horror from the depraved Svidrigailov. Most significantly of all, he is drawn to the