Roskonolv's Response To A Behavior Complex

Raskolnikov expresses belief that some people are above the law. In fact, he published an article which established that some “extraordinary” people have the right to “step over certain obstacles”. Raskolnikov believes himself to be one of these extraordinary people. He wonders what it would be like if Napoleon, for example, had played by the rules. Would he have made such an impact on the world? It is this very utilitarian belief that drives Raskolnikov to kill Alyona Ivanovna, and consequently her sister Lizaveta as well. He believes that the pawnbroker Alyona Ivanovna is a louse, “a useless, nasty, pernicious louse.” By ridding the world of Alyona, he thinks he is helping many others.

Raskolnikov’s brusque affectation eventually yields to his predilection for salvation and redemption. He ultimately comes to the realization that he is not worthy of being “extraordinary” because of the crippling guilt that followed his murder of the pawnbroker. Raskolnikov reflects upon the implications of his crime on his psyche, “I murdered myself, not her! I crushed myself once for all,

A shy and timid seventeen year old girl, Sonia is wary of Raskolnikov when she first meets him. Her tenacious religious faith is a vital part of her character; she is shy and timid, but also truly compassionate and altruistic (especially towards Raskolnikov). In this sense, Raskolnikov is quite different from Sonia; where he is uncaring and ignorant, she is warm-hearted and thoughtful. Sonia helps to bring back the humane aspects of Raskolnikov’s personality. “There, not far from the entrance, stood Sonia, pale and horror-stricken. She looked wildly at him… There was a look of poignant agony, of despair in her face...His lips worked in an ugly, meaningless smile. He stood still a minute, grinned, and went back into the police office” (Dostoevsky 447). At this moment in time, Raskolnikov had gone into the police station to confess his crime, but in a lack of better judgement, he returns back to Sonia without telling about his crime. Had Raskolnikov not been motivated by the repugnant look on Sonia’s face, it is unlikely that he would have gone back into the police station. This is perhaps the prime example of how Sonia brings out the best in Raskolnikov. Sonia’s sympathetic and doting personality is polar to Raskolnikov’s selfish beliefs and his “extraordinary man theory”. However, when all is said and done, Sonia guides Raskolnikov to face the punishment of his wrong doing. Had Raskolnikov not had a tenacious relationship with Sonia, it likely would have taken him a much

Raskolnikov’s main motive for killing Alyona Ivanovna and eventually Lizaveta was money. The novel begins already discussing the theme of poverty and the need for money. It is obvious that Rodya is in a state of poverty throughout the entirety of this novel. This is shown through the way he dresses, his eating habits, the size of his apartment, and his lack of money to afford his tuition and law studies. In order for Raskolnikov to obtain more money, his plan for murder begins. Overall, being poor defines Raskolnikov and poverty becomes the central theme in his plan for murder.

Petersburg. She has a reputation for cheating the poor and for beating her own sister, Lizaveta. Raskolnikov developed a relationship with her during Act I when he pawned a watch to her. During a walk to a local Tavern, Raskolnikov hears Lizaveta mention that she will not be home around seven o’clock with Alyona. “The old woman [Alyona Ivanovna] would be left alone (Dostoyevsky 51).” With this new information, Raskolnikov has had his mind made for him. “He went in [to his apartment] like a man condemned to death (Dostoyevsky 51).” That very night, he visited Alyona with vicious intentions. Raskolnikov invited himself into her apartment, fabricating a story about an item that he wanted to pawn to her. Alyona was focused on the item when Raskolnikov brutally hit her with an axe. “He stepped back, let it [Alyona’s body] fall, and at once bent over her face; she was dead (Dostoyevsky 63).” Raskolnikov killed a defenseless old woman, finally revealing his cruel

In Fyodor Dostoevsky book Crime and Punishment, women at this time in Russia were not the equals of men in terms of education and power. In Crime and Punishment the women in the story were self-sacrificing in their actions, which in return paid off for the women. Majority of women, in Crime and Punishment, such as Sonya were selfless in their actions. The women in this story play a motherly role towards the men. Women in this story may have lived in a male dominated society, but it seemed that the words the women spoke in this story were very strong in influencing the men. Sonya plays a major role in Raskolnikov's life, being the person Raskolnikov relies on while he was in and out of prison. Raskolnikov felt a heavy connection with Sonya

In Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment, the character of Raskolnikov is one who may be considered evil or immoral for his actions, however his portrayal by the author is one that instills sympathy in the reader for the character due to his motives and personal, internal consequences he suffers for his crime of murder. There is considerable evidence supporting the view that Raskolnikov wants his theory surrounding the murder to be proven wrong, to get caught, and to be punished. This tells the reader that deep

Dostoevsky’s believes in existentialism, and the idea that individual freedom is essential to the development of the mind (Copleston 165). He speaks through his characters by presenting them as “continually defeated as a result of their choices” ( “Existentialism”). Though Raskolnikov is allowed to make his own decisions he ended up making the wrong ones. He is forced to face his consequences of the murders he committed. Dostoevsky’s blend of philosophy with the novel allows

Raskolnikov, Rodia, has a very important thought during the beginning of the book that leads him to take an old woman’s life. His extremely controversial thinking is cause for some debate over whether or not he is actually on to something. He said that crimes are all similar in that they do not vary in anything but the consequence. He looked at crimes without any idea of morals coming to the conclusion that if you can justify the crime for an unselfish reason then it is okay. At face value, this is insane, bordering psychopathy.

Just like the old hare, which sacrificed itself for Mikolka’s pleasure, Sonya has given up herself to provide for her father who even has the cheek to justify his drunk, and Dunya has made Raskolnikov the victim by giving him the burden of living in potential happiness with his sister’s misery fresh in his mind. Raskolnikov is left to ponder as to why Sonya and Dunya chose to follow such paths, but his virtue of compassion sees otherwise. He too chooses to help Marmeladov by slyly leaving his family some money by their windowsill, and then later vows to make his sister’s marriage to the cheat Petrovich an impossibility. Raskolnikov does later regret his benevolence, hastily retracting his empathy for both Sonya and Dunya, but ultimately feels the need to do what was just and help those in need. His compassion is genuine, and just like the horse and his tormenter, he cannot allow the thought others suffering at

The confession of Raskolnikov’s homicide in the end of the novel reveals a point of redemption for him to reintegrate into society. Raskolnikov’s submission to governmental law when he professes to the police “it was I who killed the old pawnbroker widow and her sister Lizaveta,” (Dostoyevsky 505-506) is indicative of how he is overcome with guilt. This testimony comes without force, further stressing how this action is for settling Raskolnikov’s own guilty conscience not anyone else’s.

Raskolnikov’s reaction to the letter reveals his arrogance, as he believes that Dunya is marrying Mr. Luzhin only to gain money to help Raskolnikov because he calls himself the “important son” (54). Even though Raskolnikov can be compassionate, as he tries to help a prostitute by paying for her taxi ride home, he still believes that he is an Übermensch, or a superman. As he is educated, Raskolnikov believes that he is superior in society and should not worry about others, as they do not affect him. Additionally, he uses this concept to justify the murder of Alyona, but he struggles with deciding whether or not he should commit the crime. For instance, he is hesitant to directly refer to the murder, instead using the pronoun “it” (65). After the dream, he decides not to commit the murder because like the Raskolnikov in the dream, Raskolnikov knows that it is wrong to murder someone. However, once Raskolnikov learns that Alyona will be alone at home the next day, he decides that he cannot waste such an opportunity as he describes Alyona as “Zeus, disposer of … fortunes” (55). Through Raskolnikov’s actions and reactions to events, Dostoyevsky shows that even though people may seem to have compassion, they may

Rodya felt hatred for a pawnbroker named Alyona Ivanovna. He even conceived the idea of killing her after his last encounter with her. His eagerness of murdered her increased when he heard a conversation between an officer and a student in the tavern. Through the discussion Rodya was listening carefully all the details the two men were talking about her life. There was a meaningful question that I believe impacted Rodya’s decision on killing this woman.

Dostoevsky sets Raskolnikov upon a path of most resistance to moving on with his life. When Raskolnikov confesses his transgression of the law to Sonia Marmeladova, he feels a small weight lifted off of his shoulders, which in turn helps him to think about the future with a clearer vision than he had before. Sonia is represented as someone who is loving understanding in order to offset the characteristics of the new Raskolnikov, “Suffer and expiate your sins by it, that’s what you must do” (361). He and Sonia represent two halves of society's way of dealing with the past, present, and future. In life, people will either accept what they have done and try to move past the situation that is holding them back, or they will continue to struggle with what they have done and will take most of their life trying to accept the consequences. As a character, Raskolnikov is tied so close to his past and the sins that he committed, that until he met Sonia he was not able to see clearly in the slightest. Sonia is what Raskolnikov must become in order to proceed throughout the rest of his

His goal is clearly to keep the girl away from the other man. His insistent addressing of the officer demonstrates a pure intention of keeping the girl safe. He makes sure to maintain proper communication with the officer and relays intricate observations of the girl’s condition and appearance. This action also shows the evidence of morality in Rodya’s character. However, Dostoevsky purposefully intends to make clear the mercurialness of this character. When he writes, “At that moment something seemed to sting Raskolnikov; in an instant, a complete revulsion of feeling came over him,” he creates a direct parallel comparison within Rodya (52). This direct connotation of a “sting” represents Rodya’s inherent characteristic of volatility. His initial reactions display a moral disposition, then as he watches the officer pursue the man and the girl he cries out, “Let them be! What is it to do with you? Let her go! Let him amuse himself. What is it to do with you?” (52). This is a complete change in mindset from his original reaction. He seems to desert the part of the moral compass he has maintained during this event and converts to second-guessing and questioning himself repeatedly. This transfer of thought directly shows Rodya’s change in mentality from moral to immoral. His further contemplation of women’s role and fate in society also represent his immoral thought process. He