Introduction

Fyodor Dostoevsky is perhaps the most controversial author of the

Crime and Punishment takes place in St. Petersburg, Russia. The time is
1860, Alexander II holds reign, and consequently political skepticism is
abundant. In addition to skepticism, the country’s economic state has
disproportionate effects on its citizens, as the increasing wealth gap parallels
the increase of turmoil in the streets. The novel follows Rodion Raskolnikov, a
man of lower class whose poverty leads him to forming an idea and testing
its validity. This theory is that certain men are exempt from laws created by
society, as their actions against these laws are done for the greater good. In
order to test this theory, Raskolnikov forms a plan to murder Alyona
Ivanovna, an old pawnbroker whom he has had many exchanges with. After
killing Ivanovna, he ends up killing her sister Lizaveta as well, when her
appearance at Ivanovna’s apartment startles his original plan. In a frenzy, he
leaves their bodies at the crime scene, and on his way out his mental state
begins to spiral leading the readers to follow his psychological decline.

Around the world, philologists and psychologists alike have studied Crime
and Punishment to understand what makes this work essential to literature.
Through studies of symbolism, philosophy, and psychology, it is recognized
how Dostoevsky uses the concept of time to develop the story, how he uses
symbolism to reflect underlying emotions and intentions of characters, and
how different ideologies may be related to the meaning behind Crime and
Punishment. These components used together showcase how Dostoevsky’s
work remains notable for centuries.

Crime and Punishment is a novel symbolic of the drawbacks that society can
have on individuals, specifically those who are at a disadvantage as a result
of their class or mental state. When Dostoevsky penned this novel, the time
was 1866. 19th century Russia was a transition period from medieval
traditions to Westernization. During this transition, many people struggled to
accommodate to the changing times. There was unrest in the streets, conflict
amongst the classes, economic upheaval, and a lack of concern for those
suffering by the government. Those who were of higher class were better
able to navigate this complex transition, while those in poverty lacked the
materials necessary to accommodate to the coming changes. Previously
Westernized countries exhibited unrest from their populations while
progressing in societal advancement. There was concern about this
potentially translating into Russia’s development. Russia was not exempt
from these issues, and Dostoevsky was no help in assuring that peace would
be maintained. Dostoevsky’s work concerned people in power when he
indirectly made an association between violence and societal progression,
and how this may prompt the masses to revolt against their government.
Localized current events, such as a rise in domestic violence and murder,
also influenced this novel. Due to these real-life events that inspired
Dostoevsky’s work, it can be said that Crime and Punishment is an accurate
representation of its time period.

Not only was time period an influence on his work, but Dostoevsky would
manipulate the concept of time itself to convey the meaning behind his
stories. In Crime and Punishment, Dostoevsky writes Raskolnikov as a
character continuously in a fever of thoughts. His mind is constantly running
rampant, unrelenting even in slumber. Before significant events Raskolnikov
would either flashback or dream of memories foreshadowing future
moments. An example of this is before committing to murder Alyona
Ivanovna, his subconscious takes him and the reader back to a moment
where he and his father witnessed the cruel killing of a mule at the hands of
a crowd for being too weak to pull a wagon. From a third person perspective,
young Raskolnikov’s reaction to this moment is described hither. By
preceding Raskolnikov’s murderous intentions with his younger self’s
mournful reaction to the mule’s death shows the audience how Raskolnikov
has developed over time, and the degeneration resulting from his
experiences in [Link] also seems to slow down when Raskolnikov is in
moments of heightened emotion, because as he loses the ability to
conceptualize, the more feverish his mind becomes. Towards the end of the
novel, Raskolnikov reflects on the events that have occurred. This feverish
mindset also manifests into physiological symptoms, giving Raskolnikov the
appearance of being sick. “He was not completely unconscious all the time
he was sick, but rather delirious, in a feverish state of half consciousness. He
could recall a good deal later. Once in his room se. Dostoevsky uses syntax
and diction to write these occurrences in a way that mimics Raskolnikov’s
thinking. The transitions between events are frenetic, reflecting the
tumultuous thoughts that plague Raskolnikov as a result of his actions.
Choosing to modify the chronology of the novel in this way, he emphasizes
the severity of situations by making the readers feel like they are
experiencing the event as well.
In addition to this, Crime and Punishment contains levels of symbolism to
enhance the mental conditions of characters. George Gibian explored
traditional symbolism within Crime and Punishment, and came to find that
many motif shave religious roots. Ranging from Christianity to Paganism to
Russian Orthodoxy, Dostoevsky’s implementation of images such as water,
vegetation, air, and earth come together to express the mental state of the
characters immersed in a particular setting. For example, Gibian described
how water is used as a symbol of rebirth or regeneration. In Crime and
Punishment, Raskolnikov would aimlessly walk about the setting in moments
where his mind and thoughts were chaotic. He would end up in symbolically
important nature scenes, for instance beside a river that ran through his
town, or on the ground surrounded by bushes and trees. When near the
water, he would feel the weight of guilt coming from the crimes he has
committed. In this scene, Raskolnikov’s physiological symptoms begin to
arise as his consciousness fights for contrition. This is important because
Raskolnikov’s proximity to water when these feelings arise is representative
of the good side of his conscience, trying to push him in the direction of what
is right.