An Evaluation of the Protagonist in Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s Novel Crime and Punishment
INTRODUCTION
Crime and Punishment is one of the most influential masterpieces representing Russian literature by Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky during the nineteenth century. The major focus of the novel is the ethical, moral, and mental situation faced by the protagonist Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov (also nicknamed as “Rodya” or “Rodka”) who committed murder against Alyona Ivanovna, an old pawnbroker to whom Raskolnikov owes a large amount of debt, and Lizaveta Ivanovna, Alyona Ivanovna’s sister. The main purpose of this paper is to evaluate the mental condition and the process of change of Raskolnikov psychologically, and though these analyzed signs
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Owing to that in most cases, a person’s behavior, values, and actions are often determined, or strongly influenced, by his or her backgrounds, it is reasonably important and necessary to consider one’s background into the situation. In Raskolnikov, his backgrounds were, though not in very little amount, not provided by the author Fyodor Dostoyevsky in abundance. However, they do provide us some information.
Funded by his mother, Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov is at once studying in a college and has some extent of teaching experience, by the description from other characters we acknowledge that he yet express the looking and behavior of a well-educated person, but because of reasons including financial hardship to pay for the tuition fee and others, which the author does not specify in the novel, he to drops both the study and his career, the outcome of these choices is not any better than what he once faced, that in fact he immediately fell into a situation of destitute, living in a cramped garret at the top of an apartment building. He is borrowing money to pay the pawnbroker Alyona Ivanovna, sometimes he even needs to give his valuable things, like a watch, a ring, etc. to her for a tiny amount of money. He does still have family members, including his mother and a sister named Avdotya Romanovna Raskolnikov (sometimes named “Dunya” or
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PREDICTIONS
Even till the point in which I have read through, the novel shows few signs of his mental condition shifting toward improving nor disproving even days after him committing the crime. However, his condition between the moral superego and the immoral id is yet extremely unstable, therefore, I would describe the possible end of the character into two dividing possibilities.
The first one is that the instability keep increasing that he eventually reach a stage of mental breakdown, which could cause the taking place of more murder, toward either whoever he believe might know about the situation or himself which means suicide.
The second one is that his own consciousness gradually takes over, after a period of putting away the issue and attempt not to think about the problem, he finally began to face it, with great possibility of that he reveals the truth to his close friends such as Sofya Semyonovna Marmeladov or Dmitri Prokofych
Throughout the novel of The Death of Ivan Ilych, Tolstoy conveys his thematic focus through his unique use of diction. Tolstoy examines several factors that have altered Ivan Ilych’s lifestyle. The only way to enhance our understanding of these factors is to observe how Tolstoy portrays Ivan’s evolving comprehension of what death means to him. Evidently, such portrayal can be thoroughly observed and understood by carefully analyzing Tolstoy’s use of diction. Furthermore, there are several themes that Tolstoy focuses on primarily, which are often associated with the depiction of the human existence as a conflict between different sides of the spectrum and Ivan’s tendency to alienate himself from the world.
Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment is a deep dive into the psyche of a young man named Raskolnikov, who is...well, who really is Raskolnikov? Through the method of unreliable narration Dostoyevsky employs, it is difficult to pinpoint just who Raskolnikov is, why he does what he does, and what the reader misses when he lapses into what is considered to be bits of fever and madness. In this paper I will attempt to unravel the ‘why’ of the murders Raskolnikov commits. I endeavour to prove that it is clear Raskolnikov kills Lizaveta and Alyona because of his need and desire for suffering in repentance for his perceived sins against his family and himself. This is not to say, however, that he may have thought of this as his motive;
Sigmund Freud’s theory of psychoanalysis explores the concept of a person’s behavior being controlled by their unconscious and conscious mind. Almost all of the literary works that exist tend to have a conflict that pertains to either the plot or the character. In Leo Tolstoy’s fiction novella “The Death of Ivan Ilyich”, he writes about the life of a fictional character named Ivan Ilyich and his conflicts that he deals with throughout his adulthood. Tolstoy specifically writes this novella in an interesting order by beginning the story after Ivan’s death and then continuing the story before his death. Another significant character in the story is Ivan’s son Vasya.
Peter Petrovich, the fiancé of Raskolnikov’s sister, first meets Raskolnikov when Raskolnikov is ill in his apartment. Raskolnikov’s preconceived dislike towards Petrovich conveys the idea that Petrovich is not likeable. A reader could understand why Raskolnikov and Petrovich would not work well together; Petrovich carries himself well and is confident in himself while Raskolnikov has a lot of self-doubt and avoids socialization. Whether or not Petrovich is an enjoyable person, his thoughts about self-importance and self-love are easily extendable to outside the world of Crime and Punishment.
Knowing the necessity of control but being unable to leads him further into despair and a lack of acceptance of his fate. Sansom writes, “The world becomes a stage on which he is the only real actor, and a shallow one at that, because Ivan has to remain abstract from his own emotional insecurities and worries about death” (420). He mirrors the actions
In “The Tell-Tale Heart”, one of the themes is insanity. Insanity is portrayed from the opening statement of the narrator, his actions, and in his final fall into insanity during his confession. The opening statement of the narrator fails at expressing his sanity to the reader. The opening statement of the narrator says, “TRUE! --nervous
Raskolnikov 's act of violence is what causes him to go insane, impacts the lives of the people around him, and finally violence is Raskolnikov’s way of proving himself as an above-average individual. Dostoyevsky used violence to change the course of not only Raskolnikov’s life but also the lives of the people around him. The story shows how one man 's image of himself as a higher being can cause him to commit violent acts, which impact everyone around
Raskolnikov is a very intelligent, prideful man, So much so that the very thought of leaving his house in tattered clothes made him anxious. Raskolnikov also refuses to go to his tutoring job because of this. despite these facts, Raskolnikov has little care for the people and the world around him believing himself to be above them because of his intelligence.
He uses descriptions of spaces in St. Petersburg to morph protagonist Raskolnikov’s mind and his surroundings into an indistinguishable amalgamation of confusion and claustrophobia, showing the Westernized city’s stifling effect on the internal workings of a traditional Russian man bombarded by new ideas. Dostoevsky focuses on St. Petersburg on the scale of individual rooms as opposed to full cityscapes. This use of space is most evident in his repeated descriptions of the cramped living quarters which act as barriers to Raskolnikov’s achievement of his full potential. At many points in the novel, Raskolnikov appears stuck in his own mind as well as in his physical space. The first description of his living-quarters immediately conveys this feeling of entrapment: “His closet was located just under the roof of a tall, five-storied house, and was more like a cupboard than a room.”
The ability to feel empathy for a character allows a reader to relate to a story. However, while telling Vladek’s story of survival, it is rare that Art’s feelings are ever expressed to the reader. When Vladek tries to change the topic from his story, Art returns to the story of the Holocaust which does not allow the readers any insight to Art’s feelings or personal memories. However, the impact of second generation trauma is realized in the chapter “Prisoner on the Hell Planet”. With a dark tone and a completely contrasting black background compared to the white seen throughout the novel, the burden of his family’s past that he continues to carry is understood.
Have you ever wanted to truly understand how the mind of a seven year old functions or the thoughts that run through it? In the story “Home” by Anton Chekhov, Seryozha is a little boy who got caught smoking by Natalya, the governess. Natalya told Yevgeny, Seryozha’s father; that he was smoking. Seryozha learned from his father just how dangerous it is to smoke as a seven year old boy and realized he needed to stop. After meticulously analyzing, “Home” by Anton Chekhov, the use of psychoanalytic criticism represents Seryozha as a flamboyant character because of his repression, conscious/unconscious mind and symbolic behavior.
Raskolnikov confronts reality and can never again legitimize his activities in light of political perspectives. The writer of Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky composed this book uncovering some of his own perspectives on legislative issues and consolidating them all through the story. Like Raskolnikov, Dostoyevsky was captured by the administration and punished for his offense. He was rebuffed for his radical communist positions, just to later reject these thoughts. Through the story, the creator fuses a solid message of exactly how intense the legislature is and the solid impact of governmental issues.
There Is More Than One Type of Hero In “Notes from the Underground”, a fiction book by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, the Underground Man is not like the traditional main character in most other fiction books. Often books have a tragic hero where he or she either saves the days or unfortunately is killed. But that is not the case for this book, the main character shows characteristics that do not fit along the lines of a tragic hero at all. This paper argues that the Underground Man is most definitely not the tragic hero, but instead an anti-hero.
Ultimately, Dostoevsky’s critique of society attempts to explain the societal problems of individuals alienating themselves from each other by living in the
Saint Petersburg, the setting of Crime and Punishment, plays a major role in the formation in Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s acclaimed novel. Dostoyevsky’s novels focus on the theme of man as a subject of his environment. Dostoyevsky paints 1860s St. Petersburg as an overcrowded, filthy, and chaotic city. It is because of Saint Petersburg that Raskolnikov is able to foster in his immoral thoughts and satisfy his evil inclinations. It is only when Raskolnikov is removed from the disorderly city and taken to the remoteness of Siberia that he can once again be at peace.