Despite being widely considered as one of the greatest works of the Russian literary canon, Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, with its sprawling 608 pages, may at some points strike readers as dull and unnecessarily drawn out. However, the novel presents incredibly rewarding insights along with a profoundly meaningful outlook on life to any reader who pushes through to the ending. I read the book roughly two years ago, during quarantine, and yet I still find myself returning to some of its quotes and themes.
The initial part of the novel focuses on the contemplations of the impoverished protagonist, Raskolnikov, over whether or not to murder an old pawnbroker for the sake of monetary gain. Raskolnikov ultimately carries out the crime, killing both the pawnbroker and the pawnbroker’s sister with an ax in a rather brutal scene. The rest of the novel largely centers around an exploration of the psychology of Raskolnikov, and the mental and philosophical justifications he creates for such an indefensible act, although it also serves as a lens into life in 19th century St. Petersburg.
In order to truly understand Raskolnikov, and the themes of Crime and Punishment more generally, historical context may prove to be highly beneficial. Raskolnikov’s crime represents the worst excesses of two of the 19th century’s most prominent ideas: the “great man” theory of history and the philosophical school of utilitarianism. The former, a perspective on historiography developed by British historian Thomas Carlyle, suggested that the course and progression of human events were almost entirely driven by a small number of influential individuals who he called “great men,” The latter, an approach to ethics developed by British philosophers Jeremy Bentham and J.S. Mill proposed that the morality of any action was solely determined by its ultimate results.
In justifying his murder of the pawnbroker, Raskolnikov draws upon both of these ideas. He suggests that it is morally permissible for “great men” to commit ostensibly immoral acts for the sake of ultimate societal progression. He presents a hypothetical scenario of Isaac Newton being barred from procuring his scientific advancements unless the thinker is to sacrifice tens or even hundreds of men. Raskolnikov asserts that Newton has not only the right, but the responsibility, to sacrifice the lives of a great number of men for the pursuit of science. Raskolnikov also examines the case of Napoleon, contending that the deaths of the Napoleonic wars were permissible due to Napoleon’s status as an “extraordinary man,” and due to the positive consequences of the spread of Napoleonic enlightenment ideals. Although the merits of “great man” theory and utilitarianism are still debated today, the reader gets a sense that Dostoyevsky has a highly critical view of both concepts. Indeed, Raskolnikov’s attempts at creating a logical basis for murder, outlined in quotes like “I was ambitious to become another Napoleon; that was why I committed a murder” come across as both depraved and deluded.
Through Crime and Punishment, Dostoyevsky also sends a strong message regarding the power of guilt. Following the murder of the pawnbroker Raskolnikov becomes perpetually unhappy and extremely paranoid. External factors, such as the consistent suspicions of the senior officers in the St. Petersburg police play a role in this mental trauma, but the internal strife, and the dichotomy between guilt and justification, that festers within Raskolnikov causes him arguably even more suffering. Dostoyevsky cleverly reflects Raskolnikov’s tortured mental state through the character’s name, which means “schism” or “split” in Russian. The protagonist’s name also serves to supplement a subtle message surrounding the benefits of Christianity. Dostoyevsky, a devout Christian, creates a sense that a large part of Raskolnikov’s distress arises from his amoral and un-Christian outlook along with a “schism” from God created by his act of violence.
In many aspects, Crime and Punishment, with its harsh rebuke of contemporary Western ideals and its strong defense of traditionalism, can be considered to be the quintessential Russian novel. Many readers are likely to disagree with the viewpoints that Dostoyevsky expresses through the story, but an understanding of the author’s beliefs about society and human nature will nonetheless be valuable to all. Furthermore, this review only scratches the surface of the book. A variety of fascinating characters other than Raskolnikov are analyzed in-depth, and several other themes are explored. The novel’s fluent pacing and straightforward syntax make it an accessible read as well. I’d strongly recommend the work not only to anyone interested in philosophy and psychology, but also to those who are just looking for an intense, suspenseful, thriller.
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