By the end of Dostoyesky’s Crime and Punishment‚ the reader is no longer under the illusion of the possible existence of "extraordinary" men. For an open-minded reader‚ and even perhaps the closed-minded ones too‚ the book is a journey through Raskolnikov’s proposed theory on crime. It is a theory based on the ideas that had "been printed and read a thousand times"(313) by both Hegel and Nietzsche. Hegel‚ a German philosopher‚ influenced Dostoyesky with his utilitarian emphasis on the ends rather
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In its basic form‚ nihilism is seen as extreme cynicism where humans neglect existence and reject aesthetic and religious moralities. Thus‚ values‚ customs‚ and beliefs are bare and unfounded according to nihilistic behavior. Crime and Punishment‚ a novel written by Fyodor Dostoevsky‚ displays this dangerous skepticism in a literary sense. While Dostoyevsky writes this novel‚ nihilism grows among the many young activists in 19th century Russia. Through historical evidence‚ nihilists during this
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Ambiguity‚ a Human Trait Most of the characters in Crime and Punishment were consumed by opposing feelings; they faced inner confusion. Dunya didn’t know whether to choose Luzhin or her brother. Pulcheria Alexanrovna didn’t know what side to assert herself on in the aforementioned situation. Sonya was torn between her best interests or that of her step-siblings and Luzhin couldn’t decide whether to put aside his pride and apologize to Dunya‚ or stand tall like an erect peacock. The character that
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The novel Crime and Punishment by Feodor Dostoevsky is set in nineteenth century‚ St. Petersburg. The historical and political events that occurred before and around Dostoevsky’s life heavily influenced his writing through his emphasis on Russia’s economic status and social standards. At the beginning of the eighteenth century‚ Peter the Great (r. 1682–1725) “had opened Russia’s "window on the West‚" both literally through his foundation of the new capital of St. Petersburg..” “..and less tangibly
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One of the greatest tests of mankind is the test of extraordinaire‚ to see whether one is extraordinary or simply the average man. Published in 1866‚ Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment‚ set in St. Petersburg‚ Russia‚ describes the story of the young Russian student Raskolnikov‚ who through the murder of the Ivanovna sisters‚ attempts to identify himself as either the common man or the so-called “extraordinary” man. The extraordinary man is characterized by his ability to transgress moral laws to
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the course of studying a novel‚ the reader comes to realize that much of the author himself is present in the work. His or her ideas‚ morals‚ beliefs‚ and traits are molded to fit the forms of characters. In Fydor Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment‚ these ideas took human form‚ and can be described as "an idea always having a skin around it‚ a human personality." Dostoyevsky’s character‚ Sofia (Sonia) Marmelodov‚ is a true example of this. Sonia represented the human propensity
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In Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment the main protagonist‚ Rodion Roskolnikov‚ is driven by a passionate admiration for “great men”; men who had power. This passionate admiration manifests itself into an illusion for Roskolnikov; an illusion that is created and perpetuated by constant reaffirmation of his intelligence by his loved ones and peers. In perusal of aligning himself to his hero‚ Napoleon Bonaparte‚ Roskolnikov spends his time patronizing the human race and glorifying his own existence
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was doing; and almost without effort‚ almost automatically‚ he brought the blunt side down on her head. He seemed to have no strength. Yet the moment he started bringing the ax down‚ strength sprang up in him” (74). In this excerpt from “Crime and Punishment” the narrator is describing how Raskolnikov killed Alyona Ivanovna. Alyona is an old women who lends money to Raskolnikov. The passage helps show that even though Raskolnikov was feeling weak he was still able to commit a murder. Before
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After Raskolnikov confesses to the murder of Alyona and Lizaveta‚ he is sentenced to eight-years in a prison camp in Siberia‚ where he is forced to perform hard labor. Despite his confession‚ he still has not repented for his actions and refuses to surrender his heart‚ body‚ and soul completely to God. Even now‚ he still believes he did not commit anything inherently wrong or sinful. At this point‚ nothing has really changed significantly other than his environment--simply‚ same old feelings‚ just
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In Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky‚ the reader follows Raskolnikov from a first-person perspective‚ witness to both his actions and feelings. However‚ most‚ if not all of the supporting characters are just as important‚ as they serve as warped mirrors of Raskolnikov‚ warping‚ exaggerating‚ and twisting his personality. None though‚ are as eerily similar as Razumikhin‚ who serves as a baffle to Raskolnikov. Where Raskolnikov sequesters himself mentally inside his own head‚ and physically
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