Psychoanalysis of Raskolnikov’s Horse Dream in Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment

Psychoanalysis of Raskolnikov’s Horse Dream in Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment To completely capture the essence of a human being, and discover inner qualities that he may not even know he has, it is necessary to analyze deep into a person’s subconscious. In other words, an analysis of his or her dreams would have to occur. Dreams are the door to the inner workings of the mind just as eyes are the windows to the soul; they are able to relay what a person’s subconscious is trying to say, because while he or she sleeps, “the subconscious does not need to battle with the conscious mind” (Llewellyn). In Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s novel, Crime and Punishment, Dostoyevsky explains several dreams that his characters have in the novel. Each dream represents the subconscious desires and fears that the individual characters have. However, Raskolnikov’s horse dream in the beginning of Crime and Punishment impacts the entire book the most; the dream “makes a powerful impression” (Dostoyevsky 52) on Raskolnikov’s actions and relationships prior to, during, and after the murder. Dostoyevsky uses dense situation rhyme, in regards to the master-slave relationship, and several symbols, including the crowd and Mikolka, to show the importance of Raskolnikov’s dream, and how it explains Raskolnikov’s character and religious beliefs. Before the dream is analyzed, it is important to briefly discuss the dream itself and the context in which it occurs. Before he kills Aliona and Lizaveta, Raskolnikov is a nervous wreck; He is distracted and feverish. These emotions are normal for Raskolnikov in this scenario however because he is planning on killing somebody in cold blood. While walking down a street in St. Petersburg, Raskolnikov passes “luxurious carriages and men and women on horseback” which is a crucial aspect of the dream (52). He also walks into a tavern for a glass of vodka and a meat pie. After drinking the one glass of vodka, Raskolnikov, currently an extreme lightweight,

Cited: Bloom, Harold. Bloom’s Major Literary Characters: Raskolnikov and Svidrigailov. Broomall: Chelsea House, 2004. Google Book Search. Web. 6 April 2014. Dostoyevsky, Fyodor. Crime and Punishment. 1866. Trans. Sidney Monas. New York: Signet, 2006. Print. Llewellyn Worldwide. Dreams: What are they trying to tell us?. 1 November, 2004. Web. 9 April, 2014.