Crime and Punishment door Fyodor Dostoevsky

Feitelijke gegevens

• 40e druk, 2021
• 551 pagina's
• Uitgeverij: Penguin Random House UK

Flaptekst

Eerste zin

At the beginning of July, during an extremely hot spell, towards evening, a young man left the closet he rented from tenants in S---y Lane, wakled out to the street, and slowly, as if indecisively, headed for the K---n Bridge.

Samenvatting

Raskolikov used to be a student but is now a poor troubled man living in St. Petersburg. At the beginning of the book he meets Marmaladov, a drunk man. Marmaladov invites him to his home and Raskolikov later gives him some money even though he doesn't have much anymore. In the mean time he gets a letter from his mother saying his sister, Dunya, is going to marry for his career. Raskolikov is furious and decides to stop the marriage between Dunya and Luzhin. Meanwhile he is feeling different and more paranoid than before. He is a smart man and comes up with a theory where some people are allowed to be evil for the greater good. Ofcourse, he needs to test his theory, so he murders Alyona Ivanovna. Lizaveta, Alyona's sister finds out so he kills her too. 

After this crime, Razumikhin, an old friend of Raskolikov, notices he is ill and expresses his concern. Raskolikov returns home and ends his sister's engagement. A few days later, Marmaladov dies. Raskolikov attends his funeral and is pressured by a man named Porfiry to commit his crime. Raskolikov is being chased and is scared his secret won't be safe anymore. Svidrigailov enters their life and wants to marry Dunya. Raskolikov won't allow it. For a while all seems to be well, but then Razumikhin finds out that Raskolikov is indeed guilty of the two murders. He is a good friend and tries to help him and his family after knowing about the crime.

Sonya and Raskolikov get closer, whilst a strange man confesses to the murders instead of Raskolikov. Sonya is set up to be a thief by Lazhin. After this, Raskolikov tells the truth to Sonya about his crime. After this conversation her mother has gone mad and dies. Svidrigailov tries to be the hero and assures Raskolikov that he knows about his crime. Eventually, Svidrigailov kills himself. 

Raskolikov is thinking about confessing when being pressured into it by Porfiry. He confesses and is being sentenced in Siberia. During his sentence, his sister got married, his mother died, and he fell in love with Sonya who still visits him. 

Personages

Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov

Raskolnikov is a former students who now lives in poverty. He commits a crime and during the story we follow his internal conflict and the consequences.

Sofya Semyonovna Marmeladov

The daughter of Marmeladov. She is a prostitue and close with Raskolnikov.

Avdotya Romanovna Raskolnikov (Dunya)

Dunya is Raskolnikov's sister. She is a smart and empathic woman who eventually ends her engagement for her family.

Arkady Ivanovich Svidrigailov

He is in love with Dunya and a danger to Raskolnikov.

Dmitri Prokofych Razumikhin

He is an old friend of Raskolnikov. He takes care of him due to his "illness".

Porfiry Petrovich

Porfiry knows Raskolnikov's crime by observing him and the situation. He follows Raskolnikov throughout the novel.

Quotes

"Raskolnikov was not used to crowds and, as he already been mentioned, fled all company, especially of late." Bladzijde 11

"All the people he met were repulsive to him-their faces, their walk, there movements were repulsive." Bladzijde 110

"I only believe in my main idea. It consists precisely in poeple being divided generally, according to the law of nature, into two categories: a lower or, so to speak, material category (the ordinary), serving solely for the reproduction of their own kind; and people proper - that is, those who have the gift or talent of speaking a new word in their environment." Bladzijde 260

Motieven

Alienation

Raskolnikov slowly becomes mentally ill through his theory. This results in his alienation from society, but also himself and the people around him.

Guilt

Raskolnikov struggles with his guilt around his crime. There's an ungoing conflict between his guilt and his self righteousness.

Paranoia

The proteganist becomes more and more paranoid further in the story. This is part of the reason for the justification of his theory and his behaviour towards the people around him.

Titelverklaring

The title is Crime and Punishment. The crime refers to the actual crime Raskolnikov commits. The punishment refers to everything that comes after. All his internal struggles, his changing behaviour, his alienation and his fear of getting caught. 

Structuur & perspectief

The story is divided into six parts and an epilogue. It's almost always chronological, except for a few childhood flashbacks. We follow the thoughts and actions through the eyes of Raskolnikov, but they're being told to us by the narrator. 

Decor

The story is set in St. Petersburg in the 19th century. We mostly see the poor neighbourhouds of St. Petersburg. Almost everything is told chronologically. 

Stijl

There is a lot of dialogue. Between people, but there is also a lot of inner dialogue from Raskolnikov. Most sentences are long, probably because it is Russian literature. The writer also gives a lot of descriptions about the surroundings and the people. 

Slotzin

It might make the subject of a new story--but our present story is ended.

Beoordeling

This book is not easy to read. But, when you manage to get through it, you are rewarded with great literature. It feels like you are part of the theory as well because you follow Raskolnikov's reasoning throughout the story. It's no secret this book belongs to the classics of literature and if you ask me that is deserved. 

Bronnen

This website has a thorough analyses about the book and the characters. I used some of their ideas for this book report as well.

sparknotes.com