The novel by F. Dostoevsky presents many characters. It is impossible to understand them according to the usual criterion: bad - good.
Brief characteristics and descriptions of the heroes of the novel "Crime and Punishment" is a whole gallery of images: people of different classes, characters, advantages and disadvantages. All of them are so real that after reading, it seems to be familiar with them personally, despite the fact that eras have passed.
Raskolnikov
Rodion Romanovich is the main character of the novel. A smart student finds himself in unbearable conditions of existence. Constant reasoning leads the young man to the theory of the division of people. Having developed in his head a system of the need for a person, he decides to test it in life, goes on the path of a criminal, a murderer. One crime leads to another. The theory falls apart, the young man falls under his system of conclusions as an extra kind of people: not ordinary, not great. The theory becomes the reason for changing one's life, the fate of the convict.
Marmeladova
Sofya Semyonovna is the beloved of the protagonist Rodion Raskolnikov. The girl is the daughter of an impoverished official who is unable to feed his family. The stepdaughter is forced to take the path of corrupt girls who earn with their bodies. Sonya is not able to break out of the circle of poverty and poverty. She has no means to leave her father. The author shows not only the reasons for choosing "obscene work". It helps to understand how a girl with a pure soul, a meek character, a timid disposition is able to support those who, like her, fall under the yoke of society. The murderer Rodion sees his future in her, and she becomes the meaning of life for him.
Old woman pawnbroker
Alena Ivanovna is an old cruel woman who profits from human grief. Taking advantage of the need for money, the old woman takes things on a mortgage. Gives little money, takes high interest. She evaluates the items handed over to her cruelly, assigns a cost that is incommensurable with the real one, but it is impossible to find another sale, so the poor and those who have nowhere to get money go to her. The woman is angry and grumpy, does not evoke any feelings other than hostility, but, according to Raskolnikov's theory, killing her makes Rodion great. The reader is skeptical about this approach. There is not even a hint of positive qualities in the image of the evil old woman, but killing her is illegal.
Razumikhin
The main character's friend is Dmitry Vrazumikhin. The character is sympathetic from the first lines. The author seems to specifically show how you can save your soul and heart in difficult circumstances. Dmitry is kind, hardworking, noble. The student falls in love with Rodion's sister, he wins her hand and becomes a husband, saving the girl from marriage with Luzhin, a man with money but no feelings.
Luzhin
Petr Petrovich is a court adviser with big plans. He is ambitious and practical. In the future, Luzhin has the opening of a law office. Peter chooses Dunyasha Raskolnikov as his wife in order to keep the girl in subjection. He calculated the whole future: the poor girl will always be indebted to him for salvation, she will become an excellent wife and servant to him - the savior and benefactor. In his image, undisguised pettiness, greed, meanness and naked calculation. It is difficult for love to settle in the heart of such a man, but cruelty and hypocrisy are easily located.
Svidrigailov
Arkady Ivanovich is a man with criminal content. It is amazing that all his actions are hidden and not proven. He manages to leave the most cruel crimes (rape) unpunished. Svidrigailov is a cheat, a deceiver, a libertine and a petty tyrant. Nobility wakes up in a man at the end of life. He does strange things, commits suicide. The reader does not fully understand the hero's changes. What is this? insight? Possibly another scam. The character of the character is complex and multifaceted, it is scary to meet such a person in real life.
Porfiry Petrovich
The investigator in the Raskolnikov case is one of the talented detective professionals. He approaches the matter in his own way: he analyzes the crime from all sides, in details and inconspicuous features. The investigator feels the criminal in his gut. Having no evidence, he seeks recognition and disclosure of the case. There are many different qualities in a man: he is perspicacious, cunning, attentive, accurate. Porfiry is noble and calm, he does not use illegal measures, but he finds the criminal, calculates him imperceptible to other details. Porfiry calls the criminal for a conversation in order to understand what led the young man to such a step as he decided to kill two women.
Lizaveta
The sister of the old pawnbroker is a typical image of women, lonely and offended by fate. God did not give them beauty, intelligence, but endowed them with a kind heart and a pure soul. What awaits such people? The greedy sister beats the woman, treats her like a servant. Men use Lizaveta for their lust. She is constantly pregnant. F. Dostoevsky introduces a weak-minded woman into the gallery of his characters for a reason. There are many such people in Rus', most of them become the object of ridicule and humiliation. The fate of Lizaveta is to be killed along with the one who offended and humiliated. The whole theory becomes wrong, and the sign of the people is true: one crime leads to another. The unscientific approach of people, simply noticing life situations, takes precedence over the scientific and complex system of Raskolnikov. Lizaveta is loved by those around her in the novel, the reader is very sorry for the woman.
Lebezyatnikov
Luzhin's friend is trying to be progressive, he is spreading the ideas of transforming society. Outwardly, it seems that Andrey Lebezyatnikov's thoughts are correct and interesting, but the young man does everything somehow absurdly, thoughtlessly. Propaganda of communist theories of the structure of the country sounds absurd. The young man has already achieved a result with his boltology - he ended up in the ministry. This is where real solutions can be made. The author helps to imagine deceitful bureaucrats making promises, leaving things up in the air or on paper.
Dunya
The girl is the sister of the main character. An educated Dunya is distinguished by positive character traits. The female image is attractive and individual, but the theme of sacrifice and poverty continues in it. The girl does not know how to help her mother and brother. She decides to marry Luzhin, hoping to get out of poverty. Dunya is ready to sacrifice her fate for the sake of her loved ones. The author pities a kind soul and interferes with marriage with a practical wealthy gentleman without feelings.
Mid 19th century. A poor district of St. Petersburg, adjacent to the Catherine Canal and Sennaya Square ("Crime and Punishment": the image of St. Petersburg "is a separate interesting topic). Summer evening. Raskolnikov Rodion Romanovich, a former student, leaves his closet, located in the attic, and goes to Alena Ivanovna, an old pawnbroker, in order to take the mortgage - her last valuable thing.So begins Dostoevsky's "Crime and Punishment", a summary of which we describe.
The main character intends to kill this old woman. Rodion stops by one of the cheap taverns on the way back. Here he accidentally gets acquainted with Marmeladov, who has lost his place, drunkenly. He tells Rodion how her husband's drunkenness, poverty and consumption pushed Katerina Ivanovna, his wife, to a cruel act - to send Sonya, his daughter from his first marriage, to the panel to earn money.
The thought of killing
The next morning, Raskolnikov receives a letter from his mother from the provinces describing the troubles that Dunya, his younger sister, suffered in the house of Svidrigailov, a depraved landowner. He also learns that his sister and mother will soon arrive in Petersburg, since a groom for Dunya was found here. This is Luzhin, a prudent businessman who wants to build a marriage not on love, but on the dependence and poverty of the bride. Raskolnikov's mother hopes that this person will help Rodion to graduate from the university. Thinking about the sacrifices that Dunya and Sonya make for the sake of their loved ones, Raskolnikov affirms his intention to kill Alena Ivanovna - this is an evil worthless "louse". After all, her money will save many young men and women from the undeserved suffering. But in Rodion's soul, the disgust for violence rises again after the dream that he sees. This is a memory of childhood: Raskolnikov sees how the nag is beaten to death, and the boy's heart overflows with pity for her.
Raskolnikov commits the murder of Alena Ivanovna and Lizaveta
Rodion still not only kills Alena Ivanovna, but also Lizaveta, her meek, kind sister, who unexpectedly returned to the apartment. Having miraculously gone unnoticed, Raskolnikov hides the stolen goods in a random place, without even assessing its value.
The novel "Crime and Punishment" continues with the fact that soon the protagonist discovers with horror the alienation between himself and others. From the experience, Raskolnikov falls ill, but he cannot reject the burdensome worries of Razumikhin (university comrade). From a conversation with the doctor of the latter, the main character learns that the painter Mikolka has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of Alena Ivanovna. This is an ordinary country boy. Reacting painfully to talk about a crime committed, Rodion arouses suspicion among those around him.
Luzhin's visit
Luzhin, who came on a visit, is shocked by the furnishings of Rodion's closet. Their conversation gradually develops into a quarrel, after which it ends with a break. Raskolnikov is especially offended by the closeness of the conclusions that Luzhin draws from "reasonable egoism" - the protagonist's own "theory" that it is possible to kill people. Luzhin's theory seems vulgar to him.
Raskolnikov gives money to the Marmeladovs
A sick young man, wandering around St. Petersburg, suffers, feeling alienated from the world. At this time, the image of St. Petersburg reappears in the work "Crime and Punishment", periodically appearing in the novel. The protagonist was already ready to confess to the authorities in the crime. Suddenly, in the novel Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov notices a man crushed by a carriage. This is Marmeladov. Out of compassion, Rodion spends the last of his money on a dying man: the doctor is called, Marmeladov is transferred to the house. Here Raskolnikov meets Sonya and Katerina Ivanovna. Sonya, dressed as a prostitute, says goodbye to her father. The protagonist of the novel "Crime and Punishment" helped the Marmeladovs and, thanks to this good deed, felt for a short time a community with people. But, having met his sister and mother at his apartment, he suddenly realizes himself "dead" for the love of relatives and drives them rudely. Raskolnikov is alone again. He hopes to get closer to Sonya, who, like himself, has "stepped over" an absolute commandment.
Raskolnikov's visit to the investigator, his "theory"
Razumikhin takes care of Rodion's relatives. He falls in love almost at first sight with Dunya. The offended Luzhin, meanwhile, puts the bride before a choice: either her brother, or him. Rodion, as if in order to find out about the fate of the things pawned from the murdered woman, but in fact - in order to dispel the suspicions of some of his acquaintances, he asks himself to meet with the investigator Porfiry Petrovich, who is in charge of the murder of Alena Ivanovna. Porfiry recalls Rodion's article "On Crime", published recently in the newspaper. He invites the author to explain the theory in which the idea of "two categories of people" is developed. According to Raskolnikov, the "ordinary" majority is only material for the reproduction of the population. He needs a strict moral law and obedience. This category is "trembling creatures". There are also "higher" (actually people) who have the gift of a "new word". These people destroy the present in the name of the better, even if it is necessary for this to "step over" the moral norms established earlier for the "lower ones", for example, to kill a person. Then these "criminals" become the creators of new laws. That is, by not recognizing the laws that are spoken of in the Bible ("do not steal", "do not kill", etc.), Raskolnikov thereby "allows" some people to shed "blood in conscience." Porfiry, smart and insightful, unravels the ideological killer in the hero, who claims to be Napoleon. However, the investigator has no evidence against Rodion - and he lets him go in the hope that his good nature will win in him. This will lead to the fact that Raskolnikov himself confesses to his deed.
The hero of the novel "Crime and Punishment", according to the chapters described by us, gradually becomes more and more convinced that he made a mistake in himself. Rodion is tormented by the "meanness" and "vulgarity" of a single murder. He understands that he is a "trembling creature": having killed, he could not overstep the law of morality. The motives for the crime in the mind of Rodion are twofold: this is both an act of "justice" and a test of "the highest level" of oneself.
Meeting with Svidrigailov
Svidrigailov, who arrived in St. Petersburg after Dunya, apparently guilty of the recent death of his wife, meets Rodion Raskolnikov and says that they are "of the same field", only Rodion has not yet completely "defeated Schiller" in himself. Raskolnikov, with all his disgust for this man, is attracted by his apparent ability to enjoy life, although Svidrigailov, the hero of the novel Crime and Punishment, committed so many crimes ... The characterization of this character is presented below, after a brief summary.
Exposing Luzhin
A decisive explanation with Pyotr Petrovich Luzhin takes place during dinner in one of the cheap rooms. Luzhin, one of the two "twins" of Raskolnikov in the novel "Crime and Punishment", settled here out of economy with Dunya and his mother. An analysis of the character of this hero is also presented at the end of the article. The groom is accused of slandering Sonya and Raskolnikov. Luzhin allegedly gave Sonya money for base services, which were selflessly collected by his mother for his studies. The groom, expelled in disgrace, is looking for a way to discredit Rodion in the eyes of his mother and sister.
Raskolnikov visits Sonya
Meanwhile, Raskolnikov, once again feeling a painful alienation from his loved ones, decides to come to Sonya. He seeks salvation from loneliness from this girl who has transgressed the commandment. However, Sonya is not alone. For the sake of others (hungry sisters and brothers), she sacrificed herself. This was done to her not for her own sake, like Rodion. Compassion for loved ones, love, faith in God never left Sonya. She reads the gospel lines to the protagonist about how Jesus resurrected Lazarus, hoping that a miracle will happen in her life. The hero fails to captivate Sonya with his "Napoleonic" plan to dominate the "anthill".
Second meeting with Porfiry
Rodion, tormented by both the desire for exposure and fear, comes again to Porfiry, allegedly worrying about the mortgage. In the end, at first glance, an abstract conversation on the topic of the psychology of criminals brings the young man to a nervous breakdown. He practically impersonates Porfiry. Rodion is saved by the unexpected confession of the painter Mikolka in the murder of the pawnbroker.
The second exposure of Luzhin
A commemoration for the father and husband was held in the Marmeladovs' room. During them, Katerina Ivanovna insults the hostess of the apartment in a fit of morbid pride. This woman tells her to leave immediately with the children. Suddenly, Luzhin appears, who lives in the same house, and says that Sonya stole a hundred-ruble banknote from him. The "guilt" of the girl is proved: money is found in the pocket of her apron. In the eyes of others, she is now also a thief. However, suddenly there is a witness who says that Luzhin himself slipped Sonya a piece of paper. The slanderer is disgraced, and Raskolnikov explains the reasons for his act as follows: having humiliated Sonya and his brother in the eyes of Dunya, he wanted to return the favor of his bride.
Raskolnikov confesses to Sonya in the murder
"Crime and Punishment" chapter by chapter continues with the fact that Rodion confesses to Sonya in the murder. It happens in the following way. Raskolnikov goes to her apartment. Here the hero confesses to Sonya that he killed Lizaveta and the old woman. The girl pities Rodion for the moral torments to which he doomed himself. She offers Raskolnikov to atone for his guilt by hard labor, confessing everything voluntarily. Rodion, on the other hand, laments only that he turned out to be in fact a "trembling creature", with a need for love and conscience. He replies: "I'll still fight." Meanwhile, Katerina Ivanovna finds herself on the street with the children. She dies of a throat bleed after refusing a priest. Svidrigailov, who is present here, agrees to pay for the funeral, as well as provide for Sonya and the children.
Raskolnikov is found at home by Porfiry, who convinces him to turn himself in. The investigator does not believe that Mikolka is to blame. He only "accepted suffering", following the primordial people's need for atonement for the sin of inconsistency with Christ, his ideal.
However, Rodion still hopes to "transcend" morality. He sees before him the example of Svidrigailov. The sad truth is revealed to the hero by their meeting in the tavern: the life of this "villain" is empty and painful.
Dunya's reciprocity remains the only hope for Svidrigailov to return to God. Convinced that the girl does not love him, he commits suicide a few hours later. So this hero is eliminated from the work "Crime and Punishment". An analysis of this character will be made at the end of the article.
Raskolnikov decides to confess and says goodbye before that to Sonya and family. He still remains convinced that his "theory" is correct. Rodion is filled with contempt for himself. But, at the insistence of Sonya, Raskolnikov repentantly kisses the earth in front of the people, since he "sinned" before her. He learns at the police office that Svidrigailov committed suicide, after which he confesses to the murder of Alena Ivanovna.
Raskolnikov in Siberia
Dostoevsky continues his novel ("Crime and Punishment"). A summary of the events that took place in the epilogue of the work is as follows. Raskolnikov in Siberia, in prison. His mother died of grief, and Dunya married Razumikhin. Sonya settled near the main character and visits him, patiently enduring his indifference and gloom. And here the nightmare of alienation continues: the convicts from the common people hate him, considering them "godless". To Sonya, on the contrary, they treat with love and tenderness, which we learn about by reading the epilogue. "Crime and Punishment" in this part of the work also describes another dream of Raskolnikov. Rodion, once in the prison hospital, has a dream that resembles pictures from the Apocalypse. Inhabiting people, the mysterious "trichinas" give rise in them to a fanatical conviction that they are right and intolerant of the opinions of others. In senseless rage, people killed each other until the entire human race was exterminated, except for a few "chosen ones." Finally, it is revealed to Rodion that pride of the mind leads to death and discord, and humility of the heart is the path to the fullness of life and unity in love. In the hero, "endless love" awakens for Sonya. He takes the gospel into his hands on the threshold of his "resurrection" for a new life.
Thus ends Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment. The summary does not describe in detail the relationship between the characters in the novel. For this purpose, we decided to supplement the article with a description of the main characters. We present you the images created by Dostoevsky.
"Crime and Punishment": the heroes of the work
In the system of characters, Raskolnikov occupies a central place, since it is to him that the main lines of the story lead. The image of Raskolnikov connects various situations and episodes of the novel. The rest of the characters appear on the stage primarily because they are needed to characterize Rodion. They make him argue, worry about them, sympathize, cause the main character to have a whole stream of various emotions and impressions. This is how the image of Raskolnikov is revealed.
The system of characters in this work is dynamic. The ratio of actors and heroes who have left the stage in the novel "Crime and Punishment" is constantly changing. Analyzing the work, one can notice that some of them cease to participate in the development of the novel, while others, on the contrary, appear. So, Marmeladov dies (Part Two, Chapter Seven), Katerina Ivanovna (Part Five, Chapter Five), Luzhin appears for the last time in Part Five (Chapter Three), Porfiry Petrovich - in the sixth (Chapter Two), and Svidrigailov decides to shoot himself in sixth part (chapter six).
The character system changes significantly as the epilogue begins. "Crime and Punishment" becomes a work in which only two characters remain. This is Rodion and Sonya. This is due both to the eventful side of the novel and to the fact that Sonya, according to the author's intention, should play a special role in Raskolnikov's fate, help this hero be reborn to a new life in the finale of the work Crime and Punishment. Raskolnikov returning to God and people.
The characters, each in their own way, reveal various aspects of Rodion's personality. Raskolnikov's relationship with his mother, sister, Svidrigailov, Luzhin, Marmeladovs, Razumikhin, Porfiry Petrovich, Sonya can be described as conflict. Raskolnikov has an outward resemblance to many of them (material and social position, relations with conscience and law). However, internal differences (psychological, moral, ideological) are more important, which do not allow Rodion to lead a life similar to the one they lead.
Raskolnikov has two spiritual "doubles". In the novel Crime and Punishment, these heroes are Svidrigailov and Luzhin. These two characters have a lot in common with the main character. They are united, for example, by the principle of permissiveness. However, the resemblance of the protagonist to his "doubles" is purely external. You can verify this by comparing the moral character and worldview of these two characters with the inner appearance of Raskolnikov.
Rodion has his own way in life. A number of possibilities open before him. He may try to atone for his guilt by repenting, or follow the path of crime to the end. Rodion has to make a choice. Various life opportunities are represented by the secondary characters of the novel. Raskolnikov can reject them or accept them in the work "Crime and Punishment".
Marmeladova Sonya is the moral antipode of Rodion. However, these heroes have something in common: both of them are outcasts, both are lonely. Raskolnikov feels this, telling the girl that they are "cursed together." He is drawn to Sonya, as she is the only person who can understand him in Crime and Punishment. Sonya is the only one to whom Rodion is ready to fully reveal his soul. The hero is horrified by the thought of the possibility of telling someone else his secret, even a close person (Razumikhin, mother, sister). Therefore, it is to her that he confesses to the murder, and it is this heroine who follows the protagonist of the work "Crime and Punishment" to "hard labor". Sonya is capable of self-sacrifice, it is through her that this theme is largely revealed in the work.
"Crime and Punishment" is a novel about faith and love. Sonya understood with her heart in the confession of this hero the most important thing: Rodion is suffering, he is unhappy. The girl did not understand anything in his theory, but she felt that it was unfair. Sonya did not believe that there was a "right to kill." The girl, despite all the misfortunes experienced, kept her faith in God. Therefore, it can be called a criminal only outwardly. She chose a different path than Rodion. This is humility before God, not rebellion. It is he who, according to Dostoevsky, leads to salvation. Sonya, resigned, saves not only herself, but also the main character. It was love for this girl that opened up the opportunity for Rodion to come to terms with people, with life. Therefore, it is no coincidence that the attitude of the convicts towards him changed after a meeting with Sonya.
Arkady Ivanovich Svidrigailov is one of the central characters in the work. This is a nobleman who served in the cavalry for two years. After that, he was a sharper in St. Petersburg. Having connected his life with Marfa Petrovna, who bought him out of prison, he lived in the village for seven years. This is a cynic who loves debauchery. A number of serious crimes lies on his conscience. This is the suicide of Philip, the servant, as well as the 14-year-old girl who was insulted by him. Perhaps Svidrigailov also poisoned his own wife. As if the nightmare of the protagonist generated the image of this double of Raskolnikov. He, unlike Rodion, is on the other side of good and evil. At first glance, Svidrigailov has no doubts. That is why he is so worried about the main character, who feels that Arkady Ivanovich has power over him, that he is mysterious. The moral law no longer has power over Svidrigailov. He is free, but it does not bring him joy. Arkady Ivanovich is left with only vulgarity and worldly boredom. Trying to overcome it, he has fun as he can. Ghosts appear to him at night: the servant Philip, Marfa Petrovna ... The indistinguishability of good and evil renders this hero meaningless. Therefore, it is no coincidence that eternity appears to Svidrigailov in the form of a village bathhouse with spiders. His soul is practically dead. The hero, in the end, decides to shoot himself with a gun.
The second "double" of Raskolnikov is Pyotr Petrovich Luzhin. "Crime and Punishment" is a novel in which he is presented as a type of "capitalist" and businessman. He is 45 years old. This is a portly, prim, with a squeamish and cautious physiognomy. He is arrogant and sullen. Luzhin dreams of opening a law office in St. Petersburg. This hero highly values his abilities and his mind. After reading the novel "Crime and Punishment", you will see that he is used to admiring them. However, Luzhin values money most of all. In the name of "economic truth" and "science" he defends progress. Luzhin preaches from other people's words, as he has heard enough of the speeches of Lebezyatnikov, his friend, a progressive. He believes that you should love yourself first of all, since everything is based on personal interest.
Luzhin, struck by the education and beauty of Dunya Raskolnikova, proposes to this girl. His pride is flattered by the thought that she, having experienced many misfortunes, will obey him all her life and revere him. Luzhin, moreover, hopes that Dunya's charm will help his career. This hero lives in St. Petersburg with Lebezyatnikov in order to "seek out" from the youth, thus insuring himself against unexpected demarches on their part. Feeling hatred for Raskolnikov, who kicked him out, Luzhin ("Crime and Punishment") tries to quarrel with his sister and mother. He gives Sonya 10 rubles during the commemoration, after which he slips another 100 into her pocket unnoticed in order to publicly accuse the girl of stealing. However, he is forced to retreat, exposed by Lebezyatnikov.
Of all Russian works, the novel Crime and Punishment, thanks to the educational system, is likely to have suffered the most. And indeed - the greatest story about strength, repentance and self-discovery ultimately comes down to schoolchildren writing essays on the topics: "Crime and Punishment", "Dostoevsky", "Summary", "Main Characters".
The book, which is capable of every person, has turned into another necessary homework. But how much controversial information is written and told by teachers about the main characters of the novel. It is worth trying to separate the wheat from the chaff and make a brief description of the heroes of the story "Crime and Punishment". What are we going to do now.
Notes from the student house
The protagonist of Crime and Punishment, student Rodion Raskolnikov, lives in extreme poverty. He regularly wears things to the old pawnbroker, in order to be able to at least feed himself. There is no longer any question of education.
He himself lives in St. Petersburg and receives a letter from his relatives from the provinces. His dear sister Dunya comes with her mother to the city so that the girl will marry the rich businessman Luzhin. sister, in the name of material wealth, finally brings Rodion - he decides to kill and rob. And the same old woman becomes his victim. But the harmless younger sister of the pawnbroker also falls under the hot hand of the student.
Raskolnikov was absolutely confident in his theory of "higher" and "lower" people, according to which, for the sake of great deeds, he was allowed to step over ordinary mortals. However, suddenly repentance begins to torment him, he cannot use the stolen, and everything around him revolves around him ...
He meets the unfortunate drunkard Marmeladov, who fell under a wagon. His daughter Sonya sacrifices her body every day for the sake of a large family. Rodion's compassion makes him give all the money that he had with him to an unfortunate family.
And the marriage of Dunya and Luzhin is hindered by Raskolnikov's close friend Razumikhin. He is madly in love with Rodion's sister, and she is not indifferent to her. The protagonist, on the other hand, hated Luzhin from the first meeting, and the game of Razumikhin-Dunya is much more attractive to him.
All this time, terrible paranoia and mental anguish torment Raskolnikov. He feels all the guilt for his crime, but does not dare to admit it yet. Rodion considers this all a "test of greatness."
Test for greatness
However, his meeting with Svidrigailov, a depraved landowner, whom Dunya used to serve, finally breaks him. It was for her love that a new acquaintance of Raskolnikov arrived in St. Petersburg. Svidrigailov has long experienced the sin of murder and now sees his "relative" in Rodion. But the whole essence of the murderer is revealed to Raskolnikov - not greatness, but endless abomination; not strength, but pity; not power, but the inability to control oneself. From the mere thought that such a person can love his sister, Rodion's heart hurts.
The last straw for the criminal student was the tragedy of the Marmeladov family: after the death of his father and breadwinner, Luzhin's humiliation of his eldest daughter (whom he accuses of stealing money), the expulsion of the family from home and the tragic death of his mother, he completely changes. He hides with Sonya and confesses his crime. The girl asks him to surrender.
Conscience tells Raskolnikov to do the same, and he comes to the station. There he is comprehended by the last stunning news - Svidrigailov shot himself.
... Hard labor. Rodion, who has already confessed, but has not yet repented, is not very loved by his fellow campers. Still true to his theory, he simply decides he lost under the circumstances. Sonya, who followed her beloved, is warmly received by everyone. The point in the history of the unfortunate killer is the gospel, which he now holds under his pillow, and the awakening of an infinite love for everything.
Teenager
Analysis of the images of the main characters in the novel "Crime and Punishment", of course, must begin with a description of Rodion Raskolnikov. And it is precisely in the analysis of his image that the main drawback of school textbooks lies.
We are endlessly told about the deep background of the novel, about the complex psychological portrait of the protagonist, about the writer's ability to penetrate deeply into the souls of the characters, about the conflict between Nietzscheanism and humanism. But they forget to tell why, in fact, Crime and Punishment was written at all.
The main value for Fyodor Mikhailovich was precisely the last chapter, which is rarely discussed. After all, Dostoevsky directly says - no matter how much evil you have committed, as long as there is at least a string of good in your soul, you always have a chance to improve. After all, the first who followed Christ to Paradise was a robber. And what he had to do - just repent.
This is where the name of the protagonist comes from. What should be important for us is not the split within the personality, but who ultimately wins in the human soul. And with this Dostoevsky stubbornly demonstrates - correct yourself. In the name of myself.
That is the main purpose of the novel. Not to follow the movements of the crime, not to find out the essence of the sinner's inner turmoil, but to give them a balm in the form of repentance. After all, it is probably the culmination and meaning of the life of every person.
The dream of an unfunny person
The fact that the main character (Crime and Punishment) actually has infinite goodness inside and the compassion necessary for a person, Dostoevsky demonstrates almost at the beginning of the novel. Even before killing the old woman and being at the very bottom accessible to man, Raskolnikov has a dream about a suffering horse that was slaughtered for not wanting to go.
The future killer does not want to interpret this dream and runs from the thought of him as best he can. However, we, the readers, already understand that, in fact, remorse lives in the soul of the unfortunate for each of his actions. He feels guilty even for such a trifle as seeing suffering in a dream and doing nothing.
Humiliated and insulted
Once again, Dostoevsky proves his genius by creating such a character as Sonya Marmeladova. It contains the whole duality of being.
A woman working as a prostitute, it would seem, is an example of a moral decline. But no! She is above everyone and everyone in the novel, a self-sacrificing person. The Christian faith teaches us that giving our all for others is the highest point of holiness.
In this case, it may well be considered a saint. She gave her whole life to her family, and when she was gone, she found another person - the very one who so lacked kindness and honesty. The protagonist ("Crime and Punishment") finds peace thanks to her. And then Sonya goes on a new round of sacrifice. With the man she loves and who needs her support so much, she travels to the ends of the earth.
She endures on her way millions of deprivations and sufferings, deceptions and false accusations. However, he continues to carry his cross to the end - silently and with kind eyes.
Double Svidrigailov
The main characters of the novel "Crime and Punishment" do not end with Raskolnikov and Sonya. There is another important figure - not so much plotly, but psychologically.
Svidrigailov is the future of a person following the path proposed by Rodion. After all, it is precisely from him that it is clear that indulging your passions for power, love, adoration and greatness does not lead to anything good. No matter how selfish philosophers think about it, all this leads to the collapse and fall of the human spirit, the destruction of the soul.
And Svidrigailov is a vivid example of this. In it, Rodion Raskolnikov can see all the problems of the existence of a killer. Through Svidrigailov, the student can understand that what he calls strength is actually weakness, and vice versa.
Walking over heads, over corpses is not a good idea. As a result, these people end up in one of two ways - either they will have to repent, or they will wallow in vice for the rest of their lives.
poor people
The strongest tragedy is also happening in the background of the novel.
The main character ("Crime and Punishment"), although he is in focus, but this does not cancel the drama of the characters around him.
Dunya is ready to do anything for her older brother. She herself had seen misfortunes in her life. Most likely, this is what makes her character an image of infinite power and kindred love. She is close to Sonya. However, unlike her, he does not do absolutely sacrificial deeds. Dunya goes through life, gritting her teeth, ready to accept all adversity.
That is why she is surprised by such a strange love of her brother. After all, he is ready to alienate Dunya from Luzhin, an extremely profitable party, but a bad person, only for the reason that she will be unhappy with him.
For the reader and Dostoevsky, the image of Dunya is very important. After all, it is through Raskolnikov's concern for her that we understand that he is still not a lost person, as long as he takes care of his loved ones.
Idiot
But who really left the world of good people forever is Marmeladov. A person who hasn't given a damn for a long time. A low drunkard who gave his whole family hostage to a terrible financial situation. It is from such that Raskolnikov develops the theory of the “trembling creature”, it is precisely such that one should chop with an ax and hate, it is through them that it is worth stepping over for the sake of great deeds!
Or not? As a result, Marmeladov, along with sleep and Dunya, becomes the third of the main evidence that there is still good in Raskolnikov. After all, the unfortunate protagonist ("Crime and Punishment") does everything to help the drunkard.
The sight of a ruined life touches the soul of Rodion. He cannot simply look at the suffering of another person. He is not able to stay away from grief, and even being in terrible mental turmoil, he is obliged to help.
Conclusion
All Dostoevsky's characters are incredibly alive, with a wide and interesting biography. They are individuals, real people.
The list of characters in Crime and Punishment is extensive, and each character is pitiful in its own way. However, do not forget that they are all designed to revolve around Rodion Raskolnikov to tell his story.
And the story of Raskolnikov, first of all, tells us about repentance. Not about psychological throwing, not about the choice between "trembling creature" and "having the right." And all the characters work on the idea that it is enough for a person to take one step to change forever...
Topic: “The work of F.M. Dostoevsky.
The novel Crime and Punishment.
1. Organizational moment.
2. Consolidating the material on the novel by F.M. Dostoevsky "Crime and Punishment", we offer you a test on this work, displayed on computer monitors. Your task is to answer all the questions correctly. The execution time is 20-25 minutes.
Test.
1. R. Raskolnikov commits the murder of an old pawnbroker for the sake of:
A) the Marmeladov family;
B) mothers and sisters;
C) justify their theory.
2. Determine which hero's portrait is shown below:
“He was a man of about 35 years old, below average height, full and even with a belly, shaved, without a mustache and without sideburns, with tightly cut hair on a large round head ... His plump, round and slightly snub-nosed face was the color of a patient, dark yellow, but quite cheerful and even mocking.
A) Zalitov;
B) Razumikhin;
3. Determine the portrait of which heroine is given below:
“A girl of about 18, thin, but rather pretty blonde, with wonderful blue eyes ... the expression on her face is so kind and ingenuous that it involuntarily attracted to her.”
A) Dunya Raskolnikova;
B) Sonya Marmeladova;
C) the girl on the bridge.
4. In whom did Raskolnikov "convince himself as the most empty and insignificant villain in the world"?
A) in Svidrigailov;
B) in Luzhin;
C) in Lebezyatnikovo.
5. Who speaks of Raskolnikov like this: “In any case, I regard you as the most noble person, sir, and even with the beginnings of generosity, sir, although I do not agree with you in all your convictions”?
A) Dmitry Prokofich;
B) Porfiry Petrovich;
C) Petr Petrovich.
6. Who are we talking about?
“Both sat side by side, sad and dead, as if after a storm they had been thrown out onto an empty shore alone. He ... felt how much her love was on him, and strangely, it suddenly became hard and painful for him that he was so loved ... "
A) Raskolnikov and Sofia Semyonovna;
B) Svidrigailov and Marfa Petrovna;
C) Razumikhin and Avdotya Romanovna.
7. Who owns the rooms:
A) This was a large room, but extremely low ... it looked like a barn, it had a terribly sharp corner ...; the other corner was too ugly obtuse. The yellowish, shabby and worn wallpaper turned black in all corners.
B) The furniture, all very old and made of yellow wood, consisted of a sofa with a huge curved wooden back, a round oval table ... a toilet with a mirror in the wall, chairs along the walls and two or three penny pictures in yellow frames depicting German young ladies with birds in hand.
C) It was a tiny cell, six paces long, which had the most miserable appearance with its yellowish, dusty wallpaper everywhere lagging behind the wall ...
A) Alena Ivanovna;
B) Raskolnikov.
8. From what moment does Raskolnikov's crime begin?
A) before the murder
B) during the murder;
C) after the murder.
9. From what moment does Raskolnikov's punishment begin?
A) before the murder
B) after the murder;
B) in hard labor.
10. How many parts does the crime take in the novel, how much is the punishment?
A) One part, five parts;
B) five parts, one part.
11. Which of the characters in the novel is a lawyer by profession?
A) Porfiry Petrovich;
B) Zametov;
12. Insert the missing words: “I didn’t bow to you, I ... bowed,” he said somehow wildly,
A) To all suffering women;
B) to all suffering humanity;
C) all offended.
Answers.
3. Work with the cliché "Raskolnikov's theory: "trembling creatures" or "having the right." Working time - 10 minutes.
4. Homework:
Write an essay based on the novel by F.M. Dostoevsky "Crime and Punishment" on one of the following topics:
The image of the "eternal" Sonechka.
The theme of spiritual fall and rebirth in the novel.
The collapse of Raskolnikov's theory.
Why Svidrigailov commits suicide.
The works of F.M. Dostoevsky are included in the golden fund of world literature, his novels are read all over the world, so far they have not lost their relevance. "Crime and Punishment" is one of these timeless works, touching on the themes of faith and unbelief, strength and weakness, humiliation and greatness. The author skillfully draws the situation, immerses the reader into the atmosphere of the novel, helping to better understand the characters and their actions, making them think.
In the center of the plot is Rodion Raskolnikov, a student who is mired in poverty. And it's not just the lack of money for some pleasure, it's poverty, which destroys, drives you crazy. It's a closet like a coffin, rags and not knowing if you're going to eat tomorrow. The hero is forced to leave the university, but he cannot improve his affairs in any way, he feels the injustice of his position, he sees around him the same destitute and humiliated.
Raskolnikov is proud, sensitive and intelligent, the atmosphere of poverty and injustice presses on him, which is why a terrible and destructive theory is born in his head. It lies in the fact that people are divided into lower (“ordinary”) and higher (“actually people”). The former are needed only to maintain the population of people, they are useless. But the latter move civilization forward, put forward completely new ideas and goals that can be achieved by any means. For example, the hero compares himself with Napoleon and comes to the conclusion that he is also able to change the world and set his own price for changes. In this sense, he is no different from the old pawnbroker who evaluated the things brought to her. Be that as it may, Rodion decided to test this theory on himself (“Am I a trembling creature or do I have rights?”), Killing an old pawnbroker and not only, saving thousands of people from her arbitrariness, and improving his own financial situation.
Why did Raskolnikov still kill the old pawnbroker?
The hero hesitates for a long time and nevertheless affirms his decision after meeting with the official Marmeladov, who drinks black, impoverishing himself, his wife Katerina Ivanovna, her children, and daughter Sonya (she is generally forced to work as a prostitute to help her family) . Marmeladov understands his fall, but he cannot help himself. And when a horse crushed him drunk, the situation of the family turned out to be even more disastrous. It was to these people who were ruined by poverty that he decided to help. Comparing their plight with the unfair contentment of Alena Ivanovna, the hero came to the conclusion that his theory is correct: society can be saved, but this salvation will require human sacrifice. Having decided and committed the murder, Raskolnikov falls ill and feels lost to people (“I didn’t kill the old woman ... I killed myself”). The hero cannot accept the love of his mother and sister Dunya, the care of his friend Razumikhin.
Raskolnikov's twins: Luzhin and Svidrigailov
Also a double is Svidrigailov, who tried to seduce Dunya. He is the same criminal, guided by the principle of "a single evil is permissible" if the end goal is good." It would seem that it is similar to the theory of Rodion, but it was not there: his goal should be good only from a hedonistic point of view and for Svidrigailov himself. If the hero did not see pleasure in her for himself, then he did not notice anything good. It turns out that he did evil for the benefit of himself, moreover, for the benefit of his depravity. If Luzhin wanted a caftan, that is, material well-being, then this hero longed to satisfy his base passions and nothing more.
Raskolnikov and Sonya Marmeladova
Tortured and languishing, Raskolnikov draws closer to Sonya, who also broke the law, like the hero. But the girl remained pure in her soul, she is more of a martyr than a sinner. She sold her innocence for a symbolic 30 rubles, just as Judas sold Christ for 30 pieces of silver. At this price, she saved the family, but betrayed herself. The vicious environment did not prevent her from remaining a deeply religious girl and perceiving what was happening as a necessary sacrifice. Therefore, the author notes that the vice did not touch her spirit. With her timid demeanor, her incessant shame, the girl contradicted the vulgarity and impudence of the representatives of her profession.
Sonya reads to Rodion about the resurrection of Lazarus, and he confesses to the murder, believing in his own resurrection. He did not confess to the investigator Porfiry Petrovich, who already knew about his guilt, did not confess to his mother, sister, Razumikhin, but chose Sonya, feeling salvation in her. And this intuitive feeling was confirmed.
The meaning of the epilogue in the novel "Crime and Punishment"
However, Raskolnikov did not repent at all, he was only upset that he could not stand the moral torment and turned out to be an ordinary person. Because of this, he again experiences a spiritual crisis. Once in hard labor, Rodion looks down on the prisoners and even on Sonya, who followed him. The convicts answer him with hatred, but Sonya is trying to make life easier for Raskolnikov, because she loves him with all her pure soul. The prisoners sensitively responded to the caress and kindness of the heroine, they understood her silent feat without words. Sonya remained a martyr to the end, trying to atone for both her sin and the sin of her lover.
In the end, the truth is revealed to the hero, he repents of the crime, his soul begins to revive, and he is imbued with "endless love" for Sonya. The readiness of the hero for a new life is symbolically expressed by the author in a gesture when Rodion joins the sacraments of the Bible. In Christianity, he finds the consolation and humility necessary for his proud character to restore inner harmony.
"Crime and Punishment": the history of the creation of the novel
F.M. Dostoevsky did not immediately come up with a title for his work, he had options “Under Trial”, “The Criminal's Tale”, and the title known to us appeared already at the end of the work on the novel. The meaning of the title "Crime and Punishment" is revealed in the composition of the book. At the beginning, Raskolnikov, seized by the delusions of his theory, kills an old pawnbroker, violating moral laws. Further, the author debunks the hero's delusions, Rodion himself suffers, then ends up in hard labor. This is his punishment for putting himself above everyone around him. Only repentance gave him a chance to save his soul. The author also shows the inevitability of punishment for any crime. And this punishment is not only legal, but also moral.
In addition to the variability in the title, the novel originally had a different concept. Being in hard labor, the writer conceived the novel as Raskolnikov's confession, wanting to show the hero's spiritual experience. Further, the scale of the work became larger, it could not be limited to the feelings of one hero, so F.M. Dostoevsky burned the almost finished novel. And he began anew, already the way the modern reader knows him.
The subject of the work
The main themes of "Crime and Punishment" are the themes of poverty and oppression of the majority of society, on which no one gives a damn, as well as the themes of rebellion and delusions of the individual under the yoke of social disorder and suffocating poverty. The writer wanted to convey to the readers his Christian ideas about life: for harmony in the soul, one must live morally, according to the commandments, that is, not give in to pride, selfishness and lust, but do good to people, love them, sacrificing even their own interests for the good of society. That is why at the end of the epilogue Raskolnikov repents and comes to faith. The problem of false beliefs raised in the novel is still relevant today. The theory of the protagonist about permissiveness and the crime of morality for the sake of good goals leads to terror and arbitrariness. And if Raskolnikov overcame a split in his soul, repented and came to harmony, having overcome the problem, then in larger cases this is not so. Wars began because some rulers decided that the lives of a thousand people could easily be sacrificed for their goals. That is why a novel written in the 19th century does not lose its sharpness of meaning to this day.
"Crime and Punishment" is one of the greatest works of world literature, imbued with humanism and faith in man. Despite the seeming depressiveness of the narrative, there is hope for the best, that one can always be saved and saved.
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