Study Questions & Essay Topics
Study Questions
1. Why does Raskolnikov
kill the pawnbroker?
Raskolnikov gives a number of different
reasons for murdering Alyona, many of which involve pride. The clearest,
most powerful reason seems to be a desire to prove his superiority
to the rest of humanity. But he also claims, at times, that he committed
the crime for utilitarian reasons—that the death of such a despicable
“louse” would increase society’s overall happiness—or that he did
it solely out of a need for money. The narrator suggests in Part
I that Raskolnikov’s physical hunger, the squalid environment in
which he lives, and his poor health may be responsible for weakening
any impulses that might have prevented him from committing the murder.
Raskolnikov’s deeper motivations for the murder are abstract, intellectual,
and oddly rational. The discussion of Raskolnikov’s article “On
Crime” introduces the philosophical justifications for such a murder.
In the article, Raskolnikov posits a class of “superm[e]n,” who
are superior, he argues, to the vast majority of humanity and thus
have the right to violate moral codes. These ideas are strongly
connected to nihilism, a philosophy rampant in late-nineteenth-century
Russia that scorned traditional familial and societal bonds as well
as emotional motivations. Central to nihilism was utilitarianism,
the concept that moral decisions should be based on the rule of
the greatest happiness for the largest number of people. Although
the inner turmoil that Raskolnikov experiences from the moment that
he commits the crime is a far cry from the superiority and righteousness
with which the abstract “superman” is supposed to commit his crimes,
Raskolnikov’s justifications for the pawnbroker’s murder are strongly
utilitarian and nihilist.
2. Discuss
the development of the poverty motif over the course of the novel.
Almost everyone in the novel is struggling
for money and the pressing need of it serves as a constant reminder
of unhappiness. Most striking are the poverty of Raskolnikov and
that of Marmeladov and his family. Raskolnikov’s poverty becomes
part of his motivation for killing the pawnbroker, since he perceives
of her death as a chance to get enough money to resume his education
and make progress toward a better life. His poverty also, at least
in his own mind, becomes a motivation for Dunya to marry Luzhin,
though, of course, Dunya is motivated by her own poverty as well.
The Marmeladovs’ situation is obviously more severe. Marmeladov’s drunkenness,
Katerina Ivanovna’s illness, and Sonya’s turning to prostitution
all vividly demonstrate the vicious cycle in which the economically
and socially downtrodden are caught. Over the course of the novel,
the causes and consequences of this kind of poverty are made increasingly
clear, as various characters make sacrifices and important decisions
based on their desperate need for money.
At the end of the novel, Svidrigailov’s generosity changes
the tone. Suddenly, and almost miraculously, everyone has enough money
to do what he or she needs to do. One can interpret this sudden
change either as an unrealistic deus ex machina—an obvious contrivance
on the part of the author to salvage a seemingly hopeless situation
for his or her characters—or as hopeful evidence of the power of
faith, or at least good luck, to make the most important things
in life possible.
3. Discuss
Dostoevsky’s use of coincidence as a plot device in the novel. Does
it affect the plausibility of the narrative? How does it affect
the pacing?
Crime and Punishment abounds
with coincidences. Two examples are Raskolnikov’s overhearing of
a discussion about killing the pawnbroker, which solidifies his
resolve to commit the murder, and his discovery of the injured Marmeladov
in the street. The first example is crucial to Raskolnikov’s psychology.
Although he is extremely reluctant to kill Alyona before he overhears
the conversation, one can argue that he truly desires to kill her
and is simply waiting for a sign that he is fated to do so. Support
for this claim can be found in the fact that when he overhears that
Alyona will be alone at home the next evening, he senses that circumstances
support his decision to commit the murder. Raskolnikov’s pride is
tied up with what he interprets as coincidences and, even before
the murder, he is somewhat paranoid and ready to read deep meanings
into ostensibly trivial incidents.
The coincidence of Raskolnikov coming across the just-injured Marmeladov,
on the other hand, makes no statement on his character. Rather,
it serves primarily to advance the plot and give the narrative an
almost frantic feeling. In fact, seemingly at every turn, Raskolnikov
runs into some unexpected person or thing that drives the plot onward.
Nearly every event or encounter contributes to the forward momentum
of the plot, and the virtual lack of actionless time periods in
the novel gives it a rushed, delirious pacing that serves to reflect
Raskolnikov’s own state of mind.
Suggested Essay Topics
1. Describe the importance of
the city to the plot. How does the city serve as a symbol of society
and of Raskolnikov’s state
of mind?
2. What impact do the descriptions
of the various apartments—including those of Raskolnikov, Alyona,
Sonya, Luzhin, and Dunya and Pulcheria Alexandrovna—have on our understanding
of the characters who inhabit them and the events that take place
within them?
3. Compare the characters of
Raskolnikov and Razumikhin. How does Razumikhin describe Raskolnikov,
and vice versa? Does Razumikhin serve as Raskolnikov’s foil? Are
there other characters who are foils to Raskolnikov?
4. Discuss the use of foreshadowing
in the novel. How does foreshadowing increase the level of suspense?
Are there times when knowing what will happen later decreases the
suspense? What effect does having the murder occur at the very beginning
have on the structure of the novel?
5. Lebezyatnikov spouts a variety
of theories about society. What role does he play in the novel?
How might his character reflect Dostoevsky’s own political experiences?
6. Discuss the development of
the theme of religious redemption over the course of the novel.
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