Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment is one of the classic novels in Russian literature. Dostoevsky’s writings always have a poignant sense to them, which adds an extra layer of vulnerability to his work regardless of the social, political, or spiritual matters he tackles in his narratives. Crime and Punishment is no different. Let’s talk about the synopsis of the book (spoiler alert!) and look into the deeper meanings of the book.
Synopsis
In St. Petersburg, Rodion Raskolnikov finds himself struggling to make ends meet. He is witnessing his academic future vanishing into thin air, and he cannot do much about it. His financial situation does not allow him to think of a solution for that at the moment. He has to support himself and his family back home. Alyona Ivanovna is the only solution he can see in front of him. She is a moneylender, but she is also an evil woman. Raskolnikov believes the world would be better if she were dead. He bets that her wealth would serve him better since he perceives himself as a superior person.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, Raskolnikov ends up taking two lives instead: the moneylender and her sister. He steals all the money he can find and then flees the crime scene. The real internal struggle for Raskolnikov starts after the murder; paranoia and despair pull him into its darkest depths and gradually creep into every aspect of his life. He can no longer exist with his
weighing on his conscience. Amidst the havoc that is bursting inside him, Raskolnikov meets Sonya. A young, beautiful, and passionate girl whose life’s edges pushed her into prostitution to make a living for her family.
Raskolnikov finds an unfamiliar comfort with Sonya that helps him see the world differently. This makes him confess his crimes to her. To his surprise, he is met with affection, acceptance, and love. She embraces him and directs him to do the right thing. After confessing his crime publicly, he gets sentenced to eight years in jail in Siberia. A light sentence that took into consideration his desperation at the time, mental instability, and the fact that he did not use the money he stole. This marks a new beginning for Raskolnikov. He decides to become a new person, and all he has in mind is the hopeful future with Sonya with his new appreciation for life.
Dostoevsky’s Unique Take On Justice
Crime and Punishment is not a thriller novel. Raskolnikov commits the crime at the very beginning of the book. The readers are not meant to focus on how the crime was executed or who did it. They are to contemplate the punishment for this crime.
The crime takes place over a few pages only, but the punishment continues for thousands of pages after. The author wants to offer an insight into how one fleeting moment’s mistake and its consequences can haunt us forever. The guilt that was gnawing at Raskolnikov ruined his life completely, although he was thoroughly convinced that his crime was justified before he did it. This invites the question: Do we get to define justice however we see fit?
This question is not a new conversation; on the contrary, it has been the center of many philosophical debates since the beginning of time. In this book, the portrayal of the main character allows the reader to see the potential consequences of violating the moral structures that rule our lives. It does not matter whether they are set by law, religion, or nature; they keep the order that protects society. This equality between all individuals is the essence of justice.
What Do We Learn From Crime And Punishment?
Raskolnikov also had a sense of superiority. He perceived himself to be above everyone else in society because of his intellectualism and looks. He did not believe he was their equal. This mindset made him feel entitled, as if everyone owed him greatness; he likened himself often to Napoleon.
However, after he commits the crime and his mental and physical health deteriorate, he recognizes that he is not a Napoleon. He is not superior, and life doesn’t owe him anything. He is a mediocre young man who will be forgotten by everyone unless he decides to make the most of what he has and try to be a decent person, at least toward the people in his environment.
His pessimistic perception of life faded away once he met Sonya because he realized that he was not the only individual who was struggling; however, not everyone resorted to murder to save themselves as he did. He also gives up his nihilistic beliefs, which dictate to him that his superiority allows him to transcend and violate the moral rules and values to pull himself out of the swamp his pretentious choices threw him in. He resorted to his moral compass for guidance, and the only way he could start a new life was to shed off the shadows of his past once and for all to prevent them from creeping into him ever again.
Conclusion
The story of Raskolnikov could be a testament to how there is always a chance to start anew. There is no such thing as being too late. As long as you can admit your mistakes and hold yourself accountable for them, you are always allowed a new beginning. As long as one’s conscience exists, they will always find their way back to the right path. As for morality, I believe the author does not try to define it by any means; instead, it piques your curiosity to question its meaning yourself.
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