After his confession, Raskolnikov experienced the physical punishments for his actions; however, far more painstaking was his previous punishment as he suffered the loss of a conscience battle upon the self realization that he was after all just an “ordinary man” or that, even worse so, if he was indeed an “extraordinary” one, that his theory had been an invalid waste of time. In a subconscious effort to protect his lifelong work, he confessed, thus admitting to ordinariness, yet preserving the credibility of his theory.

Dostoevsky’s irony lays within Raskolnikov’s apparent lack of guilt for Lizaveta’s murder. He seldom thinks of her murder, but is consumed by the culpable thoughts of having killed Alyona. The ironic aspect is that he had intended to kill Alyona and murdering her would have been justifiable according to his theory considering that she was thought to be foul, sinful, and bitter. Lizaveta on he other hand was a kind, warm, and loving character causing no harm to the world. Raskolnikov’s sympathy towards Aylona rather than Lizaveta reflects his own evil nature in that he was

Some topics in this essay:
Crime Punishment, Sonia Porfiry, Hegel German, Aylona Lizaveta, “extraordinary” theory, open-minded reader, crime punishment, evil nature, raskolnikov experienced, common law, raskolnikov’s theory, existence “extraordinary”,