In the novel Crime and Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoevsky, the protagonist Rashkolnikov faces a never-ending war between his passion and his responsibility. Because of Rashkolnikov's firm beliefs in the "extraordinary man", his physical and mental state-of-mind are profoundly effected. This battle within him is significant to the work, as it is the fundamental focus of the novel. The ... motif of Rashkolnikov's faith in the "extraordinary man" is repeated throughout Crime and Punishment. Rashkolnikov believes that there are two categories of man, the ordinary and the extraordinary. He believes ...

• Word Count: 577
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... mind is unlike any other mind in the world. In Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment the main character, Raskolnikov, has to deal with this situation after committing the worst crime imaginable: murder. A desperate young Raskolnikov, poor and starving, plans the perfect crime. Raskolnikov murders an old and loathsome pawnbroker; a woman that no one cares for and that no one will mourn. Raskolnikov makes sure to plan ... . Raskolnikov performed the task, and afterwards, he faced his punishment. After committing the "perfect" crime, Raskolnikov went into a deep lapse of illness and del...

• Word Count: 1045
• Approx Pages: 4

Trace the psychological progress of Raskolnikov's mind from the planning stages of the murder through the final realization of love. Raskolnikov fights a constant battle with himself in the beginning of the novel, debating on killing the old lady for her possessions. Eventually, after deciding to undergo his original plan to murder, Raskolnikov's mind faces a series of stages in progression from the murder to his realization of love. Essentially, Raskolnikov puts his life of solitude upon himself; he has instilled the idea that he is above others and the law. Raskolnikov commits the murder for...

• Word Count: 1095
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... plays a large role in Fyodor Dostoyevky's Crime and Punishment. The motif of the need of suffering is used throughout the novel to produce the book's theme: great suffering leads to salvation and the expiation of man's sins. In Crime and Punishment, several characters undergo much pain and personal anguish. Rodion Romanovitch Raskolnikov and Katerina Ivanovna Marmeladov are two characters in the novel that undergo suffering and inner turmoil. Both these characters ... that you will decide to take your suffering - For suffering, Rodion Romanovitch, is a great thing - there's an idea in s...

• Word Count: 1141
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

Every good story has a challenge its characters must overcome. Conflicts can be man struggling against his circumstances, another man, or himself. Fyodor Dostoyevsky endured many hardships in his lifetime, and illustrated the lessons he learned through his novel "Crime and Punishment." In the book, nearly every character has a problem contributing to the story line. Dostoyevsky blends together many different conflicts to argue ... 's sanctification. For the majority of the book, Raskolnikov is blind to his own mistakes. He is plagued by the guilt he tries to bury, even though he considers him...

• Word Count: 931
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky's life was dark and dramatic as his novels were. His father's drunken brutality led to his murder by his own serfs. At the age of 28 he was imprisoned for alleged subversion against Tsar Nicholas. He was in prison for ten years. While in prison he made many changes in his philosophies and ... that Dostoevsky sent to his brother at the age of eighteen. The quote shows the mindset of the author. This mystery is what Crime and Punishment is about. Dostoevsky reveals this mystery through guilt. He shows that almost everybody has a sense of guilt. This guilt will not...

• Word Count: 1077
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School