CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
By Fyodor Dostoevsky
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| CRIME AND PUNISHMENT By Fyodor Dostoevsky |
summary
Raskolnikov, a destitute student, sees himself as an extraordinary young man and then formulates a theory according to which the extraordinary men of the world have the right to commit any crime if they have something precious to offer to humanity. To prove his theory, he murders a despicable old loan shark and her half-sister, who have suddenly clashed with him. Immediately after the crime, he falls ill and remains semi-conscious in his room for several days. When he recovers, he discovers that a friend, Razumihkin, had been looking for him. While recovering, he is visited by Luzhin, who is engaged to Raskolnikov's sister, Dunya. Raskolnikov insults Luzhin and fires him because he resents Luzhin's overbearing attitude towards Dunya.
As soon as he can be back, Raskolnikov goes out and reads about the crime in all the newspapers of the last few days. He meets an officer from the police station and nearly confesses to the crime. He goes far enough in his ramblings for the official to become suspicious. Later, he witnesses the death of Marmeladov, a minor government official, who is hit by a car as he staggers down the street in a drunken stupor. Raskolnikov helps the man and leaves all his money to the destitute widow. When she returns to her room, she finds her mother and sister who have just arrived to prepare for the wedding with Luzhin. She denounces Luzhin and refuses for her sister to marry such a mean and unpleasant man. Around the same time, Svidrigailov, Dunya's former employer, arrives in town and seeks Raskolnikov, requesting a meeting with Dunya. Earlier, Svidrigailov had tried to seduce Dunya, and when Raskolnikov found out, he naturally felt a strong dislike for the man.
Raskolnikov learns by chance that the police inspector, Porfiry, is interviewing everyone who has ever done business with the old pawnbroker. Therefore, he goes to an interview and leaves thinking that the police suspect him. As he meets Sonya Marmeladov, the daughter of the dead man he had helped, he approaches her and asks her to read the story of Lazarus in the Bible. He has great sympathy for Sonya, who was forced into prostitution to support her family while her father was constantly drinking. In his suffering, he becomes a universal symbol for Raskolnikov. He promises to tell her who murdered the old pawnbroker and his sister, who was Sonya's friend.
After another interview with Porfiry, Raskolnikov decides to confess to Sonya. He returns to her and during the confession, Svidrigailov listens through the next door. He uses this information to try to force Dunya to sleep with him. She refuses and he commits suicide later that night.
Porfiry informs Raskolnikov that he knows who murdered the pawnbroker. After speaking with Sonya, Raskolnikov fully confesses to the murder and is sentenced to eight years in a Siberian prison. Sonya follows him, and with her help, Raskolnikov begins his regeneration.
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