ipl-logo

Dreams In Crime And Punishment

1239 Words5 Pages

Throughout the novel, Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky explores the topic of human morality and our inner struggles of our desires for good and temptations towards evil. This inner turmoil is explored through the dreams of Raskolnikov throughout the entire book. Dreams serve as a unique narrative tool in that they connect the conscious actions of the character with their unconscious thoughts, which consequently serves to provide stronger characterization in the entire novel. Within the novel, Dostoyevksy provides examples of human struggles with morality and suggests that despite the good and evil deeds humans consciously commit, humans all have an intrinsic morality that still influences how we perceive and do actions. Raskolnikov’s …show more content…

Raskolnikov dreams he is in his apartment and Ilya Petrovitch arrives on his floor and beats his landlady then leaves. Figuratively, this dream is a representation of Raskolnikov’s murder of the pawnbroker and the emotional savagery behind Raskolnikov’s murder. To begin, this dream is a direct consequence of reality when he was summoned to the police office. Guilt is developing within Raskolnikov as he fears the lieutenant was coming for him. Furthermore, this second dream never had a conclusive end which works to contribute to the constant dread and fright of being caught that Raskolnikov will experience throughout the rest of the book. He cannot escape this terror whether he is both awake or asleep. This demonstrates Raskolnikov’s conscience and how he will always continue to face these issues; a basic morality still exists within him. Raskolnikov and Alyona Ivanovna are both physically replaced with Ilya Petrovitch and the landlady. This serves to physically distance Raskolnikov from his original murder, so he experiences a much more visceral and emotional version of it in his second dream. This is also evidenced through the abrupt and disrupted pacing of the entire dream combined with the multiple violent and savage descriptions of the beating of the landlady. Raskolnikov is further …show more content…

The figurative situation of the dream is that Raskolnikov finally acknowledges his responsibility for his murder and his mind cannot deal with the negative psychological effects of his murder. The dream begins as “Raskolnikov walked along […] he was distinctly aware of having come out with a purpose […] but what it was he had forgotten” (219). Raskolnikov is not walking of his own accord and this shows how he unconsciously shifts the responsibility of the murder away from himself. Yet when he actually followed the stranger to the room where he murdered the pawnbroker, the stranger was actually just part of his imagination which means the blame only lies on himself for the murder. Moreover, in this dream, Raskolnikov is finally the actual person to be attacking the pawnbroker, rather than psychological representations in the two previous dreams with Mikolka and Ilya Petrovitch. This is Raskolnikov’s realization and acceptance that the sole responsibility of his murder lies with him. His morals have finally caught up with his actions and Raskolnikov, albeit unconsciously, knows he is the murderer. This demonstrates the basic morals of all humans despite the atrocities that they can commit, such as

Show More
Related
1505 Words | 7 Pages

After committing his crime, Raskolnikov instantly feels “horror and loathing of what he had done… He … [does not go] to the box or even into the room for anything,” (Dostoevsky, 108) instead Raskolnikov immediately begins to, “[wash] his hands and the axe” (109). This presents his mental suffering through his immediate reaction of guilt. As Raskolnikov physically washes his “axe with the blade in the water, and his hands in the bucket …” (109) he is metaphorically cleansing himself from his sin as if participating in a baptism. This presents Raskolnikov’s immediate suffering for his crime as he seems very eager to remove all traces of the blood.

Read More
426 Words | 2 Pages

Raskolnikov killed Alyona Ivanovna because she held power over him because he was indebted to her but his other motives for killing her can be traced back to his ideology that

Read More
622 Words | 3 Pages

There have also been multiple instances in which he has made impulsive decisions, but then starts to question himself. For example, when giving out money, Raskolnikov gives up money without a second thought, but then starts to question himself and even regret it. This is also seen with the murders. Raskolnikov was set on murdering the pawnbroker, but later starts to question his decisions and regrets it. These actions show his moral ambiguity, as he often starts to do something that fit within his own moral intentions, but ends up hurting more than helping.

Read More
589 Words | 3 Pages

6) One of the defining characteristics of Raskolnikov's morality is his belief in the necessity of sacrificing one for the benefit of many. Throughout the novel, he repeats his theory of “extraordinary people” who are justified in committing extraordinary acts for the greater good of society, even if these acts are murder. He believes that he is such an extraordinary person, or at least wants to prove to himself that he is one, and this justifies his murdering two women. This belief is unethical and immoral, as it goes against both societal norms and the conventional morality of right and wrong.

Read More
1237 Words | 5 Pages

Raskolnikov is a man who believes that he is above morality, and that he can justify committing murder based on his own moral beliefs. He believes that the ends justify the means, and that the murder of the pawnbroker will ultimately lead to a greater good. However, as the novel progresses, Raskolnikov's guilt and conscience begin to catch up with him, leading him to become increasingly morally corrupt. He becomes paranoid and isolated, consumed by his own guilt and fear of being caught. The novel illustrates the destructive effects of moral corruption, as Raskolnikov's actions lead to his downfall.

Read More
319 Words | 2 Pages

The dream played a symbolic foreshadow of the murder that Raskolnikov commits in chapter VII. Fyodor Dostoevsky portrays Raskolnikov as a man of dilemmas. On one hand, the dream meant to foreshadow the murder of Alyona Ivanovna as the small horse killed for not being strong enough; on the other hand, Raskolnikov woke up with horror of his plan to murder Alyona and decides to not go through with it. The dream exposes Raskolnikov’s compassionate side. For example, the boy in the dream cries out against the drunkards to stop them.

Read More
931 Words | 4 Pages

Raskolnikov 's act of violence is what causes him to go insane, impacts the lives of the people around him, and finally violence is Raskolnikov’s way of proving himself as an above-average individual. Dostoyevsky used violence to change the course of not only Raskolnikov’s life but also the lives of the people around him. The story shows how one man 's image of himself as a higher being can cause him to commit violent acts, which impact everyone around

Read More
472 Words | 2 Pages

The trucking industry has been a competitive market since the first semi-truck was invented in 1898. This industry is dependent on the weather, economic status and advancements in technology. It is well known monopolizing companies are changing our daily lives and Tesla has already made their company noticed by developing electric vehicles such as the Model S and Model 3. It is no surprise Tesla is branching out to uncharted territory, trying to disrupt the trucking industry in the United States. This past November Tesla released a fully electric semi truck that can travel 500 miles between each 30 minute charge and haul 80,000 pounds of goods.

Read More
610 Words | 3 Pages

“First the peasant Mikolka, who kills the horse, projects the Raskolnikov capable of a physically brutal axe-murder and cruelly insulting those who love him” (Wilson). The second character, little Raskolnikov, is the person that the generous and kind side of Raskolnikov identifies to. The third character that Raskolnikov identifies to in this dream is his father who tries to ignore the beating of the mare just like when Raskolnikov tries to act as if some of his business is not the business of others. Many of the decisions that Raskolnikov makes are contradicting to his moral beliefs.

Read More
595 Words | 3 Pages

The overall standard of living lead Raskolnikov to commit murder. His lack of money required him had to leave school due to the high cost tuition and live in a hot and stuffy apartment located at the top of the complex. His isolation from the world and his poverty arguably lead him to his madness. Either embarrassed or prideful Raskolnikov chooses to hides his dilemma from family and friends, leaving him to his own thoughts. Raskolnikov devises a plan

Read More
1045 Words | 5 Pages

Human emotions are very fragile and have extreme consequences on the human psyche. Guilt is one the emotions that can have the most harmful effect on individuals. In Raskolnikov’s case in drove him insane. Raskolnikov feels immediate guilt whenever his rationale for committing the murder is put into question, particularly when he is he kills Lizaveta. The second murder causes Raskolnikov’s guilt, the immediate response was his physical illness, but as that subsided he became increasingly paranoid, especially when something cause him to question his reasoning.

Read More
969 Words | 4 Pages

His personal belief on the idea that he is one of the extraordinary characters within society and as though he is above the rest of mankind is displayed within the setting and in the apartment complex that Raskolnikov is situated in. This is due to the idea that not only is the room compact to represent the small amount of people who Raskolnikov allows into his life, but is also towering above many other rooms as well as buildings, suggesting that he feels superior and higher on the social ladder in comparison to the rest of the

Read More
1588 Words | 7 Pages

He strikingly uncovers his convictions about governmental issues through the primary character's activities. The message of the story spins around the wide thought of Utilitarianism. Utilitarianism is an idea in light of helping out more joy as opposed to individual or restricted bliss. Raskolnikov carrying out his killings mirrors this view by him trusting that his wrongdoing would be better for the world, “A hundred thousand good deeds could be done and helped, on that old women’s money…Kill her, take her money and with the help of it devote oneself to the service of humanity and the good

Read More
817 Words | 4 Pages

The horse represents her and the young boy and drunken man both represent Raskolnikov. The young boy is the innocent of him and shows that there is part of him that does not want to and knows that he should not commit the murder. The drunken man shows the part of Raskolnikov who thinks that she is doing nothing good

Read More
1052 Words | 5 Pages

The overcrowded apartments and rooms foster poverty. Eviction from his greedy landlord is an ever-looming fear for Raskolnikov. He becomes trapped within the vicious cycle of poverty and place. For example, he pawns a watch to his landlady who offers him a meager amount for the watch. Raskolnikov, Raskolnikov cannot accept anything lower due to his debt to her.

Read More

More about Dreams In Crime And Punishment

Related Topics

Open Document