Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky is the story of a troubled man in a corrupt world. The setting is St. Petersburg, Russia in the 1860s. Poverty is widespread, and most people dwell in miserable, tiny rooms in tenement buildings. The author weaves together a large cast of characters who represent the complexities of humanity with conflicting beliefs, emotions, and behaviors sometimes within the same person. One of the most persistent aspects of human nature represented is the steadfast refusal to repent.
All these characters surround Raskolnikov, the main character. Raskolnikov is a former university student and tutor who has abandoned both. He has some sort of illness, a fever, for most of the story. His thinking is fuzzy as though he is in a dream. He seems to be under the sway of the devil, and he constantly broods about murdering an old woman pawnbroker. For most of the book the author does not reveal why he wants to commit this crime. Early in the story Raskolnikov tells himself, “It is not a crime.” Gradually, we learn Raskolnikov imagines himself as one of history’s “great” men, such as Napoleon, who perpetrated all sorts of violence and yet are hailed as heroes instead of criminals. The story seems to discredit such great men and their brutal accomplishments as well as Raskolnikov’s twisted moral views.
Raskolnikov’s behavior is often arrogant and mean, but he also demonstrates great charity and kindness. He seems to believe in Christ, but he is ignorant of the Bible. The story is not preachy or overtly trying to promote Christianity, but biblical messages about faith and the consequences of sin undergird the story. Ultimately, the most powerless and timid character drives Raskolnikov toward change and redemption. This reminded me of when Jesus said, “My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV).
Crime and Punishment was a difficult read for me for several reasons. First, in different scenes the same character may be referred to by different names. I subsequently learned that this is due to naming conventions in Russia that includes three names, a first name, middle name based on the father’s first name, and a family name. A person may also have multiple nicknames based on their first name which may be used by family and close friends. In some situations speakers will use first and middle names only and in more formal situations all three names.
Second, is that the narrator is omniscient and jumps frequently from the internal thoughts of one character to another. That was a little confusing. Using an omniscient narrator was very common from the 18th century to the early 20th century. Finally, internal thoughts are presented in quotes just like dialog, so you must be careful to discern thoughts from conversation. Dostoevsky may have used quotes to highlight the internal debates Raskolnikov had within himself.
I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. The story concludes with the hope of a new life. If you like stories that explore human psychology, morality, and faith, Crime and Punishment is the book for you. You can find the translation I read here.