Psychological Fiction
A recurring idea that shapes Crime and Punishment.
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A impoverished St. Petersburg student, Raskolnikov, plans and carries out a murder, then struggles with fear, guilt, and police suspicion. The story follows his psychological unravelling, strained family reunion, eerie encounters with Svidrigaïlov, and eventual confession leading to Siberian exile alongside Sonia. (109 words)
A young St. Petersburg student, Raskolnikov, lives in poverty and isolation; the opening shows him avoiding his landlady and contemplating a fearful 'thing like that' (Ch.1). He visits an elderly pawnbroker woman, described in wary detail, on a pretext (Ch.1). Later he wakes in violent chill having apparently committed the act, searches his clothes for blood traces (Ch.8). Authorities summon him not for crime but a debt notice, and he faints under questioning (Ch.8). Public scenes include a man run over by a carriage and Sonia, a pale girl at a deathbed (Ch.14). His mother and sister arrive; he collapses at their embrace (Ch.14). Svidrigaïlov, a dubious acquaintance, visits claiming commonality and strange visitations from his dead wife (Ch.21, Ch.34). Katerina Ivanovna holds a strained funeral dinner ending in landlady clash (Ch.28). Raskolnikov is drawn to Svidrigaïlov who notes his street muttering (Ch.34). Epilogue: he is in Siberian prison having confessed clearly; Sonia follows; he falls ill from pride not hardship, dreams a plague of self-certain madmen, and a new life with Sonia begins (Ch.40–41).
The author of Crime and Punishment.
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Crime and Punishment belongs to the literary and cultural world of Public-domain literature.
A young St. Petersburg student, Raskolnikov, lives in poverty and isolation; the opening shows him avoiding his landlady and contemplating a fearful 'thing like that' (Ch.1). He visits an elderly pawnbroker woman, described in wary detail, on a pretext (Ch.1). Later he wakes in violent chill having apparently committed the act, searches his clothes for blood traces (Ch.8). Authorities summon him not for crime but a debt notice, and he faints under questioning (Ch.8). Public scenes include a man run over by a carriage and Sonia, a pale girl at a deathbed (Ch.14). His mother and sister arrive; he collapses at their embrace (Ch.14). Svidrigaïlov, a dubious acquaintance, visits claiming commonality and strange visitations from his dead wife (Ch.21, Ch.34). Katerina Ivanovna holds a strained funeral dinner ending in landlady clash (Ch.28). Raskolnikov is drawn to Svidrigaïlov who notes his street muttering (Ch.34). Epilogue: he is in Siberian prison having confessed clearly; Sonia follows; he falls ill from pride not hardship, dreams a plague of self-certain madmen, and a new life with Sonia begins (Ch.40–41).
Begin by following how psychological fiction and philosophical fiction shape the work’s central choices.
Crime and Punishment (1866) follows Raskolnikov, a poor St. Petersburg student who tests a theory of exceptional action by murdering an elderly pawnbroker. The novel explores his psychological torment, guilt, and isolation after the crime, and his eventual confession and imprisonment in Siberia. Key subplots include the Marmeladov family's tragedy, the disturbing Svidrigaïlov, and Raskolnikov's relationship with Sonia. The epilogue hints at spiritual renewal through a dream about a plague of self-certain madmen.
The central character is Rodion Raskolnikov, a proud, impoverished former student. Others include Sonya Marmeladova, a gentle, self-sacrificing daughter of a drunkard; Svidrigaïlov, a cynical, unsettling man who claims commonality with Raskolnikov; Katerina Ivanovna Marmeladova, a proud widow who spends funeral money on a dinner; and Raskolnikov’s mother and sister, Pulcheria and Dunya. The pawnbroker Alyona Ivanovna and her sister Lizaveta are victims.
In the epilogue, Raskolnikov dreams of a plague originating in Asia that infects people with microscopic creatures possessing intelligence and will. The infected believe they alone possess the truth, leading to chaos, war, and inability to understand each other. The dream externalizes the novel's critique of absolute moral certainty and self-righteous conviction. It can be read as Raskolnikov's subconscious realization that his theory of the 'extraordinary man' is a dangerous delusion akin to the plague.
The recommended approach is to read in short sittings, using Raskolnikov and Sonia as anchor characters. Treat the epilogue as open to interpretation rather than a fixed resolution. The discussion questions are designed to help notice contradictions and avoid seeking definitive answers. The reading difficulty is intermediate due to 19th-century Russian translation, dense description, and philosophical themes.
The reading guide includes questions such as: (1) What does Raskolnikov's avoidance of his landlady suggest about pride and poverty? (2) How does the pawnbroker's animal-like characterization prepare readers to judge Raskolnikov? (3) Is Katerina Ivanovna's spending on a funeral dinner dignity or delusion? (4) How does the plague dream mirror earlier treatment of certainty? (5) What kinds of inner punishment does the sample leave open? (6) What does Raskolnikov's tension with Sonia reveal about isolation versus connection?
Source and editorial notice
Public-domain source information is preserved with the published edition. This reading guide was created with AI assistance and reviewed before publication.