FYODORi DOSTOEVSKY’Si CRIMINALi PSYCHOLOGY

2.5i ENGLISHi

i
i

i Submittedi by:i

Sameeri Patili

iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii UIDi No:i UG19-90i

iiii B.A.LL.B.i (Hons.)i 1sti Yeari

Submittedi to:i

Mr.i Sopani Shindei

(Assistanti Prof.i ofi English)i

MAHARASHTRAi NATIONALi LAWi UNIVERSITY,i NAGPURi

iiiiiiiiiiiii

iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Philosophicali aspectsi ofi Dostoevsky'si work

Fyodori Dostoevsky,i ai man,i whoi hasi livedi ai lifei ofi sufferingi andi hardshipsi himself,i createsi ai
fictionali characteri withi resemblingi hardshipsi –i Raskolnikovi ini hisi booki “Crimei andi
Punishments”.i Raskolnikovi isi thei typei ofi characteri whoi hasi thisi strongi theoryi whichi dividesi
thei meni intoi twoi categories:i Thei ordinaryi categoryi ori thei inferiori onei whoi stayi underi thei
controli andi lovedi toi bei controli withouti findingi iti humiliating.i Thei otheri isi thei extrai ordinaryi
categoryi whoi believesi ini standingi outi fromi others.i Theyi cani goi lengthsi toi achievei thisi eveni
thoughi iti cani hurti othersi ori ini otheri wordsi doi somethingi thati couldi violatei thei law.i Theyi
believei ini buildingi ai newi pathi ofi theiri owni thati cani bei followedi byi thei ordinaryi people.i
Porfiryi thei investigatori whoi hasi enoughi evidencei toi arresti Raskolnikovi ini thei murderi
committedi byi himi doesn’ti doi soi asi hei wantsi toi experiencei thei journeyi ofi Raskolnikovi
towardsi redemption.i Believingi ini Raskolnikovi toi turni himselfi in,i Porfiryi thei agenti ofi justicei
wenti furtheri beyondi hisi positioni toi rehabilitatei ai murdereri riskingi thei societyi toi otheri
potentiali crimes.i Raskolnikovi i someonei againi ori couldi havei killedi himselfi ini guilti .i Porfiryi
decidedi toi bei Raskolnikovsi spirituali counsellor.i Thei maini reasoni whyi Raskolnikov'si theoryi
failedi wasi becausei ofi 'self-doubt'.i Toi bei extra-ordinaryi hei neededi toi bei differenti thani others,i
buti ini thei beginingi hei questionedi himselfi whetheri ifi hei couldi pulli outi thisi murderi andi geti withi
it.i Punishmenti comesi afteri crime,i ini thei casei ofi Raskolnikovi hei wasi punishedi accordingi toi thei
lawi alongi withi thei guilti ofi begini ai murdereri sufferedi byi hisi morei humanei side.

Keywords:i Crimei ,i Suffering,i Punishment,i Hardship,i Murder,Risk,i Journey,Redemption,Self-

doubt.
INTRODUCTION

Fyodori Mikhailovichi Dostoevsky,wasi ai Russiani novelist,i shorti storyi writer,i essayist,i

journalisti andi philosopher.i Dostoevsky'si literaryi worksi explorei humani psychologyi ini thei
troubledi political,i social,i andi spirituali atmospheresi ofi 19th-centuryi Russia,i andi engagei withi ai
varietyi ofi philosophicali andi religiousi themes.i Hisi mosti acclaimedi worksi includei Crimei andi
Punishmenti (1866),i Thei Idioti (1869),i Demonsi (1872),i andi Thei Brothersi Karamazovi (1880).i
Dostoevsky'si bodyi ofi worksi consistsi ofi 11i novels,i threei novellas,i 17i shorti stories,i andi
numerousi otheri works.i Manyi literaryi criticsi ratei himi asi onei ofi thei greatesti psychologistsi ini
worldi literaturei .i Borni ini Moscowi ini 1821,i Dostoevskyi wasi introducedi toi literaturei ati ani earlyi
agei throughi fairyi talesi andi legends,i andi throughi booksi byi Russiani andi foreigni authors.i
Dostoevskyi expressedi religious,i psychologicali andi philosophicali ideasi ini hisi writings.i Hisi
worksi explorei suchi themesi asi suicide,i poverty,i humani manipulation,i andi morality.i
Psychologicali themesi includei dreaming,i firsti seeni ini "Whitei Nights"i andi thei father-soni
relationship,i beginningi ini Thei Adolescent.i Mosti ofi hisi worksi demonstratei ai visioni ofi thei
chaotici sociopoliticali structurei ofi contemporaryi Russia.Hisi earlyi worksi viewedi societyi (fori
example,i thei differencesi betweeni poori andi rich)i throughi thei lensi ofi literaryi realismi andi
naturalism.i Thei influencesi ofi otheri writers,i particularlyi evidenti ini hisi earlyi works,i ledi toi
accusationsi ofi plagiarism,buti hisi stylei graduallyi becamei morei individual.i Afteri hisi releasei
fromi prison,i Dostoevskyi incorporatedi religiousi themes,i especiallyi thosei ofi Russiani
Orthodoxy,i intoi hisi writing.i Elementsi ofi gothici fiction,romanticism,i andi satirei arei observablei
ini somei ofi hisi books.i Hei frequentlyi usedi autobiographicali ori semi-autobiographicali details.\

ABOUTi CRIMEi ANDi PUNISHMENT

Dostoevsky’si classicali noveli Crimei andi Punishmenti whichi focusesi oni themesi likei alienation,i
poverty,i crimei tellsi usi abouti ai storyi ofi ai youngi mani who’si fascinatedi byi poweri andi
ruthlessnessi decidesi toi murderi ani oldi pawnbrokeri thei settingi ofi thisi storyi isi ini thei halfi ofi 18thi
centuryi ofi Russiani cityi ofi Sti Petersburg,i whichi isi infestedi withi vicesi ofi prostitution,i
alcoholismi andi poverty.i Dostoevskyi perfectlyi managedi toi portrayi thei protagonisti
Raskolnikov’si i psychologicali statei i i byi takingi usi thei readersi throughi hisi actionsi andi
interactionsi hei hasi withi peoplei andi hisi inneri voices,i Raskolnikovi appearsi toi hatei thei humani
naturei ofi strugglesi hei doi havei ai softi corneri towardsi certaini individualsi throughouti hisi story.i
Raskolnikovi however,i doesi noti managei toi stayi composedi followingi hisi crime.i Intensei
anguishi andi ani overwhelmingi feelingi ofi guilti slowlyi catchi upi withi him,i toi thei pointi wherei hei
isi forcedi toi confess,i ini orderi toi relievei himselfi fromi thei tormenti thati isi afflictedi oni himi byi hisi
owni conscience.i Therefore,i hei fallsi ai victimi ofi whati hei hasi beeni strugglingi toi distancei
himselfi from;i hisi owni emotions.i Initially,i hisi failurei toi establishi himselfi ini thei samei categoryi
asi Napoleoni shattersi hisi confidence,i andi hei seemsi completelyi resignedi fromi hisi life.i Ati somei
pointi ini thei novel,i Raskolnikovi actuallyi expressesi thei ideai thati humansi arei separatedi ini twoi
categories:i thei “ordinary”i andi thei “extraordinary”.i Accordingi toi thati theory,i wheni ani
individuali suchi asi Napoleon—thei primaryi examplei hei refersi toi asi ani “extraordinary”i personi
—isi workingi towardsi ai higheri cause,i lawsi thati applyi toi otheri people,i doi noti applyi toi him/her.i
Afteri gettingi toi knowi thei maini character,i iti appearsi toi me,i thati thei reali reasoni behindi hisi
violenti crimei isi toi verifyi thati hei belongsi toi thei “extraordinary”i category.i Ifi hei managesi toi stayi
composedi andi avoidi punishmenti fori hisi crime,i iti willi suggesti thati thei standardi lawsi doi noti
applyi toi him,i andi thus,i hei isi ofi thei “extraordinary”i kind.i Dostoevskyi doesi ani excellenti jobi ofi
manipulatingi thei readeri intoi caringi fori thei maini characteri andi eveni identifyingi withi him,i ini
spitei ofi hisi mentali instabilityi andi thei dreadfuli naturei ofi hisi crime.i Asi ai personi whoi hasi alwaysi
strivedi toi distancei myselfi fromi emotionali displaysi throughouti myi adolescencei andi earlyi
adulthood,i Ii relatedi ai loti withi thei protagonist’si internali struggle,i andi Ii felti especiallyi relievedi
duringi hisi transformation.i Toi me,i thisi noveli highlightsi thei importancei ofi acceptingi andi
understandingi ouri feelings,i andi underlinesi thei dangeri ofi tryingi toi walki awayi fromi them.

THEMEi OFi CRIMEi ANDi PUNISHMENT

Alienation is the primary theme of Crime and Punishment. At first, Raskolnikov’s pride
separates him from society. He sees himself as superior to all other people and so cannot
relate to anyone. Within his personal philosophy, he sees other people as tools and uses them
for his own ends. After committing the murders, his isolation grows because of his intense
guilt and the half-delirium into which his guilt throws him. Over and over again, Raskolnikov
pushes away the people who are trying to help him, including Sonya, Dunya, Pulcheria
Alexandrovna, Razumikhin, and even Porfiry Petrovich, and then suffers the consequences.
In the end, he finds the total alienation that he has brought upon himself intolerable. Only in
the Epilogue, when he finally realizes that he loves Sonya, does Raskolnikov break through
the wall of pride and self-centeredness that has separated him from society.The manner in
which the novel addresses crime and punishment is not exactly what one would expect. The
crime is committed in Part I and the punishment comes hundreds of pages later, in the
Epilogue. The real focus of the novel is not on those two endpoints but on what lies between
them—an in-depth exploration of the psychology of a criminal. The inner world of
Raskolnikov, with all of its doubts, deliria, second-guessing, fear, and despair, is the heart of
the story. Dostoevsky concerns himself not with the actual repercussions of the murder but
with the way the murder forces Raskolnikov to deal with tormenting guilt. Indeed, by
focusing so little on Raskolnikov’s imprisonment, Dostoevsky seems to suggest that actual
punishment is much less terrible than the stress and anxiety of trying to avoid punishment.
Porfiry Petrovich emphasizes the psychological angle of the novel, as he shrewdly realizes
that Raskolnikov is the killer and makes several speeches in which he details the workings of
Raskolnikov’s mind after the killing. Because he understands that a guilt-ridden criminal
must necessarily experience mental torture, he is certain that Raskolnikov will eventually
confess or go mad. The expert mind games that he plays with Raskolnikov strengthen the
sense that the novel’s outcome is inevitable because of the nature of the human psyche.

Ini Crimei andi Punishment,i wei meeti ani impoverishedi intellectual,i Rodioni Raskolnikov.i
Thoughi he’si ai currentlyi nobody,i he’si fascinatedi byi poweri andi ruthlessness.i Hei thinksi ofi
himselfi asi ai versioni ofi Napoleon:i “leadersi ofi men,i suchi asi Napoleon,i werei alli withouti
exceptioni criminals,i theyi brokei thei ancienti lawsi ofi theiri peoplei toi makei newi onesi thati suitedi
themi better,i andi theyi neveri fearedi bloodshed.”i Raskolnikovi isi alsoi desperatei fori moneyi andi
so,i withi hisi philosophyi ofi aristocratici superiorityi ini mind,i hei decidesi toi murderi ani oldi womani
whoi isi ai smalli timei pawni brokeri andi moneyi lenderi andi steali heri cash.i He’si tormentedi byi thei
madi injusticei ofi thei facti thati thisi horrible,i meani oldi characteri hasi drawersi fulli ofi roublesi
whilei hei –i whoi isi clever,i energetici andi profoundi –i isi starving.i (Hei doesn’ti spendi muchi timei
thinkingi abouti optionsi likei takingi ai jobi asi ai waiter.)i Hei breaksi intoi heri apartmenti andi
bludgeonsi heri toi death;i andi –i surprisedi ini thei acti byi thei woman’si pregnanti half-sisteri –i killsi
heri too.i Buti iti turnsi outi he’si nothingi likei thei cold-blooded,i rationali heroi ofi hisi imagination.i
Hei isi tormentedi byi guilti andi horrori ati whati hei hasi done.i Eventuallyi hei turnsi himselfi overi toi
thei policei ini orderi toi facei thei properi punishmenti fori hisi crime.i We’rei (probably)i neveri goingi
toi doi whati Raskolnikovi did.i Buti wei ofteni sharei ai troublingi tendencyi withi him:i wei thinki wei
knowi ourselvesi betteri thani wei actuallyi do.i Raskolnikovi thinksi he’si ruthless;i actuallyi he’si
ratheri tenderi hearted.i Hei thinksi hei won’ti feeli guilt;i buti he’si overwhelmedi byi remorse.i Parti ofi
ouri life’si journeyi isi toi engagei ini thei trickyi taski ofi disentanglingi ourselvesi fromi whati wei thinki
we’rei likei –i ini orderi toi discoveri ouri truei nature.i Raskolnikovi isi especiallyi fascinatingi becausei
ofi thei directioni thisi self-discoveryi takes.i Hisi strikingi realisationi isi thati he’si actuallyi ai muchi
niceri personi thani hei takesi himselfi toi be.i Whereasi soi manyi novelistsi delighti ini showingi thei
sicklyi realityi beneathi ai glamorousi ori enticingi facade,i Dostoevskyi isi embarkedi oni ai morei
curiousi buti rewardingi mission:i hei wantsi toi reveali thati beneathi thei so-calledi monster,i therei isi
veryi ofteni ai fari morei interestingi tender-heartedi characteri lurking:i ai nicei buti deluded,i
intelligenti buti frightenedi andi panickedi person.

DOSTOEVSKYi VIEWSi ONi VIOLENCE

Doi noti thinki thati thei murderi ofi innocenti people,i eveni ifi youi andi othersi hatei them,i cani bei
consideredi ai goodi deed;i lifei isi sacred,i eveni thei lifei ofi someonei youi despise.i Onei lifei cannoti
bei exchangedi fori thousands,i becausei thati onei lifei itselfi isi ofi infinitei value;i asi thei Talmudi
states,i “whoeveri murdersi onei personi isi asi ifi hei murdersi ani entirei world;i andi whoeveri savesi
onei lifei isi asi ifi hei savesi ani entirei world.”i Ratheri thani payingi obeisancei toi Raskolnikov’si
nihilistici inclination,i Dostoevskyi ultimatelyi affirmsi ani alternative,i unquantifiablei arithmetic:i
thei Judeo-Christiani principlei ofi thei sanctityi ofi onei individuali life.i Andi ai centuryi later,i Arturi
Sammleri conductedi ai similari spirituali accountingi andi reachedi thei identicali conclusion:i “Thei
besti andi puresti humani beings,i fromi thei beginningi ofi time,i havei understoodi thati lifei isi sacred.1

Dostoevskyi thusi eerilyi prophesizedi ai frighteningi eventi ini thei lifei ofi thei mosti frighteningi
prophetici philosopheri ofi earlyi modernity.i Nietzsche’si breakdown,i somei suspect,i wasi noti duei
toi thei gruesomei scenei ofi seeingi thei beatingi ofi ai defenselessi horse;i rather,i iti wasi thei ruthlessi
beatingi ofi thei poori horsei thati triggeredi hisi psychologicali breakdown.i Fori manyi years,i
Nietzsche,i likei Dostoevskyi ini Crimei andi Punishment,i hadi foreseeni thei frighteningi newi realityi
ofi ai worldi ini whichi “Godi wasi dead”—ai post-Darwini worldi ini whichi thei avant-gardei wouldi
declarei thei oldi morali orderi ofi Christianityi obsoletei buti withouti constructingi ani adequatei newi
moralityi toi replacei it.i Fori bothi Nietzschei andi Dostoevsky,i thei beatingi ofi thei horsei wasi ai
burningi bush:i Iti wasi ai momenti ofi revelation,i ai terrible,i numinousi sighti whichi encapsulatedi
andi usheredi ini ai newi non-religiousi order,i ai terrifyingi worldi ini whichi mani hadi killedi thei
morality—andi thei religioni thati layi ati thei foundationi ofi thisi morality—whichi hadi carriedi himi
fori twoi thousandi years,i withouti havingi yeti procuredi ai newi horsei ofi moralityi toi carryi himi
forward.i Wheni Raskolnikovi finallyi wakesi up,i hei isi “gaspingi fori breath,i hisi hairi soakedi withi
perspiration”;i hei standsi upi “ini terror”i andi exclaims:i “Thanki God,i thati wasi onlyi ai dream.…i
Suchi ai hideousi dream!”i Unfortunately,i toi humanity’si greati horror,i thei mosti frighteningi parti
ofi Raskolnikov’si hideousi dreami wasi thati iti wasi noti onlyi ai dream.i Seventyi yearsi afteri
Raskolnikov’si dream,i andi fiftyi yearsi afteri Nietzsche’si real-lifei reduxi ofi Raskolnikov’si vision,i
alli morali foundationsi ofi thei worldi orderi didi indeedi collapse;i thei culturei ofi Bach,i Beethoveni

1
i Dostoevskyi Fyodori ‘’i CRIMEi ANDi PUNISHMENT’’i 1866
andi Goethei seti upi deathi campsi toi exterminatei entirei racesi ofi peoplesi andi toi launchi ai full-scalei
assaulti uponi thei veryi principlei ofi thei sanctityi ofi life.

INFLUENCEi OFi CRIMEi ANDi PUNISHMENT

Crimei andi Punishmenti influencedi everyonei fromi thei Greati Traditioni writersi likei Henryi
Jamesi andi Josephi Conradi toi existentialist-absurdisti writersi likei Alberti Camusi andi eveni
comedici filmmakersi whoi dabblei ini existentialismi likei Woodyi Allen.i Allen’si filmici
masterpieces,i Crimesi &i Misdemeanorsi (1989)i andi Matchi Pointi (2005),i arei bothi heavilyi
indebtedi toi Crimei andi Punishment.i And,i whilei Camus’i Meursault,i unlikei Raskolnikov,i didi
noti commiti ai premeditatedi murder,i hei sharesi somei ofi thei samei alienatedi feelings—ai sensei
thati hei isi swepti alongi byi ai tidei ofi uncontrollablei events;i ani expliciti distastei fori religion;i ai
penchanti fori gettingi mixedi upi withi indecorousi individuals—asi Raskolnikov.i (Compare,i also,i
thesei authors’i similari phrasings:i Crimei andi Punishment’si “Mani growsi usedi toi everything”i
andi Thei Stranger’si “motheri usedi toi sayi thati onei getsi usedi toi justi abouti everything.”)i
Moreover,i Meursault’si firingi ofi threei extrai bulletsi intoi thei bodyi ofi thei alreadyi deceasedi Arabi
parallelsi Raskolnikov’si killingi ofi Lizavetai afteri hei hadi alreadyi killedi Alyona,i warningi usi thati
oncei onei givesi freei reigni toi violencei andi criminality,i therei isi noi tellingi howi fari thesei viciousi
currentsi willi carryi us.2

CONCLUSION

Ini Crimei andi Punishment,i it’si veryi significanti thei wayi Dostoevskyi getsi usi toi likei hisi
murderousi hero.i Raskolnikovi isi clearlyi ani attractivei person.i Ati thei veryi starti we’rei toldi –i “Byi
thei way,i Raskolnikovi isi handsome,i abovei thei averagei ini height,i slim,i well-built,i withi lovelyi
darki eyesi andi darki browni hair.”i Dostoevskyi isi lesseningi thei imaginativei distancei betweeni
‘us’i whoi livei mainlyi lawi abidingi andi morei ofi lessi manageablei livesi andi ‘them’i –i thei onesi
whoi doi terriblei thingsi andi wreaki havoci withi theiri livesi andi thosei ofi others.i Thati person,i hei isi
saying,i isi morei likei youi thani youi mighti initiallyi wanti toi thinki –i andi thereforei morei accessiblei
toi sympathy.i i Thei ideai thati youi cani bei ai goodi person,i doi somethingi veryi badi andi stilli deservei
somei compassioni soundsi veryi slighti andi obviousi –i untili onei hasi needi ofi thisi kindi ofi
forgivenessi ini one’si owni lifei (youi mayi havei toi bei overi 30).i Thisi isi wherei Dostoevskyi wantsi
toi enteri ouri inneri conversationi withi ourselvesi –i andi telli usi alli abouti hisi characteri Raskolnikovi
–i ai serious,i thoughtful,i good-lookingi mani whoi didi worsei theni wei havei andi stilli cani bei
compassionatelyi understood,i asi wei cani andi musti alli be.i Thisi isi Dostoevsky’si Christianityi ati

2
i Danieli Rossi Goodman,“Crimei andi Punishment”:i Ai Timelessi Psychologicali Masterpiece
work:i noi onei isi outsidei thei circlei ofi God’si lovei andi understanding.i Dostoyevskyi diedi ini 1881.i
Hei hadi ai veryi hardi life,i buti hei succeededi ini conveyingi ani ideai whichi perhapsi hei understoodi
morei clearlyi thani anyone:i ini ai worldi that’si veryi keeni oni upbeati stories,i wei willi alwaysi runi upi
againsti ouri limitationsi asi deeplyi flawedi andi profoundlyi muddledi creatures.i Dostoyevsky’si
attitudei –i bleaki buti compassionate,i tragici buti kindi –i isi neededi morei thani everi ini ouri naivei andi
sentimentali agei thati soi ferventlyi clingsi toi thei ideai –i whichi thisi greati Russiani loathedi –i thati
sciencei cani savei usi alli andi thati wei mayi yeti bei madei perfecti throughi technology.i Dostoyevskyi
guidesi usi toi ai morei humanei truth:i thati –i asi thei greati sagesi havei alwaysi knowni –i lifei isi andi
everi willi bei suffering,i andi yeti thati therei isi greati redemptioni availablei ini articulatingi thisi
messagei ini greati andi complexi worksi ofi art.