Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

“If he has a conscience he will suffer for his mistake. That will be his punishment – as well as the prison.”

Crime-fighting is glorified by modern society. There is a fascination with the psychology of criminals, as well as the lives of the people who catch them. Cultures all around the word have religious, idyllic, and fictional figures who are revered for their hero-like qualities.  Justice is served when criminals are captured, imprisoned, or otherwise punished by such figures. Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment presents the opposing idea that criminals do not experience the ultimate punishment when they are caught, but when they are trying to evade the authorities. The novel follows the main character, Raskolnikov, after he commits a murder. His guilt torments him as he experiences deliria, self-doubt, and paranoia. Furthermore, isolates himself from those who offer him assistance. Dostoevsky conveys the inevitability of capture to his readers as a natural result of having a conscience. The novel proposes that the essence of the human psyche will

cause a criminal to either confess or be driven to the point of insanity by guilt. Crime and Punishment also deals with the concept of the “extraordinary” man. The theory is that there are “ordinary” people who must abide by the laws of society; their purpose being to increase the population. However, there are also “extraordinary” people who are above the morals of society. Due to their superiority, they have the privilege of disregarding the law. Their purpose is to advance society, the theory being that laws prevent them from doing that. Therefore, they have the right to go above the law in order to impact the world. Dostoevsky calls the events of history into question. Was crime necessary to reach the modern society in which we live? Will it be necessary in order to advance further? In a shared world, is it possible for any one group of people to thrive without others suffering as a result?  

Originally published in Russia in 1886, Crime and Punishment preceded massacres, assassinations, both world wars, various European revolutions, the American civil war, and the Great Depression. Dostoevsky’s discussion of human nature throughout the novel had a significant impact on me. It was almost as if he predicted the immense hardship and violence that the world would have to experience in order for people to eventually thrive. The postulation of “extraordinary” beings in the novel became a reality through history’s politicians, war criminals, world leaders, and revolutionists. Until I read Crime and Punishment, I did not actively question history. I accepted the events as a fixed occurrence in the past. However, after reading Dostoevsky’s novel I realized that what I perceived as history was in actuality a trend. A trend that was still relevant, still taking place. Crime has been the driving force behind the development of society. Almost every historical event has been a crime against humanity, or the result of a crime. Not only do readers of Crime and Punishment experience an immersive plot, and the sophisticated writing techniques of 19^th century Russia, but they are witness to philosophical arguments that challenge the foundations of society.