What is Raskolnikov’s theory?

Raskolnikov believed that being an extraordinary man he could commit any crime, even the crime of murder, and walk away from it indifferent, apathetic and without any sense of guilt.

What is the concept of the extraordinary person in Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment?

For Raskolnikov, all men are divided into two categories: ordinary and extraordinary. The ordinary man has to live in submission and has no right to transgress the law because he is ordinary. On the contrary, the extraordinary men have the right to commit any crime and to transgress the law in any way.

What are the major themes of Crime and Punishment?

Crime and Punishment Themes
  • Criminality, Morality, and Guilt. Criminality, morality, and guilt are central preoccupations of Dostoevsky’s. …
  • Madness and Intoxication. What does it mean “to be in one’s right mind”? …
  • Coincidence and Free Will. The novel is rife with coincidence. …
  • Money and Poverty. …
  • Family.

What literary devices are used in Crime and Punishment?

Imagery, figurative language and foreshadowing in Crime and Punishment. Point of view in the novel. Dramatic and verbal irony. Narrative style, tone and mood.

What is Raskolnikov’s motive for killing the pawnbroker?

Raskolnikov’s poverty becomes part of his motivation for killing the pawnbroker, since he perceives of her death as a chance to get enough money to resume his education and make progress toward a better life.

Does Raskolnikov believe he is extraordinary or ordinary?

Raskolnikov, although he initially believes himself to be an extraordinary person, is not one. His guilt and eventual rejection of his theory in lieu of a valuable, ordinary life show he is unable to live up to his own idea of what it takes to be an extraordinary man.

What is the tone of Crime and Punishment?

The mood throughout Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment is somber, brooding and profoundly contemplative. For the most part, the reader lives in the consciousness of the protagonist, Raskolnikov, who is introspective and rather gloomy.

What ironic events take place in Crime and Punishment?

Irony is apparent in the early stages of Raskolnikov’s guilt. Very first, situational irony occurs when Raskolnikov is in the pawnbroker’s apartment, and he hears an individual knock on the door and say, “Are they asleep or are they murdered?” This arouses panic in Raskolnikov and instigates his guilt.

What are some symbols in Crime and Punishment?

The Cross. The cross that Sonya gives to Raskolnikov before he goes to the police station to confess is an important symbol of redemption for him. Throughout Christendom, of course, the cross symbolizes Jesus’ self-sacrifice for the sins of humanity.

What is the purpose of violence in Crime and Punishment?

Fyodor Dostoevsky describes the violence of his characters in Crime and Punishment in both manners. The use of violence emphasizes the darkness that hides in each person’s soul. Katerina Ivanovna exemplifies Dostoevsky’s technique, becoming both an aggressor of violence and its victim.

Is Raskolnikov a nihilist?

Raskolnikov lives hypocritically: As a nihilist, he cares nothing for others’ feelings or social conventions, but as a conflicted human, he demands propriety from others. … Raskolnikov has been serving his prison sentence, where Sonia comes dutifully to visit him.

What is the plot of Crime and Punishment?

Crime and Punishment follows the mental anguish and moral dilemmas of Rodion Raskolnikov, an impoverished ex-student in Saint Petersburg who plans to eliminate an unscrupulous pawnbroker for her money.