Why did Raskolnikov commit a crime? Reasons for Raskolnikov's crime

The philosophy of the hero of Dostoevsky's work

What crime did Raskolnikov commit? As the story progresses, the main character becomes more and more embittered because of his powerlessness to help the people close to him. Depressed by his poverty, he decides to kill the old pawnbroker, who was benefiting from the misfortune of people. The reasons that prompted Raskolnikov to commit a crime lie not only in his poverty and helplessness. The main character seeks revenge for all the disadvantaged and abused, for the suffering and humiliation of Marmeladova, for every person who was brought to the brink of moral torment and poverty. Passionately believing in his theory, Rodion is outraged by the philosophy of the successful entrepreneur Luzhin, who sought to marry Raskolnikov's sister. Luzhin stands on the side of “reasonable egoism.” Petr Petrovich believes that first of all, everyone needs to take care of themselves and their own well-being. And the more rich people there are in a society, the richer the whole society will become. According to Luzhin’s philosophy, you only need to take care of yourself, without thinking about your neighbors. Speaking about why Raskolnikov committed a crime, it should be said precisely that Rodion, unlike Peter, “cared” about all people, striving for the universal good. And in this case, he considered the murder he committed as a way to confirm his theory.

Philosophical theory

According to Raskolnikov’s theory, there are two types of people in the world: ordinary ones, whose tasks include only reproduction and complete subjugation of life, and extraordinary ones, who decide the destinies of people and great deeds for the era. It is these extraordinary people who have the right to commit any crimes in order to achieve their great goals, and are even obliged to commit them. In the eyes of their contemporaries, such people look cruel, but their descendants recognize them as great people. Raskolnikov includes Newton and Napoleon, as well as himself, among such personalities. It is because of this theory that Raskolnikov goes to kill the old pawnbroker.

The image of Raskolnikov in the novel “Crime and Punishment”

The meaning of the murder of the moneylender

Analyzing why Raskolnikov committed a crime, it should be said that he is not an ordinary criminal. He commits the murder of the pawnbroker under the influence of the philosophy he created. That is, hunger and poverty are not the main reasons for Raskolnikov’s crime. After committing the murder, he himself confirms this conclusion in his own words, saying that if he had killed only because of hunger, he would have been happy about it. However, the main character reflects on the reasons for the existing injustice and inequality. He comes to the conclusion that there is a rather sharp difference between the two categories of people. And while some meekly and silently submit to everything that life presents to them, others - a few - “extraordinary” - represent the true engine of human history. At the same time, the latter can quite boldly and freely violate moral principles and generally accepted norms, without stopping before the law to show humanity a different path. Contemporaries hate such people, but descendants take them for heroes. Raskolnikov thought about this whole idea very carefully and even outlined his idea a year before the murder in a newspaper article.

Reasoning: Why did Raskolnikov commit a crime?

Why did Raskolnikov commit a crime?

The most important problem in F. M. Dostoevsky’s novel “Crime and Punishment” is to explain the reasons for Rodion Raskolnikov’s crime. From the content of the novel we learn that the main character is a very young man, a student at St. Petersburg University, who lives poorly. He does not have enough money to study and pay rent, but his mother and sister try to help him.

But, in my opinion, the poverty and hunger of the protagonist is not the main reason for his crime, since after the implementation of his terrible plan he says: “If only I had killed because I was hungry... then I would now... be happy.”

Raskolnikov understands that not only he alone, but also thousands of other people are doomed to lawlessness, poverty and early death. This thought forces him to find ways out of the current unfair state of affairs. So he creates his theory.

Raskolnikov thinks for a long time about the causes of existing injustice and inequality. He believes that there are two categories of people between whom there is a sharp difference. The first category consists of the majority of people who silently and obediently submit to everything that life throws at them, and the second category consists of “extraordinary” people who are considered the real drivers of human history. Are you enrolling in 2021? Our team will help you save your time and nerves: we will select directions and universities (according to your preferences and expert recommendations); we will fill out applications (all you have to do is sign); we will submit applications to Russian universities (online, by e-mail, by courier); we will monitor competition lists ( we will automate the tracking and analysis of your positions); we will tell you when and where to submit the original (we will evaluate the chances and determine the best option). Entrust the routine to professionals - more details.

However, the latter do not adhere to generally accepted moral standards and do not want to stop at anything to impose their will on humanity. Such people are cursed by their contemporaries, and their descendants consider them heroes. Raskolnikov not only thought through this idea, but also outlined it in his scientific article a year before the crime was committed. He has questions that he formulates in this way: “Am I a louse like everyone else, or a man?”, “Am I a trembling creature or do I have the right?”

It seems to me that the main character does not want to be like “ordinary” people, like them, to silently endure and obey “extraordinary” people. He believes that there is only one way out, and he must prove to himself and those around him that he is a born “master of fate” who has the right to transgress moral laws, and not a “trembling creature.” This thought leads Raskolnikov to the murder of the old pawnbroker. In his opinion, this crime is a test for him so that he can determine whether he belongs to the breed of “extraordinary” people or should, like the majority, obey and endure further.

By committing a crime, Raskolnikov protests against social inequality and humiliation of man. With all this, he does not realize that his theory only contributes to the strengthening of cruelty. The tragic mistake that underlay the philosophy of the protagonist lies in this contradiction. Raskolnikov is convinced from his own experience that, following his “idea,” he acts inhumanely. Of course, he manages to accomplish his plan, but this action does not lead to what he expected.

The main character understands that the morality of “extraordinary” people, which attracted him so much before committing murder, is inhuman. In the future, Raskolnikov comes to the conclusion that true beauty and morality lie not in those people who consider themselves superior to ordinary people, but in those who, like Sonya Marmeladova, live with faith in their souls and resist evil and violence even amid unbearable conditions life.

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Why is the work called “Crime and Punishment”? What punishment did Raskolnikov receive?
Raskolnikov and Sonya Marmeladova in the novel “Crime and Punishment”

Crime as a challenge to society

Speaking about why Raskolnikov committed a crime, it should be noted his constant desire to contrast himself with “ordinary” people, who, in his opinion, are the majority in society. Through his actions, Rodion challenges the conditions in which the human personality is suppressed and social inequality is clearly felt. But at the same time, after committing the crime, the hero understands that his philosophy only contributes to the strengthening of inhumanity. His protest is contradictory - speaking against inequality and subordination, Raskolnikov in his idea assumes, again, the right of some people to dictate their will to others. And here again it turns out that the majority becomes a “passive object.” It is this contradiction that constitutes the tragic mistake that underlies the hero’s behavior. As events unfold, the character becomes convinced from his own experience that his rebellion, directed against inhumanity, is itself inhuman in nature, leading to the moral death of the individual.

The hero's attitude to life after the crime

Raskolnikov manages to commit a crime. But the murder leads to a different result from the one he expected. When discussing why Raskolnikov committed a crime, it should be remembered that he was driven primarily by the desire to bring his idea to life. But the morality of “unusual” people turned out to be incomprehensible to Rodion. And after the murder of the pawnbroker, the main character begins to see true morality and beauty not in those who are higher, but in people like Sonechka Marmeladova, who are capable of maintaining morality in unbearable conditions. Such people, enduring humiliation and hunger, still retain faith in life and love.

The murder of the old pawnbroker episode analysis

“Crime and Punishment” is a novel by Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky, which describes a difficult time for Russia. Old foundations were collapsing - new ones were not formed. A person fell under the power of new ideas that did not inspire any confidence. The peasant reform added fuel to the fire: the peasants, although they became independent, were burdened with unaffordable payments for half a century.

One of these ideas entered the soul of St. Petersburg student Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov. This theory was that people were divided into those who resignedly submitted to the new order and rebelled against it. Man possessed power comparable to God’s and had the right to decide the destinies of people, break the law, and be on an equal footing with God. You can sacrifice hundreds to save thousands...

Under the influence of such statements, Raskolnikov takes the fatal step of killing the old pawnbroker Alena Ivanovna, who has... This episode is one of the main ones in the novel and therefore deserves special attention. It is described in the seventh chapter, the last of the first part (this is also important, but we’ll think about it later).

First of all, it is worth remembering how Raskolnikov decided to take this step. He did not come to him himself, but overheard the words of a student standing nearby and talking with a friend about murder and its benefits: “One death and a hundred lives in return - but it’s arithmetic!” These words greatly excited Rodion, but found a response in his soul. He was of the same opinion, and the student’s words for him were like “predestination”, an “instruction” to act, to realize what he had already planned.

Now let's analyze the murder episode itself. Every second Raskolnikov was seized by an incredible amount of excitement, he could not control himself: “His mind seemed to fade in moments, and he almost didn’t feel his body…”. He experienced opposite emotions: sometimes he was scared, sometimes he spoke confidently, even with irritation. How did Raskolnikov kill her?

“He waved both hands, barely feeling himself, and almost without effort, almost mechanically, he brought the butt down on his head. It was as if his strength was not there. But as soon as he lowered the ax once, strength was born in him.”

These contradictory aspects will be traced throughout the crime. Of course, this is not the end. The hero killed the old woman, but Elizabeth, her sister, died at his hands. In these seconds he acted decisively: “He rushed at her.” An innocent person was killed, who found himself, as they say, at the wrong time and in the wrong place...

What place does this episode occupy in the composition of the novel? The first part described the crime: how Raskolnikov decided to commit murder. how he planned, organized it and how he accomplished it. Linking the composition with the title of the work, we can say that further parts are punishment. And this episode is a kind of starting point.

Reasons for Raskolnikov's crime

At first, Rodion is calm about his successful murder. He believed that he was doing the only right thing. The hero is confident in his exclusivity and originality. He believes that there is nothing “sort of” about the murder of a moneylender. After all, in his opinion, he managed to destroy only one “louse of all, the most useless.” But gradually, analyzing his actions, he gives various explanations. So, for example, he says that he “wanted to become Napoleon,” was embittered, insane, sought to help his mother, longed to establish his own personality, rebelled against everything and everyone. As a result, the hero suffers from remorse. He understands that he has violated the moral law. Raskolnikov sees the cause of evil in human nature itself. At the same time, he considers the law that allows the “powers of the world” to commit inhumane acts to be eternal.

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Question 1 of 16
In what year was Dostoevsky's novel Crime and Punishment written?
- 1865
1867
1868

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The reasons for Raskolnikov’s crime in F. M. Dostoevsky’s novel “Crime and Punishment” lie in himself, in his attempt to prove to himself that “he has the right.”

The novels of F. M. Dostoevsky are distinguished by the presence of a great idea in them. It could be the Christian idea of forgiveness or the idea of getting rich like Rothschild. In Crime and Punishment it is the idea of extraordinary people.

Raskolnikov's doubles in the novel "Crime and Punishment" (theme of "doubleness")

The main character of the work is Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov. This is a young man of pleasant appearance who finds himself in a difficult life situation. He lives in St. Petersburg. He doesn’t have money to continue his studies at the university; he doesn’t want to earn money. He is very poorly dressed, he has nothing to pay for housing. All these circumstances make him experience mental suffering.

The Raskolnikov family consists of his mother and younger sister Dunya. They love him very much, have high hopes for him, are ready to make great sacrifices so that Rodion has the opportunity to study at the university.

Dostoevsky does not talk about how the hero’s days passed before he got the idea to commit a crime. One can only assume that he was lying in his closet-like room and thinking. His thoughts resulted in an article that he decided to share with readers. This article dealt with the psychological characteristics of the criminal during the entire period of the crime.

At the end of the article, the young man casually noted that there are people who have the right to commit atrocities. This idea formed the main part of Raskolnikov’s theory. In his opinion, all people are divided into two categories: ordinary and extraordinary. The former serve as material, biological mass for reproduction, work, and ensuring the life of extraordinary people. They must not break the law. The latter are people with great abilities in various fields of activity. Their purpose is that they move humanity forward, contribute to progress and the development of civilization. Often, moving forward is impossible without human sacrifice, therefore, for the sake of a better future, extraordinary people are allowed to kill, destroy, that is, break laws, commit crimes. If Newton needed to kill ten or a hundred people to discover it, he would not only have the right to do so, he would be obliged to eliminate them.

Raskolnikov confirms the accuracy of his theory with historical examples. Lycurgus, Napoleon, Mohammed were criminals in the universal sense of the word. By establishing their laws, they violated those that existed before them. Great people must be criminals, only this will allow them to get out of their rut. Without breaking patterns, it is impossible to perform outstanding actions and make discoveries. They destroy in the name of something better, and this justifies them.

Raskolnikov complains that the masses do not recognize the right to commit crimes for the extraordinary. They are executed and then placed on a pedestal. The ordinary always rule in the present, the extraordinary in the future, the former preserve peace and increase the population, the latter advance the world towards its goal.

This theory led the former student to crime. He killed two women not because his mind was clouded by hunger, and not out of a desire to get rich. He killed to prove to himself that he was a Napoleon.

It took him a long time to commit a crime. A whole arithmetic has formed in his mind that justifies him. By killing one harmful old woman, he can make a hundred good people happy. His theory right before the crime, when he still had doubts, was confirmed by a conversation he overheard in a tavern. A student and an officer were talking. It was about Alena Ivanovna, who gives money as a mortgage and keeps her sister in a black body. The student brought the conversation to the point that a stupid, insignificant, harmful old woman lives for no reason, young forces are wasted without material support. A thousand good deeds can be done with this money. What if you kill her, take the money and devote yourself to serving humanity. “Won’t one crime be atoned for by “a thousand good deeds?” - asked the student. Raskolnikov listened with excitement to other people's words, which completely coincided with his own theory. This to some extent predetermined the outcome of the case.

The inadvertent confirmation of his theory by others was an indirect cause of the crime. A few days later, Raskolnikov hacked to death with an ax the old woman and Lizaveta, who became an accidental witness to the crime.

The image and characteristics of Raskolnikov in Dostoevsky’s novel “Crime and Punishment”

Several other events push him towards crime. A letter from her mother, in which she shares the news that Dunya is marrying a vile man in order to improve the family’s financial situation. A mother sacrifices her daughter for her beloved son. A drunk girl on the street, who is less fortunate, reminds the hero of the fate of his sister. Official Marmeladov tells the story of his family and mentions that his daughter is forced to sell herself so that her stepmother’s children have something to eat. All these events make Raskolnikov realize his guilt before his mother and sister. Hearing that Lizaveta is leaving home at seven o’clock, he makes up his mind.

Raskolnikov's plight, his inhuman theory, a conversation in a tavern and pride pushed him to commit a terrible crime. He was not a cruel person, quite the opposite. The hero is very worried about his sister, who is forced to marry for money. The last money given to the poor family of an unknown official speaks of the generosity and nobility of his nature. And yet he commits a terrible crime. Despite all the positive character of the hero, his dominant feature is pride, which tempts his soul.

After committing the murder, he fell ill, was unable to use the money, and even after that he did not renounce his theory. Moral torment alienates the hero from people and makes life unbearable. Raskolnikov confesses to the crime and goes to hard labor. He realized that he was not a Napoleon. This realization worries him more than the crime itself. Raskolnikov repents of his deeds much later, already in hard labor. The daughter of an official, whose troubles he sympathized with, Sonya Marmeladova, played a significant role in this. Love and faith led him to repentance and resurrection.

Dostoevsky shows the torment of a man who decided to commit a crime and committed cold-blooded murder. The depth of suffering generated by the clash of beliefs and reality is astonishing. Raskolnikov is not afraid of hard labor; his punishment was mental torment. This evokes sympathy for the hero, but does not justify his action.

Raskolnikov's most faithful ally was loneliness. Alone, he came up with the idea of committing a crime. So he came up with a plan and believed that this was what would take him out of this poverty. His plans included the murder of the old pawnbroker; he believed that she could be sacrificed for the sake of his own well-being and for this he would not be seen as a criminal. He did not think that, in principle, all people are equal in their origin and nature; he believed that the old woman did not deserve everything that she had and that she did not bring any benefit. Most likely, he got this impression due to the fact that he had to constantly pay her for the room, and from this he concluded that she was not worthy of life; she gave him a feeling of disgust. When the old woman made a will, all her possessions were transferred to the monastery, and her sister was left with nothing. Raskolnikov believed why many people get everything, but he lives in poverty and therefore thought that for a normal life he just needed to kill the old woman. He considered himself one of the great people who were destined to become famous. His idol was Napoleon, who spared no one and wanted to conquer the whole world.

Her murder became a kind of test for him to see if he could withstand such a test of blood. He believed that only those who were able to step over themselves and pass the test of blood could become a person. But Raskolnikov did not pass this test. And thus we see that Raskolnikov was not helped by his plan, and he did not get rich as he wanted.