For example, he makes himself an instrument of fate by using Lizaveta’s leave “at seven o’clock [the next day]” to comfort himself (Dostoyevsky 120). This dismissal of things being out of his own hands contrasts his sense of guilt. The obvious complexity of Dostoevsky’s protagonist mirrors some of his own life experiences and reflects the deep layers of human consciousness under pressure.
Connolly’s essay reveals how Raskolnikov’s character is an extension and insight into Dostoevsky’s own beliefs about the resolution to societal issues. Connolly observes how the secondary characters in the novel portray Raskolnikov’s alter egos, from Sonya’s altruism in sacrificing herself for her family to Svidrigailov's perverse engagement in illicit acts. …show more content…
The beginning of the novel establishes his emotional strife in the events leading up to the death of the landlady Alyona and her sister Lizaveta. The intense paranoia and guilt that follows splits his personality into a dichotomy between rationality and emotion. He attempts to justify his crime by adopting a nihilistic perspective of the world and the events around him, stating that “an ‘extraordinary’ man has the [inner] right …to decide in his own conscience to overstep … certain obstacles, and only [if] it is essential for the practical fulfillment of his idea” (Dostoevsky 465). This expresses a recurring theme of human pride surpassing righteousness as Raskolnikov forges his own moral code to comfort himself in the solitude he has trapped himself in. To elaborate, as a result of the crime he committed, Raskolnikov recognizes that it is now impossible for him to revel in the common bond of human goodness “in whatever circumstances of life” (Dostoevsky 194). The alienation from society that Raskolnikov inflicts upon himself only emphasizes the poisonous hero mentality that enables him to feel entitled to the right to …show more content…
Dostoevsky embeds his own experiences into the character Raskolnikov, as they both encounter the suspense of certain death and the overwhelming solace found in the gift of life. This was what spurred Dostoevsky to write about pure despair in relation to human experience with death firsthand. These traumatic experiences contributed to his study of psychology that surpassed the work of Sigmund Freud. His realistic insights into human emotion and the inner workings of a criminal provided important knowledge that shaped studies that followed. Dostoevsky’s psychological expertise allows his novels to have a sense of realism that transcends any other European author’s work in the nineteenth century. His descriptions and predictions about society not only are critically acclaimed but also hold historical significance in their accuracy. This sincere awareness of the workings of the human consciouness is what creates a haunting portrait of the capacity for evil in
Connolly’s essay reveals how Raskolnikov’s character is an extension and insight into Dostoevsky’s own beliefs about the resolution to societal issues. Connolly observes how the secondary characters in the novel portray Raskolnikov’s alter egos, from Sonya’s altruism in sacrificing herself for her family to Svidrigailov's perverse engagement in illicit acts. …show more content…
The beginning of the novel establishes his emotional strife in the events leading up to the death of the landlady Alyona and her sister Lizaveta. The intense paranoia and guilt that follows splits his personality into a dichotomy between rationality and emotion. He attempts to justify his crime by adopting a nihilistic perspective of the world and the events around him, stating that “an ‘extraordinary’ man has the [inner] right …to decide in his own conscience to overstep … certain obstacles, and only [if] it is essential for the practical fulfillment of his idea” (Dostoevsky 465). This expresses a recurring theme of human pride surpassing righteousness as Raskolnikov forges his own moral code to comfort himself in the solitude he has trapped himself in. To elaborate, as a result of the crime he committed, Raskolnikov recognizes that it is now impossible for him to revel in the common bond of human goodness “in whatever circumstances of life” (Dostoevsky 194). The alienation from society that Raskolnikov inflicts upon himself only emphasizes the poisonous hero mentality that enables him to feel entitled to the right to …show more content…
Dostoevsky embeds his own experiences into the character Raskolnikov, as they both encounter the suspense of certain death and the overwhelming solace found in the gift of life. This was what spurred Dostoevsky to write about pure despair in relation to human experience with death firsthand. These traumatic experiences contributed to his study of psychology that surpassed the work of Sigmund Freud. His realistic insights into human emotion and the inner workings of a criminal provided important knowledge that shaped studies that followed. Dostoevsky’s psychological expertise allows his novels to have a sense of realism that transcends any other European author’s work in the nineteenth century. His descriptions and predictions about society not only are critically acclaimed but also hold historical significance in their accuracy. This sincere awareness of the workings of the human consciouness is what creates a haunting portrait of the capacity for evil in