Raskolnikov and the Crime

Raskolnikov is the protagonist of the story. He is introduced as an individual filled with torment, scorn, and tension toward humanity. In fact, he isolates himself (out of tension) from other individuals as seen in the beginning of the story, where the narrator states "He was so immersed in himself and had isolated himself so much from everyone that he was afraid not only of meeting his landlady but of meeting anyone at all". During the beginning of the story, Raskolnikov is also introduced as a destitute university student who is in poverty; he is a man who seemingly considers himself superior to others despite his poverty, as seen during the beginning of the story where he goes out in tattered clothes -- not caring what others think. At a later chapter, the narrator says, "It seemed to some of his friends that he looked upon them all as children, from above, as though he were ahead of them all in development, in knowledge, and in convictions, and that he regarded their convictions and interests as something inferior". This quote expresses what Raskolnikov thought of his university peers and clarifies that Raskolnikov does indeed consider himself to be superior to others.
What I personally find unique yet ironic about Raskolnikov is the fact that he seems to be easily influenced by other individuals. The irony is the fact that he presumably sees other human beings as inferior yet is impacted by the actions or words of others, something that leads to the contemplation and final action of his eventual crime. One example of Raskolnikov being influenced by another individual during the course of the story would be when he meets Marmeladov in a tavern. In chapter II, Raskolnikov is absorbed into the story of Marmeladov despite feeling his usual unpleasant and irritable feelings of loathing while listening and conversing with the drunken man. Marmeladov -- in a drunk and loquacious state -- tells Raskolnikov much about himself (mostly speaking about his remorse over his problems), and later retreats with Raskolnikov to his house where he is greeted by his wife, who drags him by the hair and creates a scene after noticing that her husband "drank up" necessary money. This scene or action allows us to witness Raskolnikov's first act of compassion and influence by others (in this case, Marmeladov's problems) as he leaves some money for the dysfunctional couple before leaving their house; something he laments almost immediately afterwards.
Raskolnikov is a person filled with torment and anguish, constantly questioning and absorbing things while being drowned by his own thoughts. What readers don't find out immediately when beginning the story is that he is on a murder mission. In the first chapter, we slightly find out that he wishes (but is afraid) to accomplish something horrible as can be interpreted when he says "Oh, God, how loathsome this all is! And can it be, can it be that I...no, it's nonsense, it's absurd!" and "Could such horror really come into my head? But then, what filth my heart is capable of!...Above all, filthy, nasty, vile....And for the whole month I..." after leaving an old woman's house. Later on, we are given hints of the crime he wishes to commit when the narrator uses words in italics such as "trial" to indicate and foreshadow Raskolnikov's eventual crime. Everything is eventually confirmed in chapter VI, where we find out (through the narrator) how Raskolnikov learned about Alyona Ivanovna (the old woman from chapter I) from a student acquaintance of his; how he was greeted with a sense of loathing from the old woman when he first met her; and how he was influenced by the conversation of a student and officer (bringing us back to the fact that Raskolnikov is easily influenced) in a bar into devising his later crime, which was indeed a plan of murdering the old woman in order to take her money for "good" causes. Raskolnikov himself is filled with ambivalence on whether or not he should commit this odious crime, which can be seen as the source to what torments him during the first parts of the story. During the end of Part 1, he finally commits his crime and kills Alyona, as well as her younger sister "Lizaveta", who he didn't intend on killing in the first place. Now that the crime has been committed, what shall be the punishment? Will Raskolnikov later regret what he has done, making his own lament his punishment? And will Raskolnikov's odious action effect his character?
posted by Anthony M.