Raskolnikov's past and present

At the start of the novel, Fyodor Dostoevsky does not mention the protagonist’s name, intensifying the novel’s element of mystery. Moreover, talk of the actual crime Raskolniknov commits does not come about until later in the novel. Although the reader does not immediately discover his murder plot, it can be inferred that he is contemplating a very important action in his head. Raskolniknov’s trip to the tavern foreshadows his descent into a life of sin and darkness. At the tavern, the reader is introduced to a character named Marmeladov, who, in his garrulous alcohol-induced state, speaks freely to Raskolniknov. The tavern reminded me of the opium den in Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, in that both are abysmal and dreary places filled with seemingly ominous characters.
Throughout the first few chapters of Crime and Punishment, the reader learns about Raskolniknov’s isolation from society. He avoids social situations and does not participate in general gatherings and merrymakings. Raskolniknov’s isolation is partially by choice and partially due to his view of others as inferior and childlike. In college, Raskolniknov made very few friends, except for one that we learn about in chapter IV named Razumikhin. Raskolniknov was described in college as “very poor and somehow haughtily proud and unsociable, as though he were keeping something to himself.” Does Raskolniknov’s pain date back to his childhood? Is something in his past responsible for his unwillingness to socialize with his peers?
Readers eventually learn that Raskolniknov could no longer attend classes at the University because of his impoverished state. However, Raskolniknov throws around money in the first several chapters of the book as if he were of the middle or upper class; he gives forty-seven or fifty kopecks to the Marmeladovs, three to Natasya for the letter, and twenty to the policeman after his encounter with the teenage girl on the street. Although Raskolniknov is watchful of his money and mentions feelings of regret for spending so much of it, it is clear that Raskolniknov is not a cold-hearted person. Raskolniknov is battling numerous personal issues in his head, which I believe are partially responsible for his detachment from society. After reading the letter, I learned a little about the strained relationship between Raskolniknov and his mother and sister. The mother seems to cherish Raskolniknov and is willing to sacrifice her own daughter’s wellbeing to ensure her son’s happiness. Dunya is portrayed as a selfless sister who goes through great lengths to aid her brother. She kept working to support Raskolniknov monetarily, despite being harassed by her boss. Now, Dunya is getting married in hopes of establishing a better life for her entire family. I look forward to reading more of the novel so I will be able to uncover details from Raskolniknov’s past.
posted by Leslie P.