Everett's Second Entry on Crime and Punishment

While part one seemed to be all about the commited crime, part two and three dig into the punishment that Raskolnikov experiences. He is suffering mentally and seems very unstable and guilty. He shows paranoia in the police station and in his home when he faints when he faints both times, and for the most part, fails to disguise his emotions. He makes it clear to all the characters around him including his family and Ruzumikhin that any discussion of the murder puts him on edge.

With the sudden arrival of his mother and sister, his grief and guilt over what he did, Dunya's Fiance's unwelcomed visit, and the mental instability he was already facing, Raskolnikov seems to be growing extremly ill and weak. He nearly confesses twice, once to police inspector Zamyotov in part 2 and when he visits Alena's apartment. I think he is suffering from inner conflict as to whether he should fess up or not.

I think one of the main reasons Raskolnikov is having such a difficult time, is because, despite the fact that he murdered the two women he is in fact a good man. He showed this in part one when he defended the drunk girl, when he took Marmeladov home to his angry family, and again in part 2 chapter 7 when he helps Marmeladov's grieving family recover from his death. He gives them money and shows them kindness. If Raskolnikov were actually a bad person, I don't think he would effected as strongly as he is.

The dream he has in part 3, I think was the most significant of everything I've read so far. I find the man that leads him to the house to be a lot like him in that he keeps changing his mind and avoiding talking to him. I attached this to my opinion that Raskolnikov will lead himself into his own downfall, for example, leading him to the house that he is afraid of. When he tried to kill Alena but fails and is instead laughed at, I interpret it as the fact that although he killed her she is not gone. She is continuously going to haunt him and he cannot get rid of her. The people laughing in the doorway may be his fears that everyone suspects him. When he is talking to Ruzumikhin he tells him how he knows that the police suspect him, The laughter I think is all the people he is afraid know about what he did.

The dream and all his emotions make it clear to me that he is going to destroy himself. His guilt and insanity and pride are going to eventually get the best of him and ruin him.