On different versions of “Crime and Punishment” by Fyodor Dostoevsky, there is a painting on the front of a man who is in surrounded by guards and what it seems to be bindings on his arms and feet. It looks like a particularly old painting of the main character, Raskolnikov as a fugitive looking at an old woman who is begging towards him. After reading a few pages I could figure that the old woman would be either his landlady or a woman named Sonia. The guards surrounding him could also be leading him to his death. I feel that this painting foreshadows that Raskolnikov is caught and captured and inevitably punished by death.
On the first page of the book, the writer develops Raskolnikov as the murderous type. “…for some time past he had been in an overstrained irritable condition, verging on hypochondria.” (Pg. 5) To my knowledge, a hypochondriac is someone who is constantly in angst about their health which actually makes them sicker in the end. He also creeps around trying to be unseen not only by his landlady, but by anyone. His hair-raising conversations with himself also foreshadow a macabre future. “Why am I going there now? Am I capable of that? Is that seriously possible?...it’s just a fantasy to amuse myself; a plaything!”(Pg. 6) He seems to suffer from many menacing psychopathic thoughts such as Obsessive Compulsive Disorders. “He did not have far to go; he knew indeed how many steps it was from the gate of his house: exactly seven hundred and thirty” (Pg. 7) Lastly, as found in many murderous types of people, he seems very approachable. Although his clothes may be shabby enough to make a bum ashamed, he is apparently very attractive. “…the young man’s refined face. He was, by the way, exceptionally very handsome, above average in height, slim, well-built, with beautiful dark eyes and dark brown hair.” (Pg. 6)
Your description of a different cover for the story reminded me of another painting, "The Last Moments of John Brown". It too is of a man being led away to his death, surrounded by guards and bound in cuffs.
ReplyDeleteYour book has a different cover. On my book there is a handsome looking man wearing the black hat that he kept mentioning in the book( believing it will make him more noticeable and easy to recognize)and wearing a black coat.No old woman or anything else. However, you can see on his gaze that he is thinking about something and his mind is not really clear. He seems to be suffering of a disorder in the beginning, but at the same time the fact that he is not in a hurry to do the deed and keeps turning back, shows that he knows is not the right thing to do.In the beginning i did not believe he was going to do it since he was so indecisive.I believed there was some hope for him.
ReplyDeleteMadalina Logigan