ipl-logo

Religion In Dostoyevsky's Crime And P

1142 Words5 Pages

The function of religion is a very important yet subtle theme in Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment, and is presented through the novel’s characters and their various associations with religious allusions. The presence of religion in the novel offers a unique paradox; on one hand, the text circulates around a godless person who committed a reprehensible and sinful crime, while on the other hand the importance of religion and how each individual understands it is emphasized. Due to this, the idea of ‘Holy Sinners’ arises, in which there are characters that take part in appalling actions, but symbolize purity as well. The most prominent characters to demonstrate this paradoxical take on religion are Sonya, for her being praised for her purity but shunned for her occupation, and Raskolnikov, for committing a terrible crime but coming to terms with it in the end.
First and foremost, a character that displays this paradoxical view of necessary wrongdoing is the saintly prostitute, Sonya Marmeladov. Sonya is a young woman, plagued by the …show more content…

Though Raskolnikov did not murder a sibling, he did commit murder, and was banished to Siberia where, with the help of Sonya, he repented for his sins and became a religious man.
In conclusion, both Sonya and Raskolnikov are holy sinners, due to either their sacrifices or their coming to terms with their faith in spite of their sinful actions. Together, these characters go hand in hand regarding the presented paradox in Crime and Punishment. They both provide a balance between sacrifice and crime, in which Sonya exhibits her holiness through her forgiveness and suffering, and in which Raskolnikov repents for and regrets his

Show More
Related

  • The Reeve's Tale And The Honor Of Men Analysis

    781 Words  | 4 Pages

    Author Stewart Justman discusses the honor of the three male characters in his essay, “The Reeve’s Tale and the Honor of Men.” This analysis appears to evolve from the insult the pilgrim Reeve receives after The Miller’s Tale, causing, “…males whose obsession with their own repute, and corresponding dread of derision, reduce the ‘noble’ value of honor to an absurd and violent mania” (21). This leaves Malyne and Symkyn’s wife the recipients of this violence. One might say that Justman continues with the previous essays by Plummer and Woods even though they discuss money, honor is closely related to the overall shaming of Symkyn after his daughter and wife are sexually assaulted. It is power, greed, and pride that, “…the result that women are

    Read More

  • Forgiveness In Mary Johnson's Oshea Israel

    454 Words  | 2 Pages

    Have you ever forgiven someone who did something awful to you? If it is as bad as killing one of your family members, then you probably haven't and wouldn't. But someone that was kind enough to do that was Mary Johnson, who forgave her son’s killer, Oshea Israel by inviting him next door. Mary Johnson showed mercy because she forgave the man that killed her son, she didn't have to, and she could've just let him do to jail. Mary Johnson, who is 59, forgave her son’s killer which was such a great thing to do.

    Read More

  • The Crucible Guilt

    336 Words  | 2 Pages

    Raskolnikov 's first attempt was telling Zametov. Yet once Raskolnikov remembers the implications of this action, he claims his accurate confession was a hypothetical situation. This also occurs when Raskolnikov tries to tell Sonya, he says “But if I come tomorrow, I’ll tell you who killed Lizaveta. Good-bye!” (Dostoevsky

    Read More

  • Guilt In Dostoyevsky's Crime

    1045 Words  | 5 Pages

    Before he had isolated himself by choice, but now it’s as if he doesn’t have an option anymore. Raskolnikov has done something so wrong that he no longer feels like a member of humanity, which is why he specifies a “human word”. Raskolnikov’s guilt comes from the need to rejoin society. That is why his guilt fluctuates so much, but becomes much worse when his rationale for the murder is put into question. In part 3 chapter 6, Raskolnikov has a dream, in which he tries to kill Alyona but fails and she laughs at him.

    Read More

  • Modern System Flaws Analysis

    502 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Flaws in Modern System Beliefs Dovskeyesky uses Rodya and Svidrigailov highlight the flaws in Nihilistic beliefs and expose how the Nihilist's ultimate goal is to be viewed as superior and to accomplish Nihilist inner idea of elevated self-worth and how Sonya is the book’s symbol of morality and Christianity and how her beliefs helped to highlight these flaws even more. Crime and Punishment uses its most faulty characters to show us all the problems with Nihilism and the extreme effects that it can have live life based off of these beliefs. Both Rodya and Porfy had huge problems because of their self-centered belief they struggled both externally and internally because they felt as if they did not have to answer to anyone. The first

    Read More

  • The Grand Inquisitor Analysis

    887 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Grand Inquisitor, as described by Ivan, puts himself in a very pessimistic attitude toward human nature, he states humans are in essence weak and they need to be controlled through miracle mystery and authority. On this thematic I chose the following quote, “That day must come when men will understand that freedom and daily bread enough to satisfy all are unthinkable and can never be had together, as men will never be able to fairly divide the two among themselves. And they will also learn that they can never be free, for they are weak, vicious, miserable nonentities born wicked and rebellious.” (Dostoyevsky, 37). Because according to how the Grand Inquisitor’s vision of the world, even after meeting Jesus, having the blood and flesh of

    Read More

  • Similarities Between Crime And Punishment And How To Read Literature Like A Professor

    1667 Words  | 7 Pages

    Chapter six of How to Read Literature Like a Professor explains that the bible can any story can be tied into the bible but not say it word for word. Foster wrote, “Moreover, our early literature in English is frequently about, and nearly always formed by, religion” (Foster 46). The way that literature is written in a religious aspect, depends on the historical period and has greatly changed over time. In Crime and Punishment before Raskolnikov confessed to the police that he is the murderer, Sonia gifts him with a cross and asks him to pray. Raskolnikov learns that in order to truly be forgiven for his crime, he had to restore his relationship with God.

    Read More

  • Crime And Punishment In Pride And Prejudice Analysis

    1405 Words  | 6 Pages

    All I managed to do was kill (III. IV).” Raskolnikov cannot suppress the force of guilt weighing upon his conscience, and ultimately confesses his complicity in the crime to the police. Seeking to operate outside the confines of his conscience and societal law, Raskolnikov is driven to madness by the impossibility of his quest—cruelty simply cannot be countenanced so long as it remains in opposition to social

    Read More

  • Violence In Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime

    931 Words  | 4 Pages

    Raskolnikov 's act of violence is what causes him to go insane, impacts the lives of the people around him, and finally violence is Raskolnikov’s way of proving himself as an above-average individual. Dostoyevsky used violence to change the course of not only Raskolnikov’s life but also the lives of the people around him. The story shows how one man 's image of himself as a higher being can cause him to commit violent acts, which impact everyone around

    Read More

  • Foils In Dostoevsky's Crime And Puni

    1372 Words  | 6 Pages

    Fyodor Dostoevsky's 19th century novel Crime and Punishment explores the psychological torture and moral dilemmas that the main character Rodion Romanovitch Raskolnikov faces after he murders a pawnbroker and her sister. All of the characters in the novel face troubles and suffer as a result of them, however all characters do not respond to their difficulties in the same manner. Through the use of foils, which is a literary device in which one character is contrasted with another in order to emphasis particular qualities in the other, Dostoevsky explores character's various responses to difficult situations.

    Read More

  • Marxism In Crime And Punishment Essay

    1902 Words  | 8 Pages

    Crime and Punishment used great use of the Marxist Theory. While the bourgeois earned value through overpowering the lower class. This novel best embodies the Marxist Theory because it is a proclamation of a proletariat, being Raskolnikov is not is the right place in society, struggling from deep poverty and craves the fighting against the common good in society. Johnson 2 As Alyona in Crime and Punishment

    Read More

  • Comparing Revenge In To Kill A Mockingbird And The Homecoming Of Samuel Lake

    1473 Words  | 6 Pages

    “An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind” (Gandhi). Revenge, the act of inflicting hurt or harm on someone for an injury or wrong suffered at their hands, is relevant in both life and literature. In real life, it can often be seen when people are victims of abuse or unfair treatment, and they sometimes will try to get back at whoever hurt them through killing or injuring not only their abuser, but occasionally their loved ones as well. Similarly, in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird and Jenny Wingfield’s

    Read More

  • Crime And Punishment Quotes With Page Numbers

    1588 Words  | 7 Pages

    Raskolnikov confronts reality and can never again legitimize his activities in light of political perspectives. The writer of Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky composed this book uncovering some of his own perspectives on legislative issues and consolidating them all through the story. Like Raskolnikov, Dostoyevsky was captured by the administration and punished for his offense. He was rebuffed for his radical communist positions, just to later reject these thoughts. Through the story, the creator fuses a solid message of exactly how intense the legislature is and the solid impact of governmental issues.

    Read More

  • St. Petersburg In Crime And Punishment

    1052 Words  | 5 Pages

    Saint Petersburg, the setting of Crime and Punishment, plays a major role in the formation in Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s acclaimed novel. Dostoyevsky’s novels focus on the theme of man as a subject of his environment. Dostoyevsky paints 1860s St. Petersburg as an overcrowded, filthy, and chaotic city. It is because of Saint Petersburg that Raskolnikov is able to foster in his immoral thoughts and satisfy his evil inclinations. It is only when Raskolnikov is removed from the disorderly city and taken to the remoteness of Siberia that he can once again be at peace.

    Read More

  • Crime And Punishment Feminist Analysis

    911 Words  | 4 Pages

    They are able to deal with as well as handle the evil happening. Sonya became a prostitute to help support her family; she kept a strong faith and it leads to an impact on Raskolnikovs life. The women in the novel are portrayed as these strong and open minded women, unlike the men. The men in the novel are portrayed as being confused and burdened.

    Read More

More about Religion In Dostoyevsky's Crime And P

Open Document