Crime and Punishment: A Review

A detailed Summary of Crime and Punishment: A Review

Fyodor Dostoevsky was born in Moscow in 1821. In 1846, his book Poor Folk brought him instant success as a writer (Sher). This success however, was cut short due to an arrest because of his active participation in printing and distributing socialist propaganda (Sher). While in prison, Dostoevsky underwent a political conversion, rejecting socialist ideals for a more conservative stance in politics (Sher). This conversion formed the basis for many of his great novels, such as Crime and Punishment, The Idiot and The Brothers Karamazov. When Dostoevsky died in 1881, his novels continued to influence writers such as Albert Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre (Toutonghi). Not only did Dostoevsky influence several writers, but also it's evident that he has also helped to inspire the creation of several motion pictures.

In 1999, Joseph Sargent produced a film called Crime and Punishment, which was based on the book of the same name. This movie is fast-paced, and moves quickly - sometimes too quickly, which causes some of the novel's details to be omitted. However, this is to be expected when condensing a 500-page novel into a 90-minute film. Despite this fact, it was an excellent movie, with superb acting, and an intriguing story. I

Although he was eventually sent to prison, Raskolnikov's self-inflicted punishment of guilt and sickness is much less bearable than the punishment dealt to him by the law. William Hinkle, when reviewing this novel said that "Dostoevsky's penetrating novel of an intellectual whose moral compass goes haywire [. . .] is a stunning psychological portrait, a thriller and a profound meditation on guilt and retribution." This statement only hints at one of the many underlying themes within Crime and Punishment; the psychological punishments, we, as humans inflict on ourselves.

However, in the end, Raskolnikov's conscience betrays him because it drives him to guilt, confusion, sickness and eventual confession.

t was because of this film that I decided to read Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky.

This novel centers on Raskolnikov, a former student, and his decision that he must murder a squalid old pawnbroker for money, and the ramifications of his crime. Raskolnikov's actions are followed from the commitment of the crime to his struggle with his guilt, and finally to his punishment. Raskolnikov believes that he is above humanity; a "superman" of sorts. He believes that his superiority gives him the right to remove anything in his path that obstructs him from greatness. Raskolnikov says that:

[. . .] those who call

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Approximate Word count = 905
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Novels