AP English Lit/Mr. Kirby
Name:
Devin Cassatt__
LITERARY ANALYSIS DATA SHEET
Significant biographical details about the author:
Title: Crime and Punishment
Sources: sparknotes.com, egs.edu,
shmoop.com, novelguide.com
Dostoevsky was born in Moscow in November 1821. His
mother died when he was 16 and his father died 2 years later.
After his mother’s death, he enrolled in the Nikolayev Military
Engineering Institute. In 1849, he was exiled to do hard labor
in Siberia for reading and circulating copies of works that
criticized Russian politics and religion. He married Maria
Isayeva in 1857 and returned to Russia at the end of 1859. By
1865, his wife had died and he got married again in 1867 to a 22
year old. Dostoevsky died in February 1891.
Information about the period (literary, historical,
artistic, philosophical, etc.):
Identify the genre and specify how this work fits its
characteristics:
Crime and Punishment was written during the 18th
century in Russia. After devastation of Kievan Rus’ by
Turkic tribes and its fall to the ‘Mongol yoke,’ the Russian
region developed in isolation from Europe between the
13th and 16th centuries. In the 18th century, Russia
gradually began to ‘join’ Europe. Under Alexander II,
Russia emancipated the serfs bloodlessly in 1861 and
passes other progressive Great Reforms that sought to
‘catch Russia up to’ Western Europe. The burning
question of Dostoevsky’s day remained: is Russia
European or not? Should it be?
Crime and Punishment fits into many different genres: Horror
or Gothic Fiction, Realism, Psychological Thriller and
Suspense, and Literary Fiction. It is mainly in the Realism genre
because the story is partially inspired by real events Dostoevsky
was reading about in the papers and hearing about through the
grapevine. Dostoevsky himself considers his book as in the
genre of “fantastic realism.” Certain aspects of reality are
stretched to their extremes, and certain less-realistic aspects,
such as dreams and visions, are explored. The “fantastic
realism” in Crime and Punishment is heightened by the
psychological thriller and suspense components of the novel.
Author: Fyodor Dostoevsky
Date of Publication: 1866
Provide a brief synopsis (include exposition, main conflict(s), climax, resolution, and major plot points):
A young Russian student, Raskolnikov, believes himself to be an extraordinary man--one who has the 'right' to commit and
crime. In order to prove his stupid theory correct, Raskolnikov 'needs' to murder the old pawnbroker and her innocent sister.
Immediately following the crime, the guilt strikes and poor Raskolnikov becomes ill. Upon recovery, he finds an old
school acquaintance, Razumihin, who might be the only non-male-jerk of the whole story. Meanwhile, Raskolnikov is visited
by Luzhin, who is engaged to Raskolnikov's sister Dounia. Luzhin, being the male chauvanist pig that he is, is merely marrying
Dounia to prove his manly nature and ability to dominate the female species.
As soon as Raskolnikov can walk he takes a little stroll to the police station where he practically confesses to the whole
murder. Later, he witnesses the death of the old drunk husband, Marmeladov, who spent the entire family savings on vodka
and whiskey only to get run over by a horse. Raskolnikov graciously delivers the dead body to his wife and starving
children and for some odd reason, leaves all his money to the family. Raskolnikov returns home to find his sister and mother
there who have come to prepare for the wedding. Raskolnikov denounces Luzhin and forbids the marriage. To top it off,
Svidrigailov, Dounia's former employee comes to town who had also previously tried to seduce Dounia, and Rask. being the
big brother that he is, violently detests the man for this.
Porfiry, the police inspector, is interviewing people about the murder. Raskolnikov goes to the station thinking that he is a
suspect and once again practically confesses to the murder. Since this time, Raskolnikov met Sonia Marmeladov, daughter of
the drunk, and has taken a liking to her. He feels great sympathy toward her since she had been drawn into prostitution to
make money for the family. Raskolnikov feels a closeness to her and promises to tell her who the murderer is.
Raskolnikov again meets with Porfiry. He then goes to Sonia and confesses to her. Unfortunately, Svid overhears the
confession and uses this information to try to get Sounia to sleep with him. She refuses and he later commits suicide.
Raskolnikov finally confesses the murder to the police after talking to Sonia and is sentenced to eight joyous years in Siberia.
Thinking that it will be a great vacation spot, Sonia joins him there to rebuild his life.
Literary Analysis Data Sheet
page 2
Identify and explain the use and effect of three
literary techniques:
Allusion to Napoleon Bonaparte: His is murder of the
pawnbroker serves for him two purposes: to prove he is above
the law, and to establish the truth of his superiority.
Elision of the Places: If a real place, why not name it? If a
fictional one, why not give it a fake name? His use of letters
instead of names signals the line between fact and fiction. To
give the name of a real place pulls the narrative toward fact,
imposing restraints that the author might not want.
Conversely, creating fictional places pushes the story away
from reality. The psychological realism of Crime and
Punishment, and our visceral reaction to it, might be broken if
we know that such and such a place doesn't really exist,
reminding us, by proxy, that neither do these characters or
actions.
Metaphor: Dostoevsky uses the metaphor about the man on
the ledge to show what Raskolnikov’s life would be like if he
were to hold onto his secret. Within this metaphor, he repeats
the word “eternal” in conjunction with words that represent
sadness and loneliness. However, while this idea of an entire
lifetime of depression and guilt on only “a square foot of
space” sounds extremely unappealing to the reader,
Raskolnikov finds it more favorable than condemning himself
to death by confessing.
Cite and quote one example of each:
“I wanted to make myself a Napoleon,” states Raskolnikov,
“and that is why I killed her.” (pg. 410)
“On an exceptionally hot evening early in July a young man
came out of the garret in which he lodged in S. Place and
walked slowly, as though in hesitation, towards K. Bridge.”
(pg. 1)
“‘Where was it,’ Raskolnikov thought as he walked on, ‘where
was it that I read about a man condemned to death saying or
thinking, an hour before his death, that if he had to live
somewhere high up on a cliffside, on a ledge so narrow that
there was room only for his two feet--and with the abyss, the
ocean, eternal darkness, eternal solitude, eternal storm all
around him--and had to stay like that, on a square foot of
space, an entire lifetime, a thousand years, an eternity--it
would be better to live so than to die right now! Only to live,
to live, to live! To live, no matter how--only to live!’” (pg. 160)
Significant Quotes
Cite and quote three significant
passages:
Explain the significance of each passage or explain how it
relates to the work as a whole:
[Raskolnikov:] "Surely it isn't beginning
already! Surely it isn't
my punishment coming upon me? It is!"
(2.1.17)’
This is just after the murder, when Raskolnikov is obsessing over
possible evidence of his crime. The phrasing "coming upon me"
suggests two interpretations of the passage. 1) That the beginning
phase of Raskolnikov's "punishment" is being metered out by a force
of justice, perhaps God; and 2) that Raskolnikov is personifying
"punishment" as a force of justice in and of itself.
[Raskolnikov] was crushed by poverty, but
the anxieties of his position had of late
ceased to weigh upon him. (1.1.3)
This shows layers of suffering. The suffering Raskolnikov is
experiencing as a result of the bad idea that won't leave him alone is
so great that he doesn't feel the suffering he's experiencing as a result
of his poverty.
[Raskolnikov:] "I did not bow down to
you [Sonia], I bowed down to all the
suffering of humanity," he said wildly and
walked away to the window. (4.4.99)
It is believed that Raskolnikov isn't very romantic to Sonia. That's not
entirely true. He throws himself at her feet an awful lot, though he
usually follows it with this kind of comment. More importantly, this
passage shows that Raskolnikov sees Sonia as a symbol of everybody's
suffering.
Literary Analysis Data Sheet
page 3
Characters
Record information for each significant major character in the work
Name
Significance or Purpose
Adjectives
Protagonist,
story is told
from is point of
view.
His pride and intellectualism lead him to disdain the rest of
humanity as fit merely to perpetuate the species. In contrast, he
believes that he is part of an elite “superman” echelon and can
consequently transgress accepted moral standards for higher purposes
such as utilitarian good. His ultimate realization that he loves
Sonya is the only force strong enough to transcend his ingrained
contempt of humanity. Raskolnikov’s relationships with the other
characters in the novel do much to illuminate his personality and
understanding of himself. Although he cares about Razumikhin,
Pulcheria Alexandrovna, and Dunya, Raskolnikov is so caught up in
his skeptical outlook that he is often unappreciative of their
attempts to help him. He turns to Sonya as a fellow transgressor
of social norms, but he fails to recognize that her sin is much
different from his: while she truly sacrifices herself for the sake
of others, he essentially commits his crime for his sake alone.
Finally, his relationship with Svidrigailov is enigmatic. Though he
despises the man for his depravity, he also seems to need something
from him—perhaps validation of his own crime from a hardened
malcontent.
Alienated,
proud,
intelligent,
selfcentered,
cruel
Raskolnikov’s
love &
Marmeladov’s
daughter; forced
to prostitute
herself to
support herself
and rest of her
family.
Sonya illustrates important social and political issues that were of
concern to Dostoevsky, such as the treatment of women, the effects
of poverty, the importance of religious faith, and the importance of
devotion to family.
Meek, easily
embarrassed,
religious,
timid,
quiet,
devout
Dunya
Raskolnikov’s
sister
Dunya is Raskolnikov’s sister and shares many of his traits. She is
intelligent, proud, beautiful, and strong-willed. But in most other
ways, she is Raskolnikov’s exact opposite. Whereas he is selfcentered, cruel, and prone to intellectualizing, she is selfsacrificing, kind, and exhibits endless compassion. She is the
strongest female character in the novel, neither as crushed by
poverty nor as timid as Sonya. If there are any heroes in Crime and
Punishment, she, along with Razumikhin, is certainly one of them,
which makes their marriage at the end of the novel particularly
appropriate.
Intelligent,
honest,
kind, goodlooking,
decisive,
brave,
strongwilled
Svidrigailov
Villain, Dunya’s
depraved former
employer
Although he is a violent and sneaky individual, Svidrigailov
possesses the ability to accept that he cannot force reality to
conform to his deepest desires. In this regard, he functions as a
foil to Raskolnikov, who can accept only partially the breakdown of
his presumed “superman” identity. Although the painful realization
that he will never have the love of someone as honest, kind,
intelligent, and beautiful as Dunya is compels him to commit
suicide, he is one of the few characters in the novel to die with
dignity.
Enigmatic,
generous,
violent,
sneaky
Raskolnikov
Sonya
Role in the story
Literary Analysis Data Sheet
Describe the setting(s) and explain its/their
significance:
St. Petersburg and Siberia, Russia, mid-1860s
St. Petersburg was the capitol of Russia and a major
economic center. Dostoevsky's Crime
and Punishment focuses on some of the grimmer aspects of
St. Petersburg in the 1860s. Through Raskolnikov's eyes,
we see streets crawling with drunkard, vagabonds, and
molesters. Poverty is everywhere and no child is safe.
His move to the prison in Siberia presents an
interesting contrast. Siberia is represented as pure and
natural, untouched by the pollution and vice in which
his St. Petersburg is drowning.
St. Petersburg is the "big" setting of the novel, but
the smaller spaces are interesting, too. Take
Raskolnikov's room as an example. It's small, grimy, and
depressing, and is even blamed for his awful
psychological state. With the exception of Porfiry,
everybody we meet lives in terribly cramped places. The
problem is obviously most acute in terms of families.
Nobody has space to breathe or move, not to speak of
privacy. The homes in the novel are places of violence,
abuse, and chaos.
Most of the novel is set during the summer. We are
constantly told that it's hot and stuffy to an
unreasonable degree. This aspect of setting certainly
contributes to the "powder-keg" feeling we get while we
are reading, as if everything is on the verge of some
huge explosion.
Identify and explain key metaphors, symbols, or motifs:
Poverty (motif): Almost every character in the novel—
except Luzhin, Svidrigailov, and the police officials—is
desperately poor. Dostoevsky’s descriptions of poverty
allow him to address important social issues and to
create rich, problematic situations in which the only
way to survive is through self-sacrifice. As a result,
poverty enables characters such as Sonya and Dunya to
demonstrate their strength and compassion.
The city (symbol): St. Petersburg as represented in
Dostoevsky’s novel is dirty and crowded. The clutter and
chaos of St. Petersburg represents the state of society,
with all of its inequalities, prejudices, and deficits,
but also Raskolnikov’s delirious, agitated state as he
spirals through the novel toward the point of his
confession and redemption. He can escape neither the
city nor his warped mind. It is only when Raskolnikov is
forcefully removed from the city and sent to a prison in
a small town in Siberia that he is able to regain
compassion and balance.
The Cross (symbol): The cross that Sonya gives to
Raskolnikov before he goes to the police station to
confess is an important symbol of redemption for him.
Throughout Christendom, of course, the cross symbolizes
Jesus’ self-sacrifice for the sins of humanity. The
cross symbolizes not that he has achieved redemption or
even understood what Sonya believes religion can offer
him, but that he has begun on the path toward
recognition of the sins that he has committed. That
Sonya is the one who gives him the cross has special
significance: she gives of herself to bring him back to
humanity, and her love and concern for him, like that of
Jesus, according to Christianity, will ultimately save
and renew him.
page 4
Identify and explain the theme(s) of the work:
Alienation from Society
Alienation is the primary theme. At first,
Raskolnikov’s pride separates him from society. He sees
himself as superior to all other people and so cannot
relate to anyone. Within his personal philosophy, he
sees other people as tools and uses them for his own
ends. After committing the murders, his isolation grows
because of his intense guilt and the half-delirium into
which his guilt throws him. Over and over again,
Raskolnikov pushes away the people who are trying to
help him. Only in the Epilogue does Raskolnikov break
through the wall of pride and self-centeredness that
has separated him from society.
The Psychology of Crime and Punishment
The manner in which the novel addresses crime and
punishment is not exactly what one would expect. The
crime is committed in Part I and the punishment comes
hundreds of pages later, in the Epilogue. The real
focus of the novel is not on those two endpoints but on
what lies between them—an in-depth exploration of the
psychology of a criminal. Dostoevsky concerns himself
not with the actual repercussions of the murder but
with the way the murder forces Raskolnikov to deal with
tormenting guilt. Indeed, by focusing so little on
Raskolnikov’s imprisonment, Dostoevsky seems to suggest
that actual punishment is much less terrible than the
stress and anxiety of trying to avoid punishment.
Porfiry Petrovich emphasizes the psychological angle of
the novel, as he shrewdly realizes that Raskolnikov is
the killer and makes several speeches in which he
details the workings of Raskolnikov’s mind after the
killing. Because he understands that a guilt-ridden
criminal must necessarily experience mental torture, he
is certain that Raskolnikov will eventually confess or
go mad. The expert mind games that he plays with
Raskolnikov strengthen the sense that the novel’s
outcome is inevitable because of the nature of the
human psyche.
The Idea of the Superman
At the beginning of the novel, Raskolnikov sees himself
as a “superman,” a person who is extraordinary and thus
above the moral rules that govern the rest of humanity.
His vaunted estimation of himself compels him to
separate himself from society. His murder of the
pawnbroker is, in part, a consequence of his belief
that he is above the law and an attempt to establish
the truth of his superiority. Raskolnikov’s inability
to quell his subsequent feelings of guilt, however,
proves to him that he is not a “superman.” Although he
realizes his failure to live up to what he has
envisioned for himself, he is nevertheless unwilling to
accept the total deconstruction of this identity. He
continues to resist the idea that he is as mediocre as
the rest of humanity by maintaining to himself that the
murder was justified. It is only in his final surrender
to his love for Sonya, and his realization of the joys
in such surrender, that he can finally escape his
conception of himself as a superman and the terrible
isolation such a belief brought upon him.
Write at least three questions or topics for class discussion:
1.
What does the novel say about the different roles men and women played in Russia in the 1860s? How are their
pressures different? How are they similar?
2.
We don't get Raskolnikov's name until he gives it to the pawnbroker, Alyona Ivanovna. Why? Is it important? Is it
the most "natural" place for his name to have been revealed, or would it have been better somewhere else?
3.
What is the significance of Crime and Punishment's abrupt chapter endings? Do the endings comment on the
chapter as a whole? Do they prepare us in some way for the next chapter?