Chapter 1
1. Compare the funeral arrangements for Katerina Marmeladov to those for her husband in the early chapters. What is your estimation of Svidrigailov? What gives him purpose? Razumihin visits Raskolnikov here and is angry with Raskolnikov. Why?
Do you think Razumihin is justified? What does Razumihin tell Raskolnikov about a letter that Dounia has received? Why has
Razumihin talked with Porfiry Petrovitch and what has he told him?
Chapter 2
1. Porfiry Petrovitch visits Raskolnikov in this chapter. He explains everything to Raskolnikov. What has Porfiry Petrovitch thought and what has he done to trick Raskolnikov? When Raskolnikov asks him who he thinks is responsible for the murder, what does Porfiry say? How did you respond to that? What does Porfiry say he wants Raskolnikov to do? How do you evaluation Porfiry’s motives at this time?
Chapter 3
1. In the last chapter and in this chapter also several allusions are made to Schiller. Schiller was a German romantic poet usually associated with being an idealist. How might the views of an idealist be appropriate for this story so far?
2. Raskolnikov feels compelled to seek out Svidrigailov, but he isn’t sure why? Why do you think? As he walks (an alternate way), he sees him sitting in a tavern. Pay close attention to this strange conversation. Raskolnikov tells him he will do what if persists in trying to see Dounia? Why, according to Svidrigailov, is he attracted to women; how does he explain this passion he feels? What is your response to what he says? Svidrigailov then says he will relate the narrative of his relationship to Dounia and how Dounia initiated his love for her. [That is the next chapter, but as you read this consider your feelings about
Svidrigailov—can you trust him as a narrator of events? I guess if your answer is no; my question would be why not?]
Chapter 4
1. Svidrigailov then tells Raskolnikov about his thirteen-year-old betrothed. What was your reaction to that?
Chapter 5
1. Svidrigailov tricks Raskolnikov and meets Dounia on the bridge he instructed her to meet him on in the letter. How would you describe her? Where do they go? How did that make you feel? What does he tell her about Raskolnikov? What convinces her to believe what he says is true? What is Svidrigailov’s intention?
2. Pay attention to who has a gun here and where the gun came from. What causes Svidrigailov to stop doing what he intended?
How did you react to what happened when Dounia tells him how she feels about him? Is Svidrigailov’s behavior believable?
How do you feel about him now? What do you think will happen now to Svidrigailov?
Chapter 6
1. Prepare yourself for an exciting chapter. This is totally devoted to Svidrigailov. After walking in the storm, he returns to his room soaking wet and goes to Sonia’s room. What does he give Sonia and what does he say Raskolnikov’s two choices are?
2. He then visits his betrothed and what does he give to her?
3. He then “crosses a bridge” [we haven’t said much about it, but crossing bridges is very important in this novel—you might be asked write a research paper on it in college], and goes to a hotel. Please read carefully here about Svidrigailov’s three dreams.
[Do they compare to Raskolnikov’s dreams—I don’t really think so, but they are important.] How do you interpret the images in these dreams?
4. He leaves the hotel and calls the porter Achilles. Why? Then what happens?
Chapter 7
1. Raskolnikov has made a decision. He first visits his mother. How do you respond to this scene? Is the way he acts consistent with what you expect (although you don’t know what he is going to do)?
2. When Raskolnikov returns home, Dounia is there. They cry and say good-bye. Touching little scene, but what troubles me is what Raskolnikov says he hasn’t done? How do you respond to that? Is that consistent to his character? Notice how he feels about mankind as he looks out the window. How does that make you feel about him?
Chapter 8 and Epilogue
1. Based on the end of Chapter 8, do you consider the end to be complete?
2. What about after the epilogue? Would the book have been better with or without the epilogue?
3. What were you hoping would have been the end of the book?