Crime & Punishment
Fyodor Dostoevsky
RELIGIOUS MOTIFS
Rose Marie Mark
Prof. Olga Leontovich
October 5, 1999
Crime and Punishment is written in “7” parts and each part is given “7”
chapters-----Raskolnikov overhears a conversation in the Hay Market that
Lizaveta, Aloyna Ivanova’s sister will be going on an errand at “7”
o’clock—
---in a dream before the murder, Ras dreams he is a “7” year old
boy----- Svid ri gai lov tells Raskolnikov:
1. for “7” years he never left Marfa Petrovano--2. for “7” years, he never left the country and
3. for those “7” years, he wound that clock every week
and a child of “7”, singing the Hamlet---tavern-----Sonia and Ras have to wait “7” years for him to be released from
prison and be re-united--In the video, while Ras was in A. I.’s room, the clock struck “7” times
and again in his room the next morning.
The number “7”-----is the sacred number of Judaism
-2---God created the universe in “7” days (6+1)--Genesis 1:1-31/Genesis 2:1-3-----there are “7” deadly sins (jealousy, lust, envy,
anger, sloth, gluttony and pride)---
---there are “7” joys/ “7” sorrows of May-----“7” Corporal works of mercy (fee/hungry,
drink/thirsty, harbor/stranger, cloth/naked, sick, bury dead, prison)
--- “7” spiritual works of mercy---
Raskolnikov washes his hands after the murder. Pontius Pilate
washed his hands of the guilt of Christ’s death; Ras, even though he is
responsible for the murders is not going to allow himself to feel guilty of
them and, therefore, washes his hands---
Marmeledov steals 12 silver roubles from Katerina---signifying
Christ’s 12 Apostles---
-3The Number “30”--This Biblical theme is taken from the Passion
Parables in the Gospels---Judas Iscariot received 30 pieces of silver from
the High Priests, as a tribute for betraying Jesus Christ
(Garden/Gethsemane)--1. Sonia sells herself for “30” rubles---the Biblical character
Dostoyevsky is portraying in Sonia, is Mary Magdelene—
2. Sonia gives her father “30” copecks--3. Marfa Petrovano bought off Svid ri gai lov’s crimes/offenses/
charges for 30,000 silver pieces---
The Number “3”-----Svid ri gai lov tells Raskolnikov that Marfa Petrovana
has left Dounia 3,000 rubles in her will-----the #3 can also represent the Trinity; Father, Son and
Holy Spirit-----the three wise men---Melchoir, Gasper and Balthazar--
-4-
Luzhin is accusing Raskolnikov of giving the money his mother sent him to
Sonia, calling Sonia a worthless person. Ras responds “To my thinking . . .
at whom you throw stones, etc. This reference is a narrative in the Gospels,
where Christ is intercepting the crowd wanting to stone a prostitute for
adultery and asks, “He who is w/o sin, let him cast the first stone”---
Lazarus--During his visit to Sonia, Ras asks her to read from a book he has
noticed in her room. It is a Bible, which Lizaveta gave her. He specifically
asks for the story of Lazarus in the New Testament. For those of us who are
familiar with this Biblical narrative, Christ raised Lazarus from the dead
after he had been buried for FOUR days---Dostoyevsky spent FOUR years
in prison; it has been FOUR days since Ras committed the murders.
Also, during his FOUR years in prison, Dostoyevsky felt as though he
was buried alive and it is there he formulated his theory about the necessity
of “suffering” (additional thoughts at end of this presentation). Lazarus, was
isolated from his family and is really dead; Ras, as a result of his crime,
-5-
isolated himself from his family and friend Raz and therefore, is figuratively
dead--Lazarus through Christ, became alive and joined his family and
community once again; Ras hopes through Sonia, that he will take his place
among the living--Both accounts are of a man separated from the living and through a miracle;
Lazarus’ through Christ and Ras, through his confession to Sonia, hoping to
be restored to life--In video, Ras buried the stolen goods “under a stone”---
When Aloyna Ivanova was murdered by Raskolnikov, she was wearing
two crosses:
1. wooden
2 Copper*
Like Christ who carried
metal cross is worn
cross of wood, so too, A.I.
signifying to others
carrying her cross---
she was a Christian---
*copper, perhaps sterling silver and gold as we know it, would be very
costly for them---
-6The mention of crosses re-appears when Raskolnikov visits Sonia. She
offers him a “wooden cross” but he is not ready to accept it.
As mentioned in the Lazarus section of this presentation, Dostoyevsky
spent FOUR years in prison and it was there that he formed his theory about
the necessity of “suffering” --- suffering became the means by which a
person’s soul is purified and sins are expiated---Dostoyevsky incorporates
this theme of redemption through suffering, throughout much of the story—
Ras’suffering, however, does begin right after the crime. As we recall from
the story, he becomes ill and loses consciousness for days. Also, his
suffering is a result of his split personality---
Part 5
Chapter 4
During Ras’ roundabout confession, “Take a good look”, Sonia is aware
that he his suffering tremendously. Ras falls to the ground and kisses
Sonia’s foot and when she becomes alarmed, he says, “I did not bow down
to you, I bowed down to “all the suffering of humanity”---He (Ras) sees
Sonia as the symbol of “all the suffering of humanity” and it is through her
-7suffering that he is made to realize the importance of having love for your
fellow man. Again Dostoyevsky is emphasizing the theory of suffering as a
way of expiation. Sonia’s advice to Ras is to “go to the crossroads and
confess” where he most likely will suffer even more, having bystanders jeer
at him--Raskolnikov said (when going into the police station, “if I must drink the
cup” referring to Jesus Christ/Garden of Gethsemane) and he (Ras) wavers
(again his ambiguous personality), but sees Sonia, the “Symbol of
Suffering” and goes back into the police station and confesses.
Part 6
Chapter 8
He (Ras) NOW asks Sonia for the cross she once offered him and she
gives him the one made of “cypress wood”, saving the copper one for later--
Christ Himself has told us, “He who does not take up his cross and follow
me, is not worthy of me (Mt. 10:39). Ras was now ready to accept and bear
his cross, for the redemption of his soul---
-8-
Prof. Olga referred us to King Solomon of the Hebrew Bible (Old
Testament) where he states, “suffering and pain are always obligatory/on
those of wide intellect and profound feeling/truly great men . . . .experience
great sorrow on earth"” Ex. Jesus Christ, Mahatma Gandhi, Abraham
Lincoln, Albert Einstein, etc.
Another person having a desire to suffer was Nikolay, the painter. He
belonged to an old religious order that believes a man must suffer and suffer,
in order to expiate for his sins; especially at the hands of authorities---
I am ending this presentation with a scene from the beginning of the
story, where Marmeladove states, “And He will say, ‘come to Me! I have
forgiven thee one. . . thy sins which are many are forgiven thee, for thou has
loved much . . . ‘”
Katerina, dying in the streets did not feel she needed a priest because she
had suffered and loved much and that God would immediately receive her
soul into Heaven upon her death---
-9Additional notes on “suffering”--The problem of suffering will never be
solved and can be the means of drawing others more deeply into God’s love--suffering/can find all of us turning to God with tears in our eyes---the
offering up of the trial has set off a chain reaction--It is also a result of our own nature---our weaknesses and failings---such
as pride, selfishness, lack of self-control, etc. Much suffering is caused by
what we do and what we fail to do--The lack of self-control--Food, drink, drugs
Has destroyed many lives and families--Uncontrolled anger
Wives/children
The lack of chastity---
Sin and unkindness have their own way of bringing misery into our lives—
we are our own worst enemy---the more virtues we lack, the more suffering
we bring on ourselves---
-10Your offering up of the suffering moves another person, draws another
person closer to Christ---closer to God and that person in time will learn to
use his suffering in the same manner, and the ripples will move out from that
person. Only God knows the extent of one’s role in the REDEMPTION OF
THE WORLD---
God love each and everyone of you---
Respectfully submitted
Rose Marie Mark
Ramapo College
October 1999