Written in a time when new philosophies and ideals were emerging, Dostoevsky's novel Crime and Punishment exemplifies the author's strongly held views on religion, morality, society and philosophy, while offering insight into the innermost workings of the criminal mind. Told almost entirely through the eyes of the main character, Rodion Raskolnikov, the novel examines the miserable young man's fall from his selfish ideals and charts the way through the protagonist's resulting psychological hell. In essence, Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment moralizes the forces of good and evil vying for supremacy over the human soul and warns against the degradation of morality in favor of "rational" thinking. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The rejection of the philosophies of existentialism and nihilism and the support of organized religion is a major theme of the novel. Dostoevsky vehemently abdicates the new philosophies, which place the emphasis on the material world, on the absence of any Supreme Being or moral code and on the individual, on total freedom of choice. The author conveys his beliefs about universal and inalienable morality throughout the novel, describing the internal torment that an elitist would suffer if he dared to violate common ethics. Ideas that individualize or elevate some men over others are proven to produce total moral upheaval, without any logic infallible enough to justify them. The novel begins by introducing the protagonist, Raskolnikov, a poor student with a severe superiority complex. Frustrated and alone, the young man reflects on the capacity for his own greatness, while at the same time detesting an old and wizened pawnbroker, whom he considers a "louse" on humanity. The intellectual considers himself better than any ordinary man, and so he decides to test his theory of greatness with a "terrible, violent and fantastic question"; break the constraints of "common" morality and kill, without disturbing his conscience, the old woman. He actually kills her, but he also has to accidentally take another "innocent" life. He had not foreseen this consequence and is horrified to realize that his internal feelings of aversion torment him night and day. His theory fails, leaving him in a total state of emotional disarray and physical illness, his life no greater than that of an ordinary man, and the only obstacle left in his path to approval is himself. The Christian and religious idea of ​​the constant and timeless battle The struggle between good and evil for the soul is another central idea, as illustrated later in the novel with the metaphorical struggle that takes place in the protagonist's mind. The author is keen to demonstrate that man's natural impulse is to do good, as when Raskolnikov gives almost all of his money to the needy, but also that the rationalization of good is, ironically, evil. The young man is able to rationalize killing the old woman with logical thoughts that he desperately wants to believe, that he will do the world a great service by getting rid of such an unpleasant creature, when in reality his justification is based only on his own self-interest. Dostoevsky makes particularly clear to the reader the nightmare of moral chaos, or punishment, to which Raskolnikov is subjected, describing in great detail what happens when a human being submits to the temptation of evil. At the heart of Raskolnikov's distorted logic lies the notion of the "extraordinary" man, the man he firmly believes he is. Raskolnikov desires to be more than human, more than ordinary; the demands of everyday life arefor him “nonsense”. He concludes that if there is no God, no universal moral code, then he is free to establish his own moral laws and the average man, controlled by what society deems "right", is beneath him. The common man, if he were to engage in some heinous act in pursuit of some great goal, would be overcome by a guilty conscience, while the extraordinary man would not give a second thought to even the most terrible crime. Yet, in the end, he learns that he is no better or smarter than other men. His inability to repress his guilt and self-loathing proves that he is no superman. He sees his failure, but is still unwilling to accept the deconstruction of this personality. He continues to resist his lowered status by constantly justifying the murder in his mind. This alienation from society is initially a product of Raskolnikov's superiority complex and pride. Being so superior, he can't relate to anyone; rather, he sees people as tools to be used for his own purposes. This feeling of isolation takes on a new twist after the murders, when in his delirium of guilt he pushes further away the people who want to help him, such as his mother, his sister and even the police. Eventually, he realizes that this self-induced alienation is unbearable and he must confess to his crimes or go mad. Although the story is told primarily through Raskolnikov's thoughts, other important characters also influence the plot and the protagonist's development. The student's roommate, Razumikhin, serves as a foil to Raskolnikov's character, showing the reader that, although he is in the same stressful conditions as his roommate, he is still a kind and cheerful person and does not have to resort to any crime to prove it. himself. Svidrigailov, often touted as the villain of the novel, serves as an example of what an immoral life can bring, the waste of a human being, unloved and driven to suicide. Svidrigailov had also once rationalized his crimes, but after many years of sin he can no longer rationalize what he has done and becomes completely empty. He represents what Raskolnikov would have become if he had not finally confessed to his crimes: wanderer, tormented, through a life full of vices and ending in a gruesome death. Through the character of Sonya, a figure who symbolizes total good and love throughout the novel, Raskolnikov finally finds his redemption. To save her dying family, the young woman must prostitute herself, but she does it with total humility. Raskolnikov mistakenly looks for her as another intruder, but soon realizes that they look nothing alike. Although both have committed sins, only Raskolnikov attempts to justify what he did "for the greater good". Sonya, on the other hand, realizes that what she does is a sin, and does not try to challenge it, but the reader realizes that she is the perfect Christian in the novel, sacrificing herself so that others may live. Her final love for Raskolnikov is her salvation; mentally, spiritually and physically. She convinces him to confess to the police and put an end to his suffering; she is not horrified by his crimes, but only wants him to repent and be saved. Symbolically he hands him a cross to give him the strength to confess. Like Jesus, he offers total forgiveness for his sins. At the end of the novel, when she visits him where he had been incarcerated, her love allows Raskolnikov to completely repent of his previous ideas that he was beyond God, and saves him from eternal damnation and the forces of evil that possess his soul completely. in mind: this is just an example. Get a document now,.