Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, written in 1866, is not like most murder-mystery novels. In 19th century St. Petersburg, the intelligent law-student Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov has run out of funds to continue his studies. This fact along with his depressing living conditions, disgust for the people around him, and news that his family is arriving soon further his condition into nihilism and anxiety. In efforts to support himself and to make his family not pity him, he kills an elderly and wicked pawn broker to rob her based on his own idealistic theory of the human condition. However, the aftermath of his actions doesn’t coincide with his expectations. Raskolnikov is thrown into a state of increased anxiety, paranoia, and mistrustfulness of the people around him. He alienates himself from everyone while spontaneously doing acts random acts of kindness to strangers to mitigate his sin.
As further drama ensues through various people integrating themselves into his life for their own personal gain, it is revealed that Raskolnikov’s madness in not only derived by his guilt, but also by the fact that his theory of him being an extraordinary man among ordinary people does not hold up. His theory indicates that extraordinary people are allowed to break the rules of the law because their intelligence permits more important goals for humanity. Raskolnikov believed that he was above others, yet he slowly realized that he was wrong as he was not strong enough to withstand the consequences of his actions and therefore is ordinary like all the other people he hates.
With his madness furthering him into delirium, his relationships breaking, and the police actively searching for the unknown criminal, Raskolnikov must make the decision to serve his punishment in prison or for it to remain in his tormenting mind.
Rating: 10/10