It is hard to define just one overall
theme and/or meaning of any Dostoevsky novel. They are far too lengthy and complex for
a simple answer.
This novel has a basic crime/murder plot.
While the question of "Who is the killer?" is already known by the reader - the suspense
is built instead by "What is going to happen to Raskolnikov?" Through this plot -
Dosoevsky manages to intertwine several related themes.
The
first is the psychology of crime. After the main character commits murder, the book
deals with all the different emotions he experiences, from guilt, to justification, to
courage, to despair, to terror, to empowerment.
Another
theme is the basic idea of isolation, alienation, or loneliness. Raskolnikov's primary
character trait is one of self-centeredness and superiority. Throughout the story he
pushes away the people who are trying to help him. In his mind, he is a "superman" who
is superior in society, therefore he is above societal rules. This "superman" theory is
the third major theme presented in the book. It presents the question of is it okay to
break the law (or a moral code) if it could possibly end in something
great?
Like the rest of Dostoevsky's novels,
Crime and Punishment is basically about psychologically intense
(and somewhat twisted) characters and how they perceive the world. I believe the
author's main purpose in this type of genre is to present political, religious, and
social questions that the average reader would otherwise never ask - and certainly be
reluctant to otherwise examine.
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