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At the beginning of June, when the streets of St. Petersburg were hot and stuffy, Rodion Raskolnikov left his closet and carefully went down so as not to meet the landlady from whom the young man rented his squalid home. He lived very poorly, his clothes had long worn out, he had recently dropped out of university and lived in poverty, not even able to pay for his room. Leaving the house, Raskolnikov went to the old money-lender to take money from her as collateral. A plan is ripening in his head, which he has been thinking about for several months, preparing to implement. He knows how many steps separate his house from the pawnbroker's house, and suddenly he is struck by the thought that his hat is too conspicuous. He thinks with disgust that some insignificant detail can ruin everything. The heat only aggravates his nervous excitement, so Rodion thinks to abandon his plan: “all this is disgusting, disgusting, disgusting!”, he believes. But then he mentally returns to his plans, noticing in passing that an apartment in the old building is being vacated, which means that only one will remain occupied... The oldest, Alena Ivanovna, lives in a two-room apartment with her sister, the silent and submissive Elizaveta, who is staying with Alena Ivanovna in “complete slavery” and “the pregnant woman walks around every minute.”
Leaving the old silver watch and receiving much less money than he planned, Raskolnikov goes into a pub, where he meets Semyon Zakharovich Marmeladov. Marmeladov, dirty and constantly drunk, tells his new acquaintances about his life, about his dismissal from service, about his family, which suffers from poverty. Marmeladov’s wife Katerina Ivanovna has three children from her first marriage, she is the widow of an officer, after the death of her husband she was left without funds, so out of hopelessness and difficulty she agreed to marry Marmeladov. Marmeladov’s daughter Sonya was forced to go to the panel in order to somehow help her half-brother and sisters and Katerina Ivanovna. Marmeladov takes money from Sonya, steals the last of the house to drink again, constantly cries and repents, blames himself for everything, but does not stop drinking. Raskolnikov takes his husband home, where a scandal arises. Leaving there even more depressed from what he heard and saw, Rodion leaves several coins on the windowsill.
The next morning Rodion received a long letter from his mother. She explains why she did not write for so long and was not able to send her son money. To help him, Raskolnikov’s sister Dunya went to serve the Svidrigailovs, where she borrowed one hundred rubles in advance, and therefore could not free herself when Svidrigailov began to pester her. Marfa Petrovna, Svidrigailov's wife, found out about her husband's intentions, but blamed the girl for everything, disgracing her throughout the city. After some time, her husband’s conscience woke up and he showed his wife Dunya’s letter, in which he rejects all of Svidrigailov’s proposals and asks him to think about Marfa Petrovna. Then Mrs. Svidrigailova visits all the families in the city, talking about this unfortunate oversight and trying to restore Dunya’s reputation. Meanwhile, the mother writes to Rodion, there is a man for Dunya - adviser Pyotr Petrovich Luzhin. The woman tries to describe Luzhin from a positive side, but Raskolnikov understands well that this marriage is arranged only because Dunya loves her brother most of all and seeks to help him with funds and a possible career with the help of Luzhin. The mother describes Luzhin as a direct and frank person, explaining this in the words of Luzhin himself, who, without hesitation, said that he wants to marry an honest woman, but certainly poor, but a man should not be obliged to his wife, but on the contrary - the wife should see her own in the man benefactor. Soon Rodion's mother reports that Luzhin will visit St. Petersburg on business, so Raskolnikov has to meet him. After some time, he and Dunya will come to him. Rodion finishes reading the letter with indignation and a firm intention not to allow this marriage, so Dunya openly sells herself, thereby buying her brother’s well-being. According to Rodion, this is even worse than the act of Sonya Marmeladova, who saves hungry children from death. He thinks about the future, but understands that until he graduates from university and can get a job, a lot of time will pass, and he despairs about the fate of his sister and mother. Then the thought of the pawnbroker returns to him again.
Raskolnikov leaves the house and wanders aimlessly around the city, talking to himself. Suddenly he notices a drunk, exhausted girl walking along the boulevard. He understands that she was simply drunk, dishonored and thrown out onto the street. When a fat man tries to approach the girl, Raskolnikov understands his dirty intentions and calls a policeman, gives money for a cab driver to take the girl home. Reflecting on the fate of the girl, he realizes that he can no longer save her. Suddenly he remembers that he left the house with the intention of entering his university friend Razumikhin, but decides to postpone the visit until “when the topic is finished”... Rodion is frightened by his own thoughts, unable to believe that he has really already decided everything. He is irritated and frightened, wanders for a long time until he falls exhausted on the grass and falls asleep. He has a dream in which he, a boy of about seven, walks with his father and sees a horse harnessed to a cart. The owner of the horse, Kolya, drunk and excited, invites everyone to get into the cart, but the horse is old and cannot budge. He beats her with a whip, others join in the beating, and the enraged drunks beat the animal to death. Little Rodion cries, runs up to the dead horse and kisses its face, he throws his fists at Kolya, but his father picks him up and carries him away. Waking up, Raskolnikov realizes with relief that this is horror - just a terrible unpleasant dream, but heavy thoughts do not leave him. Will he really kill the pawnbroker? Is he really capable of doing this, really taking an ax and hitting him on the head? No, he can't, he won't stand it. This thought makes the young man’s soul feel lighter. Here he sees the pawnbroker’s sister Lizaveta, who is making an agreement with her friends that she will come to them tomorrow at seven to do some business. This means that the old one will be there tomorrow, and this returns Raskolnikov to his old thoughts, he understands that now everything has been decided finally.
Raskolnikov recalls how a month and a half ago he accidentally overheard a conversation between an officer and a student who were discussing that pawnbroker. The student said that he would kill him and rob him without any twinge of conscience, because so many people suffer from poverty, so much good can be done with the money of the old, and what is his life worth on the general scale. But when the officer asked whether he could kill the pawnbroker himself, the student replied that he could not. This chance conversation between two strangers had a very strong influence on Rodion.
The next day, Raskolnikov cannot collect his thoughts, he prepares for murder: he sews a loop on the inside of his coat to hide an ax in it, prepares a “collateral” - an ordinary piece of iron is wrapped in paper and tied with twine to divert the old woman’s attention. Raskolnikov steals an ax from the janitor and carefully, slowly, so as not to attract attention, heads to the pawnbroker’s house. As he climbs the stairs, he notices that the apartment on the third floor is empty and is being renovated. The loan shark reveals to Raskolnikov: when she turns her back to him, he hits her on the head, then again and again, takes her keys and rummages around the apartment, stuffing his pockets with money and deposits. His hands are shaking, he wants to drop everything and leave. Suddenly he hears a noise and runs into Lizaveta, who has returned home. She doesn't even raise her hands to defend herself when she sees him with the axe. He kills the pawnbroker's sister and tries to wash the blood off his hands and the axe. Suddenly he notices that the front doors have been open all this time, he scolds himself for his inattention and closes them, but mentions that he needs to run, and opens it again, standing listening. Raskolnikov hears some steps, it closes from the inside only when people rise to the third floor. Visitors ring the doorbell and are very surprised that no one opens, because the old one never leaves the house. They decide that something has happened, and one of them goes to call the janitor. The second one, after standing, also leaves. Then Raskolnikov rushes out of the apartment and, hiding on the third floor behind the door of an empty apartment while the strangers were climbing up as a janitor, runs out of the house into the street. Rodion is scared and doesn’t know what to do now. He returns to his room, throws the ax that he stole to the janitor in the janitor’s room, and, going up to his room, falls exhausted onto the bed.
PART TWO
Raskolnikov wakes up early in the morning. He is nervous and shivering. Trying to eliminate traces of blood on his clothes, he remembers that the things he stole are still in his pockets. He rushes in a panic, finally decides to hide them behind a torn piece of wallpaper in the corner, but realizes that it’s visible that way, they don’t bury it that way. Every now and then he is thrown into sleep and some kind of nervous numbness. Suddenly there was a knock on the door and they brought a summons from the police. Raskolnikov leaves the house, his condition is aggravated by the indescribable heat. Following the police, he decides to tell everything about the crime. When tortured, he will kneel and tell everything. But he was called to the police officer not because of this, but because of his debt to the owner of the apartment. It becomes easier for him, he is filled with animal joy. He watches the clerk, the people around him, and the magnificent lady Luisa Ivanovna, who is being shouted at by the policeman’s assistant. Raskolnikov himself, in hysterical excitement, begins to talk about his life, about how he was going to marry the owner’s daughter, but she died of typhus, and talks about his mother and sister. They listen to him and force him to write a receipt that he will pay the debt. He finishes writing, but does not leave, although he is no longer detained. It occurs to him to tell about his crime, but he hesitates. By chance he hears a conversation about yesterday's murder of an old woman and her sister Elizabeth. Raskolnikov tries to leave, but loses consciousness. When he wakes up, he says that he is sick, although everyone around him looks at him suspiciously. Raskolnikov hurries home because he needs to get rid of things by any means, he wants to throw them into the water somewhere, but there are people everywhere, so he hides things under a stone in one of the remote courtyards. He goes to Razumikhin. They have not seen each other for a long time, but Raskolnikov only mutters something incomprehensible, refuses help and leaves without explaining anything, angering and surprising his friend.
On the street, Raskolnikov almost falls under a carriage; he is mistaken for a beggar and given a coin. He stops at the bridge over the Neva, on which he once loved to stand, looking out over the panorama of the city. He throws a coin into the water, it seems to him that at that moment he cut himself off from everyone and everything, “like scissors.” Returning home, he falls on the bed in a heavy nervous sleep, he is in a fever, Raskolnikov hears some screams, he is afraid that they will come to him now, time begins to delirium. His delirium is interrupted by the cook Nastasya, who comes to feed him; she says that he dreamed all these screams. Raskolnikov cannot eat, it becomes more and more difficult for him, in the end he loses consciousness and only comes to his senses on the fourth day. He sees Nastasya and Razumikhin in his room, who were caring for him. Razumikhin settled this matter with the debt, while Raskolnikov was unconscious, he received thirty-five rubles from his mother, and with part of this money Razumikhin buys Raskolnikov new clothes. Zosimov, a doctor and friend of Razumikhin, also comes. Sitting at the table, Razumikhin and Zosimov talk about the murder of the pawnbroker. They also remember the investigator in this case, Porfiry Petrovich, who is supposed to come to Razumikhin’s housewarming party. They say that the artist Nikolai, who worked in an apartment on the third floor, was accused of murder because he was trying to hand over earrings that belonged to Likhvartsi. The painter says that he found those earrings outside the apartment door and did not kill anyone. Then Razumikhin tries to reconstruct the whole picture of the crime. When Kokh and Pestryakov (the people who came to the pawnbroker when Raskolnikov was there) rang the doorbell, the killer was in the apartment, Razumikhin argues, and when they went after the janitor, he ran and hid in an empty apartment on the third floor. It was at this time that the painters ran out of it, chasing each other for fun. There the killer accidentally dropped the case with the earrings, which Nikolai later found. When Koch and Pestryakov returned upstairs, the killer disappeared.
During their conversation, an older, not very pleasant-looking man comes into the room. This man is Dunya’s fiancé, Pyotr Petrovich Luzhin. He informs Rodion that his mother and sister will soon arrive in St. Petersburg and stay in rooms at his expense. Rodion understands that these rooms are very dubious premises. Luzhin says that he has already purchased a separate apartment for himself and Dunya, but it is now being renovated. He himself stayed with his friend Andrei Semenovich Lebezyatnikov. Luzhin thinks aloud about modern society, about the new trends that he follows, and says that the more well-organized private enterprises in a society, the better the whole society is organized. Therefore, according to Luzhin’s philosophy, you must first love yourself, because to love your neighbor is to tear your clothes in half, give half, and both will be left naked.
Razumikhin interrupts Luzhin, the society returns to discussing the crime. Zosimov believes that the old woman was killed by one of those to whom she gave loans. Razumikhin agrees and adds that investigator Porfiry Petrovich is interrogating them. Luzhin, intervening in the conversation, begins to talk about the crime level, about the increase in the number of crimes not only among the poor, but also in the upper strata. Raskolnikov joins the conversation. He says that the reason for this is precisely Luzhin’s theory, because when it is continued, it means that people can be killed. Raskolnikov turns to Luzhin, without hiding his irritation, asking whether Luzhin is really more satisfied that his bride is poor and now he can feel like the master of his fate. Rodion drives Luzhin away. He goes, indignant. When everyone has left, Raskolnikov goes to wander around the city, he enters a tavern, where he asks about the latest newspapers. There he meets Zametov, a clerk from the police station, a friend of Razumikhin. In his conversation with him, Raskolnikov is very nervous; he tells Zametov what he would do if he killed the old woman. “What if it was I who killed the old woman and Lizaveta? Admit it, would you believe it? Yes? “- he asks. Raskolnikov left in a state of complete nervous exhaustion. If at the beginning of the conversation Zametov had any suspicions, now he decides that they are all groundless, and Raskolnikov is just a nervous and strange guy. At the door, Rodion meets Razumikhin, who does not understand what is happening to his friend, invites Raskolnikov to a housewarming party. But he only asks to leave him at last and goes.
Raskolnikov stops on the bridge, looks into the water, and suddenly a woman nearby throws herself into the water, and a policeman saves her. Having thrown away the unexpected thought of suicide, Raskolnikov heads to the police station, but ends up at the house where he committed the murder. He talks with the workers who are renovating the pawnbroker’s apartment and starts talking to the janitor. He seems very suspicious to all of them. On the street, Rodion notices a person who was hit by a carriage. He recognizes Marmeladov and helps take him home. Marmeladov is dying. Ekaterina Ivanovna sends the priest and Sonya so that she can say goodbye to her father. Dying, he asks his daughter for forgiveness. Raskolnikov leaves all his money to Marmeladov’s family and leaves, he asks Ekaterina Ivanovna’s daughter Polya to pray for him, leaves his address and promises to come again. He feels that he can still live on, and his life did not die with the old money-lender.
Raskolnikov goes to Razumikhin and talks to him in the hallway. On the way to Rodion's house, the men talk about Zosimov, who considers Raskolnikov crazy, about Zametov, who no longer suspects Rodion. Razumikhin says that he himself and Porfiry Petrovich were really waiting for Raskolnikov. The light is on in Rodion’s room: his mother and sister have been waiting for him for several hours. Seeing them, Rodion consciousness.
PART THREE
Having woken up, Raskolnikov tells how he kicked out Luzhin, he insists that Dunya refuse this marriage, because he does not want to accept her sacrifice. “Either I or Luzhin,” says Rodion. Razumikhin tries to calm down Raskolnikov's mother and sister, explaining all of Rodion's illnesses. He falls in love with Dunya at first sight. Having seen them off, he returns to Raskolnikov, and from there he again goes to Dunya, inviting Zosimov with him. Zosimov says that Raskolnikov has signs of monomania, but the arrival of his relatives will definitely help him.
Waking up the next morning, Razumikhin reproaches himself for yesterday’s behavior, because he behaved too eccentrically, which may have frightened Dunya. He goes to them again, where he tells Rodion’s mother and sister about the events that, in his opinion, could lead to Rodion’s condition. Raskolnikov's mother, Pulcheria Alexandrovna, says that Luzhin did not meet them with Dunya at the station, as he promised, but instead sent a footman; today he also did not come, although he promised, but he sent a note. Razumikhin reads a note in which it is written that Rodion Romanovich greatly offended Luzhin, so Luzhin does not want to see him. And therefore he asks that tonight, when he comes to them, Rodion will not be there. In addition, Luzhin says that he saw Rodion in the apartment of a drunkard who died in the carriage, and knows that Rodion gave his daughter, a girl of dubious behavior, twenty-five rubles. Dunya decides that Rodion must come.
But before that, they themselves go to Rodion, where they find Zosimov, Raskolnikov is very pale and depressed. He talks about Marmeladov, his widow, her children, Sonya, and why he gave them the money. Rodion’s mother talks about the unexpected death of Svidrigailov’s wife, Marfa Petrovna: according to rumors, she died from her husband’s abuse. Raskolnikov returns to yesterday’s conversation with Dunya: “Either I or Luzhin,” he says again. Dunya replies that she will not marry Luzhin if he is not worthy of her respect, and this will become clear in the evening. The girl shows her brother Luzhin’s letter and asks him to definitely come.
While they are talking, Sonya Marmeladova comes into the room to invite Raskolnikov to the funeral. Rodion promises to come and introduces Sonya to his family. Dunya and her mother go, inviting Razumikhin to their place for dinner. Raskolnikov tells his friend that the old one contained his collateral: a watch from his father and a ring given by Dunya. He is afraid that these things will be lost. Therefore, Raskolnikov ponders whether he should turn to Porfiry Petrovich. Razumikhin says that this definitely needs to be done, and Porfiry Petrovich will be glad to meet Rodion. Everyone leaves the house, and Raskolnikov asks Sonya for her address. She walks scared, very afraid that Rodion will see how she lives. A man is watching her, he accompanies her to the door of her room, only there he speaks to her. He says that they are neighbors, he lives nearby, and recently arrived in the city.
Razumikhin and Raskolnikov go to Porfiry. Rodion is worried about everything, Porfiry knows that yesterday he was in the old apartment and asked about the blood. Raskolnikov resorts to cunning: he jokes with Razumikhin, hinting at his attitude towards Duna. Rodion laughs. Razumikhin, laughing, comes to Porfiry. Rodion tries to make his laughter sound natural. Razumikhin is quite sincerely angry because of Rodion’s joke. Within a minute, Rodion notices Zametov in the corner. This makes him suspicious.
Men talk about forced things. It seems to Raskolnikov that Porfiry Petrovich knows. When the conversation turns to crime in general, Razumikhin expresses his thoughts and says that he does not agree with socialists who explain all crimes solely by social factors. Then Porfiry mentions Raskolnikov’s article published in the newspaper. The article is called “About Crime”. Raskolnikov didn’t even know that the article had been published after all, because he wrote it several months ago. The article talks about the psychological state of the criminal, and Porfiry Petrovich says that the article is a completely transparent hint that there are special people who have the right to commit crimes. According to Raskolnikov, all outstanding people who are able to say a new word are, by their nature, criminals to a certain extent. People are generally divided into two categories: the lower (ordinary people), who are only material for the reproduction of new people, and real people, capable of creating something new, saying a new word. And if a person from the second category needs to step over a crime, through blood, for the sake of her own idea, she can afford to do it. The first are conservative people, accustomed to listening, they are people of the present, and the second are destroyers by nature, they are people of the future. The former only preserve humanity as a species, while the latter advance humanity towards the goal.
“How can we distinguish these ordinary ones from the unusual ones?” — Porfiry Petrovich is interested. Raskolnikov believes that only a person of the lowest rank can make a mistake in this distinction, because many of them consider themselves a new person, a person of the future, while they do not notice real new people or even despise them. According to Raskolnikov, very few new people are born. Razumikhin indignantly disagrees with his friend, saying that allowing oneself to step over blood “out of conscience” is more terrible than official permission to shed blood, legal permission...
“What if some ordinary guy thinks he’s Lycurgus or Mohammed and starts removing obstacles?” - Asks Porfiry Petrovich. And didn’t Raskolnikov himself, when writing the article, feel at least a little like an amazing person who was saying a “new word”? Quite possibly, Raskolnikov answers. Did Raskolnikov, for the sake of all humanity, also decide to steal or kill? - Porfiry Petrovich does not subside. If I had overstepped, then, of course, I wouldn’t have told you,” answers a gloomy Rodion and adds that he does not consider himself Napoleon or Mohammed. Who in Rus' considers himself Napoleon? .. - Porfiry smiles. Was it not Napoleon who killed our Alena Ivanovna with an ax just last week? - Zametova suddenly asks. Gloomy, Raskolnikov is getting ready to leave and agrees to visit the investigator tomorrow. Porfiry is trying to finally confuse Rodion, allegedly confusing the day of the murder with the day when Raskolnikov went to the pawnbrokers.
Raskolnikov and Razumikhin go to see Pulcheria Alexandrovna and Dunya. Dear Razumikhin is indignant that Porfiry Petrovich and Zametova suspect Rodion of murder. Suddenly something occurs to Rodion and he returns home, where he checks the hole under the wallpaper: there is nothing left there. There's nothing there. Going out into the yard, he notices the janitor pointing him out to a man. The man leaves silently. Rodion catches up with him and asks what this means. The man, looking into Rodion’s eyes, quietly and clearly says: “Murderer!”
Irritated and amazed, Raskolnikov returns to his room on weak legs, his thoughts are confused. He discusses what kind of person he was. He despises himself for his weakness, because he knew in advance what would happen to him. But he knew it! He wanted to step over, but couldn’t... He didn’t kill the old woman, but the principle... He wanted to step over, but he remained on this side. All he could do was kill! Those others are not like him. The real owner destroys Toulon, organizes a massacre in Paris, forgets the army in Egypt, wastes half a million people in Moscow... and it is he who is erected a monument after his death. Consequently, everything is allowed to such people, but not to him... He convinced himself that he was doing this for a good cause, but now what? He suffers and despises himself: and deservedly so. In his soul there arises hatred for everyone and at the same time love for the dear, unfortunate Elizabeth, mother, Sonya...
He understands that at such a moment he can involuntarily tell everything to his mother... Raskolnikov falls asleep and sees a terrible dream, where the man of today lures him into the pawnbroker’s apartment, and she is alive, he hits her again with an ax, and she laughs. He starts to run - some people are already waiting for him. Rodion wakes up and sees a man on the threshold - Arkady Petrovich Svidrigailov.
PART FOUR
Svidrigailov says that he needs Raskolnikov’s help in one matter that concerns his sister. She herself will not let him in, but together with his brother... Raskolnikov refuses Svidrigailov. He explains his behavior towards Dunya with love, passion, and to accusations of his wife’s death he replies that she died of apoplexy, and he only hit her “only twice with a whip”... Svidrigailov speaks without stopping. Examining the guest, Rodion suddenly remarks out loud that Svidrigailov can be a decent person in a certain case.
Svidrigailov tells the story of his relationship with Marfa Petrovna. But she bought him out of prison, where he ended up for debt, married him and took him to the village. She loved him very much, and all her life she kept a document about the thirty thousand rubles he paid as a guarantee that the man would not leave her. And only a year before her death she gave him this document and gave him a lot of money. Svidrigailov tells how the late Marfa Petrovna came to him. Shocked, Raskolnikov thinks that the deceased moneylender appeared to him too. “Why did I think that something like this would happen to you,” Rodion exclaimed. Svidrigailov feels that there is something in common between them; he admits that as soon as he saw Rodion, he immediately thought: “This is the one!” But he can't explain which is the same. Raskolnikov advises Svidrigailov to see a doctor, considers him abnormal... Meanwhile, Svidrigailov says that the dispute between him and his wife arose because she organized Dunya’s engagement to Luzhin. Svidrigailov himself believes that he is not Dunya’s match, and is even ready to offer her money to ease the break with her fiancé, and Marfa Petrovna left Dunya three thousand. Svidrigailov really wants to see Dunya; he himself is soon going to marry a girl. On his way out, he runs into Razumikhin at the door.
Arriving at Pulcheria Alexandrovna and Dunya, the friends meet Luzhin there. He is angry, because he asked Raskolnikov not to let him in.
When it comes to Marfa Petrovna, Luzhin reports the arrival of Svidrigailov and talks about this man’s crime, which he allegedly learned from his wife. The niece of Svidrigailov’s acquaintance, pawnbroker Resslikh, hanged herself in the attic of the house, allegedly because Svidrigailov “cruelly insulted” him. According to Luzhin, Svidrigailov tortured and drove his servant to suicide. But Dunya objects and says that Svidrigailov treated the servants well. Raskolnikov reports that Svidrigailov came to see him, and that Marfa Petrovna bequeathed money to Dunya.
Luzhin is about to leave. Dunya asks him to stay to find out everything. But, according to Luzhin, a woman’s attitude towards a man should be higher than her attitude towards her brother - he is angry that he is being put “on the same level” with Raskolnikov. He reproaches Pulcheria Alexandrovna for misunderstanding him and writing lies about him in her letter to Rodion. Intervening, Raskolnikov reproaches that Luzhin said that he left the money not to the widow of the deceased Marmeladov, but to his daughter, about whom Luzhin spoke in an undignified tone. Raskolnikov declares that Luzhin is not worth Dunya’s little finger. The dispute ends with Dunya herself ordering Luzhin to leave, and Rodion kicking him out. Luzhin is outraged, he knows that the rumors about Dunya are false, but he considers his decision to marry her a worthy act, for which everyone should be grateful to him. He can't believe that two poor, helpless women are not submitting to him. For many years he dreamed of marrying a simple, but reasonable, honest and beautiful girl. And so his dreams began to come true, it could help him in his career, but now everything is lost! But Luzhin does not give up hope of fixing everything...
Finally, everyone is happy that Luzhin went. Dunya admits that she wanted to get money this way, but she didn’t even realize that Luzhin was a scoundrel. Excited Razumikhin does not hide his joy. Telling his family about Svidrigailov’s visit, Raskolnikov says that he seemed strange, almost crazy: he either said that he would go, or that he was going to get married. Dunya is worried, her intuition tells her that Svidrigailov is planning something terrible. Razumikhin persuades the women to stay in St. Petersburg. He promises that he will get money and they will be able to publish books; he says that he has already found them good premises. Dunya really likes his idea. Meanwhile, Rodion is about to leave. “Who knows, maybe we’ll see each other again,” he says involuntarily. Having caught up with him, Razumikhin tries to find out at least something. Rodion asks his friend not to abandon his mother and Dunya. Their glances meet, and Razumikhin is struck by a terrible guess. He turns pale and freezes in place. "Do you understand now?" - Raskolnikov says.
Raskolnikov goes to see Sonya; she has an amazing, irregularly shaped, clear and miserable room. Sonya talks about the owners who treat her well, remembers Ekaterina Ivanovna, whom she loves very much: she is so unhappy and sick, she believes that there should be justice in everything... Sonya reproaches herself that a week before her father’s death she refused to read him a book, and She did not give Katerina Ivanovna the collar that she had purchased from Elizabeth. “But Katerina Ivanovna is sick,” Rodion objects, “and you can get sick, then they will take you to the hospital, but what will happen to the children? Then the same thing will happen with Polya as with Sonya” and “No!” .. - Sonya screams. - God will protect her! “Maybe there is no God at all,” Raskolnikov answers. Sonya cries, she considers herself infinitely sinful, suddenly Rodion bows and kisses her foot. “I didn’t bow to you, I bowed to all human suffering,” he says quietly. He says that Sonya’s biggest sin is that she has lost everything, that she lives in the dirt, that hates, and this does not save anyone from anything, and it would be better for her to just kill herself...
Rodion understands from Sonya’s eyes alone that she has thought about suicide more than once, but her love for Katerina Ivanovna and her children make her live. And the dirt in which he lives did not touch her soul - she remained clean. Placing all her hopes on God, Sonya often goes to church, but constantly reads and knows the Gospel well. Last week it happened in the church: Elizabeth sent a memorial service for the dead, which was “fair.” Sonya reads aloud to Raskolnikov the parable of the resurrection of Lazarus. Raskolnikov tells Sonya that he left his family and now he only has her left. They are cursed together, they must go together! “You also stepped over,” says Rodion, “you were able to step over. You killed yourself, you ruined your life... yours, but it’s all the same... For if you’re left alone, crazy like me... You have to break everything and take the suffering upon yourself. And power over the trembling creatures and over the entire human anthill is the goal. Raskolnikov says that he will follow now, but if tomorrow (if he comes at all), he will tell Sonya who killed Lizaveta. Meanwhile, in the next room, Svidrigailov overheard their entire conversation...
The next morning, Raskolnikov goes to see investigator Porfiry Petrovich. Rodion is sure that the mysterious man who called him a murderer has already denounced him. But in the office no one pays attention to Raskolnikov; the young man is very afraid of the investigator. Having met him, amiable as always, Rodion gives him a receipt for the watch he pawned. Noticing Raskolnikov's excited state, Porfiry starts an intricate conversation, testing the young man's patience. Raskolnikov cannot stand it, asks to be interrogated according to the form, according to the rules, but Porfiry Petrovich does not pay attention to his exclamation and seems to be waiting for something or someone. The investigator mentions Raskolnikov’s article about criminals and says that the criminal should not be arrested too early, because, remaining free, he will finally come and confess. This is more likely to happen to a developed, nervous person. And the criminal can escape, then “he won’t escape from me psychologically,” says Porfiry Petrovich. In addition, the criminal does not take into account that, in addition to his plans, there is also nature, human nature. So it turns out that some young man will cunningly think through everything, hide it, one might seem to rejoice, but he will go ahead and faint! Raskolnikov holds on, but clearly sees that Porfiry suspects him of murder. The investigator tells him that he knows how he went to the pawnbroker’s apartment and asked about the blood, but... everything explains this by Rodion’s mental illness, as if he did all this in delirium. Unable to bear it, Raskolnikov shouts that it was not in delirium, it was in reality!
Porfiry Petrovich continues his confusing monologue, which completely confuses Raskolnikov. Rodion himself both believes and does not believe that he is suspected. Suddenly he shouts that he will no longer allow himself to be tormented: arrest me, they will search me, but please act according to form, and not play with me! At this time, the accused painter Nikolai comes into the room and loudly confesses to the murder he committed. Somewhat reassured, Rodion decides to leave. The investigator tells him that they will definitely meet again... Already at home, Raskolnikov thinks a lot about the conversation with the investigator, remembers the men he waited for yesterday. Suddenly the door opens slightly and the same man stands on the threshold. Raskolnikov freezes, but the husband apologizes for his words. Suddenly Rodion remembers that he saw him when he went to the apartment of the murdered pawnbroker. So, the investigator, other than psychology, has nothing on Raskolnikov?! “Now we’ll fight again,” Raskolnikov thinks.
PART FIVE
Waking up, Luzhin, angry at the whole world, thinks about breaking up with Dunya. He is angry with himself for telling his friend Lebezyatnikov about this, and he is now laughing at him. Other troubles also irritate him: one of his cases in the Senate did not pass, the owner of the apartment demands to pay a penalty, the furniture store does not want to return the deposit. All this increases Luzhin’s hatred for Raskolnikov. Luzhin regrets that he did not give money to Duna and her mother - then they would have felt obligated. Remembering that he was invited to Marmeladov’s wake, Luzhin learns that Raskolnikov should also be there.
Luzhin despises and hates Lebezyatnikov, whom he knows about from the provinces, because he is his guardian. He knows that Lebezyatnikov allegedly has influence in certain circles. Arriving in St. Petersburg, Luzhin decides to get closer to “our younger generations.” In this, in his opinion, Lebezyatnikov can help, although he himself is a simple-minded person. Luzhin has heard about some progressives, nihilists and denouncers, and he is more afraid of denouncers. Andrei Semenovich Lebezyatnikov is a man who seizes on every fashionable idea, turning it into a caricature, although he serves this idea quite sincerely. He dreams of creating a commune, wants to include Sonya in it, he himself continues to “develop” him, surprised that she is too timid and shy with him. Taking advantage of the fact that the conversation was about Sonya, Luzhin asks to call her and gives her ten rubles. Lebezyatnikov is delighted with his action.
“The pride of the poor” forces Katerina Ivanovna to spend at least half of the money left by Rodion on the funeral. His landlady Amalia Ivanovna, with whom they constantly quarreled, helps him in preparations. Ekaterina Ivanovna is dissatisfied that neither Luzhin nor Lebezyatnikov is there, and is very happy when Raskolnikov arrives. The woman is nervous and excited, she is coughing up blood and is close to hysterics. Worried about her, Sonya is afraid that all this could end badly. And so it turns out - Ekaterina Ivanovna begins to quarrel with the hostess. In the midst of a quarrel, Luzhin arrives. He claims that one hundred rubles disappeared from him when Sonya was in his room. Sonya replies that he himself gave her ten, and she didn’t take anything else. Having come to the girl’s defense, Ekaterina Ivanovna begins to empty Sonya’s pocket, when suddenly money falls out. Katerina Ivanovna screams that Sonya cannot steal, sobs, and turns to Raskolnikov for protection. Luzhin demands to call the police. But he’s happy and publicly “forgives” Sonya. Luzhin’s accusation is refuted by Lebezyatnikov, who says that he himself saw him plant money on the girl. At first he thought that Luzhin was doing this to avoid words of gratitude, from the bottom of his heart. Lebezyatnikov is ready to swear to the police that everything happened like that, but he doesn’t understand why Luzhin needs such a base act. “I can explain,” Rodion suddenly intervenes. He says that Luzhin wooed his sister, Dunya, but quarreled with him. Having accidentally seen how Raskolnikov gave money to Katerina Ivanovna, he told Rodion’s relatives that the young man had given their last money to Sonya, hinting at the dishonesty of this girl and some kind of connection between Raskolnikov and Sonya. Therefore, if Luzhin managed to prove Sonya’s dishonesty, he could quarrel between Rodion and his mother and sister. Luzhin was driven away.
In despair, Sonya looks at Rodion, seeing him as a protector. Luzhin shouts that he will find “justice.” Unable to bear all this, Sonya runs home in tears. Amalia Ivanovna kicks Marmeladov's widow and children out of the apartment. Raskolnikov goes to Sonya.
Raskolnikov feels that “he must” tell Sonya who killed Lizaveta, and anticipates the terrible torment that will be the consequence of this confession. He is afraid and doubts, but the need to tell everything increases. Raskolnikov asks Sonya what she would do if she had to decide whether Ekaterina Ivanovna or Luzhin should die. Sonya says that she foresaw such a question, but she doesn’t know, doesn’t know God’s providence, and it’s not for her to decide who lives and who doesn’t, she asks Raskolnikov to speak directly. Then Rodion confesses to the deliberate murder of the old woman and the accidental murder of Elizabeth.
“What have you done to yourself! .. Now there is no one more unhappy than you in the whole world,” Sonya screams in despair, hugging Raskolnikov. She will go with him to hard labor! But suddenly she realizes that he has not yet fully realized the horror of what he did. Sonya begins to question Rodion. “I wanted to become Napoleon, that’s why I killed...” says Rodion. It would never have occurred to Napoleon to think about whether to kill the old one or not, if he needed it... He killed just a louse, senseless, disgusting... No, Raskolnikov objects to himself, not a louse, but he wanted to dare and kill … “I needed to find out… am I a louse like everyone else, or a human being? .. Am I a trembling creature or do I have the right... I didn’t have the right to go there, because I’m a louse like everyone else! .. Did I kill the old woman? I killed myself! .. So what's now? ..” - Rodion addresses Sonya.
The girl tells him that he must go out to the crossroads and kiss the ground that he soiled with murder, bow on four sides and say out loud to everyone: “I killed!” Raskolnikov must accept suffering and atone for his guilt with it. But he doesn’t want to repent in front of people who torture each other and also talk about virtue. They are all scoundrels and will not understand anything. “I’m still fighting,” says Raskolnikov. “Maybe I’m a man, and not a louse, and I hastened to condemn myself...” However, Rodion immediately asks Sonya if she will go to see him in prison... The girl wants to give him her cross, but he does not take it: “better later.” Lebezyatnikov looks into the room, he says that Katerina Ivanovna is leaving: she went to her man’s former boss and made a scandal there, came back, beats the children, sews them some hats, is going to take them out into the street, walk around the courtyards, pounding the basin instead , music, so that the children sing and dance... Sonya runs out in despair.
Raskolnikov returns to his closet, he reproaches himself for making Sonya unhappy with his confession. Dunya comes to him, she says that Razumikhin assured her that all the accusations and suspicions on the part of the investigator were groundless. Excited, Dunya assures her brother that she is ready to give him her whole life, if only he will call. Raskolnikov speaks about Razumikhin, praising him as an honest man who knows how to love deeply. He says goodbye to his sister, and she goes away worried. Rodion is overcome by melancholy, a premonition of many years that will pass in this melancholy... He meets Lebezyatnikov, who talks about Katerina Ivanovna, who, distraught, walks the streets, makes children sing and dance, screams, tries to sing, coughs, cries. The policeman demands that order be maintained, the children run away, catching up with them, Katerina Ivanovna falls, her throat begins to bleed... She is carried to Sonya. In the room, near the dying woman’s bed, people gather, among them Svidrigailov. A woman dreams and dies in a few minutes. Svidrigailov offers to pay for the funeral, place the children in an orphanage, and put one and a half thousand in the bank for each person until they reach adulthood. He is going to “pull Sonya out of the hole”... According to him, Raskolnikov begins to guess that Svidrigailov overheard all their conversations. But he himself does not deny this. “I told you that we will get along,” he says to Rodion.
PART SIX
Raskolnikov is in a strange mental state: he is seized by either anxiety or apathy. He thinks about Svidrigailov, whom he has seen several times in recent days. Now Svidrigailov is busy arranging for the children of the deceased Ekaterina Ivanovna and the funeral. Having come to a friend, Razumikhin says that Rodion’s mother is sick, but she still came with Dunya to her son, and no one was at home. Raskolnikov says that Dunya “may already be in love” with Razumikhin. Razumikhin, intrigued by his friend's behavior, thinks that Rodion may be connected with political conspirators. Razumikhin recalls the letter that Dunya received and which excited her very much. Razumikhin also recalls Porfiry Petrovich, who talked about the painter Nikolai, who confessed to the murder. After seeing his friend off, Raskolnikov wonders why Porfiry needs to convince Razumikhin that an artist should.
The arrival of Porfiry himself almost shocks Rodion. The investigator reports that he was here two days ago, but did not find anyone. After a long and vague monologue, Porfiry reports that it was not Nikolai who committed the crime, but confessed only through piety - he decided to accept suffering. Another person killed... killed two, according to the theory, killed. She killed her and couldn’t take the money, but when she managed to take it, she hid it under a stone. Then she came to an empty apartment... half delirious... she killed, but she considers herself an honest person, and despises others... “Yes... who... killed? “- Raskolnikov cannot stand it. “So you killed,” replies Porfiry Petrovich. The investigator says that he is not arresting Raskolnikov because he has no evidence against him yet, and besides, he wants Rodion to come and confess. In this case, he considers the crime to be the result of insanity. Raskolnikov only smiles, he supposedly does not want such a mitigation of his guilt. Porfiry says how Rodion came up with the theory, and now it’s a shame that he fell through, that it turned out not at all original, but insidiously and disgusting... According to the investigator, Raskolnikov is not a hopeless scoundrel, he is one of the people who will endure any torment if only they find “faith or God." When Raskolnikov has done this, he now need not be afraid, but should do what justice requires. The investigator says that he will come to arrest Rodion in two days and is not afraid that he will run away. “You can’t get by without us now,” he tells him. Porfiry is sure that Raskolnikov will admit everything anyway and will decide to accept suffering. And if he decides to commit suicide, let him leave a detailed note, where he will inform about the stone under which he hid the stolen...
After the investigator left, Raskolnikov hurries to Svidrigailov, without understanding why. Svidrigailov heard everything, then went to Porfiry Petrovich, but will he still go? Maybe it won't work at all? What if he has some intentions regarding Dunya and is going to use what he heard from Raskolnikov? They talk in a tavern, Raskolnikov threatens to kill Svidrigailov if he pursues his sister. He claims that he came to St. Petersburg more in relation to women... He considers debauchery an activity no worse than all the others, because there is something natural in it... This is a disease only if you do not know the limits. Otherwise all that was left was to shoot himself. Or does the nastiness of all this not stop Svidrigailov, Rodion asks, has he already lost the strength to stop? Svidrigailov calls the young man an idealist and tells the story of his life...
Marfa Petrovna bought him out of debtor's prison, she was older than Svidrigailov, she was ill with some illness... Svidrigailov did not claim allegiance. They agreed that he would never leave his wife, would not go anywhere without her permission, and would never have a permanent mistress. Marfa Petrovna allowed him to have relationships with the maids, but he promised her that he would never love a woman of his circle. They had quarreled before, but everything somehow calmed down until Dunya appeared. Marfa Petrovna herself took her as a governess and loved her very much. Svidrigailov fell in love with Dunya at first sight and tried not to react to the words of the woman who praised Dunya. The woman Svidrigailova told Duna about their family secrets and often complained to her. Dunya finally felt pity for Svidrigailov as a lost man. And in such cases, the girl certainly wants to be “saved,” resurrected and revived to a new life.
It was at this time that a new girl, Parasha, appeared on the estate, pretty, but very smart. Svidrigailov begins to court her, which ends in a scandal. Dunya asks Svidrigailov to leave the girl. He feigns shame, talks about his fate, and begins to flatter Duna. But it also reveals his dishonesty. As if wanting revenge, Svidrigailov mocks Dunya’s attempts to “revive” him and continues his relationship with the new maid, and not only with her. They quarreled. Knowing about Dunya's poverty, Svidrigailov offers her all his money so that she will run away with him to St. Petersburg. He was unconsciously in love with Dunya. Having learned that Marfa Petrovna somewhere “got this evil... Luzhin and almost staged a wedding,” Svidrigailov was indignant. Raskolnikov argues that Svidrigailov abandoned his intentions regarding Dunya, and it seems to him that he did not. Svidrigailov himself reports that he is going to marry a sixteen-year-old girl from a poor family - he recently met her and her mother in St. Petersburg and still maintains his acquaintance, helping them with funds.
Having finished speaking, Svidrigailov heads towards the exit with a gloomy face. Raskolnikov follows him, worried that he will not suddenly go to Dunya. When it comes to Rodion’s conversation with Sonya, which Svidrigailov dishonestly overheard, Svidrigalov advises Rodion to discard moral questions and go somewhere far away, even offering money for the trip. Or let Raskolnikov shoot himself.
Having finished speaking, Svidrigailov heads towards the exit with a gloomy face. Raskolnikov follows him, worried that he will not suddenly go to Dunya. When it comes to Rodion’s conversation with Sonya, which Svidrigailov dishonestly overheard, Svidrigalov advises Rodion to discard moral questions and go somewhere far away, even offering money for the trip. Or let Raskolnikov shoot himself.
To distract Raskolnikov, Svidrigailov takes a carriage and goes somewhere, but soon lets him go and returns unnoticed. Meanwhile, Rodion, deep in thought, stands on the bridge. Only he passed by Dunya and didn’t notice. While the girl hesitates to call her brother, she notices Svidrigailov, who is beckoning her to him. Svidrigailov asks Dunya to go with him, as if she wants to talk to Sonya and look at some documents. Svidrigailov admits that he knows her brother’s secret. They talk in Svidrigailov's room. Dunya returns to Svidrigailov the letter he wrote, in which there are many hints about the crime committed by his brother. Dunya firmly says that she does not believe in this. Svidrigailov talks about Rodion’s conversation with Sonya, which he overheard. He tells how Rodion killed Lizaveta and the old one, he killed according to the theory that he himself came up with. Dunya wants to talk to Sonya. Svidrigailov, meanwhile, offers his help, he agrees to take Rodion away from here, but everything depends only on Dunya: she will remain with Svidrigailov. Dunya demands that he open the door and let her out. The girl takes out a revolver and shoots, but the bullet only touches Svidrigailov’s hair and hits the wall, she shoots again - it misfires. She throws the revolver in despair: “So you don’t love me? - Sidrigailov asks her. - Never? “Never,” exclaims Dunya. The man silently gives her the key. A moment later he notices the revolver, puts it in his pocket and leaves.
In the evening, Svidrigailov goes to Sonya, talks about his possible departure to America and gives her all the receipts that he left for Katerina Ivanovna’s children, and gives Sonya three thousand rubles. He asks to convey his regards to Raskolnikov and Razumikhin and walks into the rain. Going to see his fiancee, he tells her that he must go and leaves a large sum of money. He wanders the streets, then somewhere on the outskirts he rents a shabby room. He lies and thinks about Dunya, about the suicidal girl, looks out the window for a long time, then walks along the corridor. In the corridor he notices a girl of about five who is crying. He feels sorry for the girl, he takes her to his place and puts her to bed. Suddenly he sees that she is not sleeping, but smiles slyly at him, stretches her hands towards him... Svidrigailov is scared, screams... and wakes up. The girl is sleeping peacefully, Svidrigailov turns out. He stops at the fire tower and specifically in front of the fireman (to be an official witness) shoots himself with a revolver.
In the evening of the same day, Raskolnikov comes to his mother. Pulcheria Alexandrovna talks to him about his article, which she is reading for the third time, but does not understand much of it. The woman says that her son will soon become famous, Rodion says goodbye to him, says that he must go. “I will never stop loving you,” he adds. Dunya is waiting for him at home. “If I considered myself strong before, even if I’m not afraid of shame now,” he tells his sister, he is going to go to the investigator and confess everything. “Aren’t you, by going to suffer, already washing away half of your crime?” - Dunya asks. Raskolnikov is furious: “What crime?” - He shouts. Is it really a crime that he killed the nasty pawnbroker who only harmed people, killed the nasty louse? He doesn’t think about it and doesn’t intend to wash it off! “But you shed blood,” Dunya shouts. “Which everyone sheds... which flows and has always flowed in the world, like a waterfall...” replies Rodion. He says that he himself wanted good and did a hundred, no, thousands of good deeds instead of one stupidity... And this thought is not at all as stupid as it seems now, during the failure... He wanted to take the first step, and then everything would be settled with immeasurable benefit... Why is hitting people with bombs a legal form? - Rodion shouts. “He doesn’t understand my crime!”
Seeing the inexpressible torment in his sister’s eyes, Rodion came to his senses. He asks Dunya not to cry for them and to take care of her mother, he promises that he will try “to be honest and courageous all his life,” although he is a murderer. Later, Raskolnikov, lost in thought, walks down the street. “Why do they love me so much if I’m not worth it! Oh, if only I and no one loved me, and I myself would not love anyone! All this wouldn’t exist,” he argues.
Evening had already come when Rodion came to Sonya. In the morning Dunya came to the girl and they talked for a long time. Sonya waited all day for Rodion in anxiety and excitement. She drove away thoughts of his possible suicide, but they still took over. Then Rodion finally came to her. He is very excited, his hands are shaking, he cannot stop at one thing. Sonya puts a cypress cross on Raskolnikov, and keeps Elizabeth’s copper cross for herself. “Cross yourself, pray at least once,” Sonya asks Rodion. He is baptized. Raskolnikov comes out and on the way remembers Sonya’s words about the crossroads. He trembled all over, remembering this and rushed into the very possibility of this new complete sensation. Tears rolled down his face... He knelt down in the middle of the square, bowed to the ground and kissed the dirty ground with pleasure and happiness... Raskolnikov stood up and bowed a second time. Passers-by laughed at him. He noticed Sonya, who was secretly following him. Raskolnikov comes to the police station, where he learns about Svidrigailov’s suicide. Startled, he goes outside, where he runs into Sonya. With a confused smile, he returns and confesses to the murder.
Epilogue
Siberia. On the banks of a wide river stands a city, one of the administrative centers of Russia... Rodion Raskolnikov has been imprisoned in prison for nine months. A year and a half has passed since his crime. At the trial, Raskolnikov did not hide anything. The fact that he hid the stolen wallet and items under a rock without using them or even knowing how much he stole greatly impressed the judges and investigators. They decided that he committed the crime in a state of temporary insanity. The confession also contributed to a reduced sentence. In addition, attention was paid to other circumstances of the defendant’s life: during his studies, he supported a sick friend with his last funds, and after his death he cared for his second sick father. According to the landlady, during a fire Rodion saved two small children. Finally, Raskolnikov was sentenced to eight years of hard labor. Everyone convinces Pulcheria Alexandrovna that her son has temporarily gone abroad, but she feels some problems and lives only in anticipation of a letter from Rodion; over time, she dies. Dunya marries Razumikhin. Razumikhin continues his studies at the university and in a few years the couple plans to move to Siberia.
Sonya leaves for Siberia with Svidrigailov’s money, writes detailed letters to Dunya and Razumikhin. Sonya often sees Raskolnikov. He, according to her, is gloomy, taciturn, not interested in anything, understands his situation, does not expect anything better, has no hopes, is not surprised by anything... He does not shy away from work, but does not ask for it, and is completely indifferent to food... Raskolnikov lives in a common room. The convicts don't like him. He starts to get sick.
In fact, he has been ill for a long time - mentally. He would be happy if he could blame himself, but his conscience does not see guilt in what he did. He wants to repent, but repentance does not come... Why was his theory worse than others? He is tormented by the thought of why he did not commit suicide. Everyone loves him: “You are the master! You are an atheist,” they tell him. Raskolnikov is silent. He wonders why everyone fell in love with Sonya so much.
Raskolnikov is admitted to the hospital. In delirium, he sees a dream that the world is about to perish due to some unprecedented disease. People go crazy and consider every thought they have to be true. Everyone believes that the truth lies only in him alone. Nobody knows what is good and what is evil. There is a war of all against all. During Rodion’s illness, Sonya often came under the windows of his room, and one day he saw her. After that he was gone for two days. Returning to the prison, Raskolnikov learns that Sonya is sick and lying at home. In a note, Sonya tells him that she will soon get better and will come to him. “When he read this note, his heart beat strongly and painfully.”
4.1 / 5. 11
See also the work "Crime and Punishment"
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Other materials on the works of Dostoevsky F.M.
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Retelling plan
1. Raskolnikov’s vague thoughts.
2. His acquaintance with Marmeladov.
3. A letter from home, from which the hero learns that his sister Dunya has been slandered by Svidrigailov and Luzhin wants to marry her.
4. Raskolnikov’s dream, in which the idea of murder is clearly presented.
5. Raskolnikov kills the old pawnbroker and her sister.
6. Rodion’s nervous illness after the crime.
7. Raskolnikov’s acquaintance with Luzhin.
8. Death of Marmelalov. Raskolnikov meets Sonya.
9. Arrival of Raskolnikov’s sister and mother.
10. Raskolnikov’s friend Razumikhin meets Dunya, Raskolnikov’s sister.
11. Funeral service for Marmelalov.
12. Raskolnikov talks with investigator Porfiry Petrovich.
13. Svidrigailov insists on his meeting with Dunya.
14. Meeting of the Raskolnikov family, Razumikhin and Luzhin.
15. Raskolnikov talks about Svidrigailov’s intentions.
16. Date of Rodion and Sonya. Their conversation, overheard by Svidrigailov.
17. New meeting with Porfiry and his “surprise”.
18. Luzhin behaves unworthily towards Sonya. He's exposed.
19. Funeral for Marmeladov. Katerina Ivanovna and her children were kicked out of the apartment.
20. Raskolnikov realizes that he is a murderer. Sonya's speeches after this confession.
21. The madness of Katerina Ivanovna and her death.
22. Porfiry directly asks Raskolnikov about the murder. He doesn't admit it.
23. Svidrigailov tells Duna about the overheard conversation between Rodion and Sonya.
24. Suicide of Svidrigailov.
25. Raskolnikov realizes the need to confess to a crime.
26. Confession of Raskolnikov.
27. The life of Sonya and Rodion in Siberia, where he is serving a sentence in hard labor.
28. Raskolnikov’s mental and physical torment. Hope for revival.
Retelling
Part I
I
The action takes place in 1865. Former law student Raskolnikov is “remarkably good-looking,” but “has fallen and become shabby,” he is “crushed by poverty.” “His closet was right under the roof of a tall five-story building and looked more like a closet than an apartment... And every time the young man passed by, he felt some kind of painful and cowardly sensation, which he was ashamed of and from which he winced.” “The heat outside was terrible, and also stuffy, crowded, everywhere there was limestone, scaffolding, brick, dust and that special summer stench so familiar to every Petersburger... A feeling of deepest disgust flashed for a moment in the thin features of the young man... He He himself was aware that his thoughts were sometimes confused and that he was very weak: it was two days since he had eaten almost nothing. He was so poorly dressed that some, even ordinary people, would be ashamed to go out into the street in such rags during the day.”
The hero thinks a lot about “a certain matter,” the meaning of which remains unclear. He is looking for a way out, not wanting to “accept fate as it is.” Raskolnikov decided to make a “test” of the “enterprise”, thoughts about which arose a month and a half ago. This is the thought of killing the old woman. “He went so deep into himself and secluded himself from everyone that he was afraid even of any meeting,” “he stopped his daily affairs and did not want to deal with them.”
He went to the old pawnbroker: “Well, why am I going now? Am I capable of this? The pawnbroker Alena Ivanovna, an old woman “about sixty years old, with sharp and angry eyes, with a small pointed nose,” demands a “mortgage,” and Raskolnikov will give her a watch and promises to bring another silver cigarette case one of these days. Having left the old woman, the hero condemns himself for the thought that has long haunted him: “Oh God! How disgusting this is!.. And could such horror really come into my head? However, what filth is my heart capable of! The main thing is: dirty, dirty, disgusting, disgusting!..” In upset feelings, he enters the tavern.
II
In the tavern, his attention is attracted by the titular adviser Marmeladov. Judging by the reaction of others, he is a regular at the establishment. He has a swollen, greenish face, reddish eyes, dirty, greasy, red hands with black nails. From Marmeladov’s confused and long speech, the hero learns that he has a wife, Katerina Ivanovna, “an educated and noble woman,” and her three small children, and that she married him out of despair: “You can judge... to what extent her misfortunes reached, that She, educated and well-mannered and with a famous surname, agreed to marry me! But I went! Crying and sobbing, and wringing my hands, I went! Because there was nowhere to go." And he drinks everything to the last penny, repents, but cannot do anything with himself. Five weeks ago I was about to get a job, but again I couldn’t stand it, took the last money out of the house and went on a drinking binge.
Katerina Ivanovna forced Sonya, Marmeladov’s daughter, to “get a yellow ticket” (to go to the panel). Now the whole family lives on the money that Sonya brings. Marmeladov is already beyond despair: “After all, it is necessary that every person can at least go somewhere. For there comes a time when you absolutely have to go somewhere!.. Do you understand, do you understand, dear sir, what it means when there is nowhere else to go? No! You don’t understand this yet...” Raskolnikov accompanies Marmeladov home. “The small, smoky door at the end of the stairs, at the very top, was open. The cinder illuminated the poorest room, ten steps long; all of it could be seen from the entryway. Everything was scattered in disarray, especially various children’s rags...” Raskolnikov witnesses a loud family scene. Katerina Ivanovna brings her anger down on Raskolnikov, considering him a friend of her husband. Raskolnikov leaves the change that was in his pocket on the windowsill for the children.
III
In the morning, after a troubled dream, Raskolnikov eats yesterday's dinner brought by the cook Nastasya and reads a letter from his mother. From the letter he learns that his family has experienced drama. Sister Dunya was slandered in the house of the Svidrigailovs, where she worked as a governess. Hostess Marfa Petrovna caught the scene in the garden where her husband declared his love to Duna. After this, misfortunes began, including eviction from the apartment. But Dunya bravely endured all the humiliation and insults. Later, Mr. Svidrigailov admitted Dunya’s innocence. Now, in the person of Marfa Petrovna, the family acquired a patroness. Through her patronage, my sister began to be invited to lessons. A groom was also found - court councilor Pyotr Petrovich Luzhin, “a 45-year-old man, trustworthy and with capital; smart and apparently kind.” He “decided to take an honest girl, but without a dowry and certainly one who had already experienced distress.” Luzhin believes that “a husband should not owe anything to his wife, and it is much better if the wife considers her husband to be her benefactor.” Luzhin is in a hurry with the wedding, as he is going to move to St. Petersburg and open a public law office there. Mother, Pulcheria Raskolnikova, hopes that this will help Rodion make a career. At the end of the letter, the mother reports that she and Dunya are soon going to go to St. Petersburg. The letter touched Raskolnikov and awakened a lot of feelings from compassion to hatred. He could no longer stay in the closet and ran out into the street.
Raskolnikov has been impressed by the letter for a long time. The main thought that is spinning in his head is that Dunechka’s marriage to Luzhin will not happen. He is also outraged by the position of his relatives, who are ready to become related to a calculating and cruel businessman in order to get out of poverty and, most importantly, to help him. And especially the cynical position of Luzhin, who considers it beneficial to marry an educated girl from a poor family. The fate of a sister who does not marry for love is no better than the fate of Sonechka Marmeladova, who sells herself for money, Raskolnikov believes. But he remembers that he is a poor student, a failure, and that he has nothing to oppose Mr. Luzhin’s capital. Thoughts about suicide come to his mind. But the old idea again obscures everything.
V
At first, he decides to go to Razumikhin, a university friend from whom he can always borrow money, but then abandons his intention. Having spent the last thirty kopecks on a glass of vodka and a piece of pie, he falls asleep in the bushes on Vasilyevsky Island, exhausted by thoughts. Raskolnikov has a terrible dream. He sees himself as a seven-year-old child. He and his father walk past a tavern famous for its drunken orgies. There is a cart at the porch, but it is harnessed not to draft horses, but to a skinny peasant nag. Drunken men come out of the tavern, one of whom, Mikolka, invites everyone to get into the sleigh. There are jeers. Mikolka beats the poor nag, which cannot move from its place due to its weight. And the more helpless the horse is, the more the owner becomes wild - “whip him to death!” The others join in the beating. The nag is suffering, Mikola finishes her off with an ax. The father wants to take the child away, but the boy rushes to the dead horse and kisses it, then jumps up and throws his fists at the healthy man. Raskolnikov wakes up: the secret of a long-cherished murder plan has been revealed. The dream had such an effect on him that he abandoned his initial idea in horror: “Can it really be, can I really take an ax and start hitting him on the head... No, I can’t stand it! Let, even if there is no doubt in all these calculations, even if this is all that is decided this month, it is clear as day, fair as arithmetic. God! After all, I still won’t make up my mind!”
Walking along Sennaya Square, at the bazaar he meets the sister of the old money-lender Lizaveta. The merchants persuade her to make some kind of deal secretly from her sister. From the conversation, he accidentally learns that tomorrow at seven o’clock in the evening the old woman will be left at home alone, and he feels “that he no longer has freedom of mind or will” and “everything has been decided finally.”
VI
“The last day, which came so unexpectedly and decided everything at once, had an almost mechanical effect on him: as if someone had taken him by the hand and pulled him along, irresistibly, blindly, with unnatural strength, without objection. It was as if he had caught a piece of clothing in the wheel of a car, and he began to be pulled into it.” Raskolnikov recalls how the idea of killing the old woman was born. He learned the address from a conversation he overheard in a tavern with one of the students. He told a friend about a small and vicious old money-lender from whom you can always get money. She has a half-sister, a healthy and strong girl, Lizaveta, who is completely subordinate to the weak old woman. The student considered it unfair that a harmful, suspicious old woman who brings no benefit to society should own untold wealth. “Kill her and take the money, so that with their help you can devote yourself to serving all of humanity... Do you think that one tiny crime will not be atoned for by thousands of good deeds? In one life - thousands of lives saved from rot and decay. One death and a hundred lives in return - but this is arithmetic! And what does the life of this consumptive, stupid and evil old woman mean on the general scale? Nothing more than the life of a louse or a cockroach, and it’s not worth it, because the old woman is harmful. She eats up someone else’s life.”
Raskolnikov catches himself thinking that this is close to his views. He spends the rest of the day and the next day delirious. He prepares the braid for the ax and sews it to the left sleeve of the coat, and pulls out the hidden pawn from under the floor. Then he hears that it is seven o’clock. Without incident, he managed to take the ax from the janitor's room and headed to Alena Ivanovna's house.
VII
Raskolnikov behaves nervously, and this mood is transmitted to the old woman. She doesn't trust him. Raskolnikov hands her the pledge - a silver cigarette case. She turns to the window to get a better look at the thing. At that moment, Raskolnikov “took out an ax... waved it with both hands, barely feeling himself... almost mechanically brought the butt down on his head.” He takes the keys from the dead woman and goes to her room. There, in a hurry, he puts bundles of mortgages into his pockets. And then a slight noise attracts his attention. Running out, he sees Lizaveta, who is bending over the murdered old woman. He is confused by the unexpected turn of events. Raskolnikov kills her too. He remembers her defenseless, childish eyes. Finally, he controls himself, washes his hands, washes the axe, examines himself and gets ready to leave. Then he discovers that the door was open, and immediately hears footsteps on the stairs. He manages to put the lock on the loop. One client came to the old woman, then another. They find it strange that no one is home and the door is locked. One of them decides to go down to get the wipers and asks the other to guard the door. Without waiting for help, the client leaves.
When Raskolnikov goes down the stairs, he hears those who have left returning. And again he is lucky. He manages to hide in an empty apartment on the floor below.
Part II
/
The next day he slept until three in the afternoon. And only then did he realize that he had not hidden the things he had taken from the old woman. He began to feverishly sort through them, wash off the blood, cut off the fringe stained with blood. There was a knock on the door. Nastasya brought him a summons from the police office. She found him sick and offered him tea. But Raskolnikov refused. He went to the office, thinking along the way about why the policeman had called him. At the office it turned out that the landlady, through the police, was collecting money from him for the apartment. He tries to win over the clerk and the assistant warden. They take a receipt from him and an obligation to pay. As he leaves, he hears people talking about yesterday's murder. He faints before reaching the door. They revive him, decide that he is sick, and send him home.
II
The thought of a search is spinning in Raskolnikov’s fevered brain. He comes home, again stuffs all his things into his pockets and goes outside. He decides to throw them into the water, but everywhere is crowded. Finally, on one of the streets between the gate and the adjacent wall, he discovers a hiding place. He puts things there. On the way back, he catches himself thinking that he didn’t even ask what was in the wallet and mortgages. “Why did you endure all the torment and do such a vile, low, disgusting thing?” His feet led him to Razumikhin's house. He could not explain the purpose of the visit. I took the German translation, but then came back and put it back. Razumikhin considered him sick. Going out into the street, he almost fell under a stroller. The merchant's wife sitting in it mistakes him for a beggar and gives him two kopecks. Raskolnikov throws him into the Neva. “It seemed to him that it was as if he had cut himself off from everyone and everything at that moment with scissors.” At night he wanders. It seems to him that the assistant warden is beating the landlady. In the morning, in front of Nastasya, he falls into unconsciousness.
III
Raskolnikov woke up in his apartment a few days later. In the room are Nastasya, Razumikhin, the artel worker who brought him a translation from his mother. Razumikhin told him that he had vouched for the apartment debt. He also learned that clerk Zametov, whom he met at the police station, became his frequent guest. He himself volunteered to get to know his friends better. Razumikhin says that he showed increased interest in his things and helped look after him. After Razumikhin leaves, Raskolnikov examines things, the stove, the wall, to see if there are traces of a crime left there. Razumikhin returns with new clothes for his friend.
IV
Zosimov, another friend, a medical student, appears on the threshold of the room and states that the patient’s health is improving. Word by word, the conversation returns to the murder of the pawnbroker and her sister. Raskolnikov learns that many people were suspected: the dyer Mikola from the empty apartment where Raskolnikov was hiding, and the clients who almost caught him at the crime scene. They began to suspect Krasilytsikov because of the earrings that they found on the street and fought. Raskolnikov is convinced that the investigation is going in the right direction. The killer was in the pawnbroker's apartment when Koch and Pestryakov came knocking, then hid in an empty apartment and dropped the box with earrings on the street.
V
The conversation is interrupted by an unexpected visit. An unfamiliar gentleman appeared on the threshold of Raskolnikov’s room, who turned out to be Dunya’s fiancé, Pyotr Petrovich Luzhin. He said that not far from him he had found temporary housing for his mother and sister, as well as an apartment in which the young people would live after the wedding. Pyotr Petrovich makes an unfavorable impression on his friends. First of all, with your theory: “love yourself first of all, for everything in the world is based on personal interest.” They interrupt the conversation, not wanting to engage in a discussion with him. The conversation returns to the murder of the old woman. Raskolnikov learns that a certain Porfiry is interrogating the pawnbrokers. Zosimov believes that the killer is experienced and dexterous. Razumikhin objects to him: awkward, inexperienced, and this was the first step. “And he didn’t manage to rob, he only managed to kill.”
Luzhin, who was about to leave, decided to finally insert a few clever words about morality. Here Raskolnikov can’t stand it and says that the murder fits into Luzhin’s theory: “According to your theory!.., bring to the consequences what you preached just now, and it turns out that people can be killed...” Raskolnikov is also tormented by something else: “The truth Or, what did you tell your bride that what you are most happy about is... that she is a beggar... because it is more profitable to take a wife out of poverty, so that you can then rule over her... and reproach her for the fact that you have benefited her?..” Luzhin is outraged that Pulcheria Alexandrovna told Raskolnikov about this and distorted the meaning of his words. Raskolnikov promises to throw him down the stairs for saying bad things about his mother. Luzhin says that now there can be no question of continuing the relationship.
VI
Left alone, Raskolnikov changed clothes, took twenty-five rubles left for him by his friends, and walked around the city. On the way, he stopped at the Crystal Palace tavern. There he ordered newspapers and tea. Zametov approached him and again began to provoke him into conversation. Raskolnikov accepted the challenge. He deliberately turned the conversation to the murder of the old woman, told what he would do with the money, how he would cover his tracks. Under the guise of “this is what I would do,” he talked about the hiding place where he hid the mortgages he took from the old woman. He shocks Zametov, who calls him crazy. Raskolnikov continues: “What if it was I who killed the old woman and Lizaveta?” Zametov hastily says that he does not believe in Raskolnikov’s involvement. Raskolnikov receives confirmation that he was one of the suspects. As he leaves, on the threshold he runs into Razumikhin, who scolds him for unauthorized walks. Razumikhin invites him to a party. Raskolnikov refuses. Walking around the city, he comes to a bridge. Looking down at the water, he thinks about suicide. Suddenly, next to him, a young woman throws herself into the water. She is rescued. Seeing this picture, he rejects his idea. Without knowing why, he reaches the house of the old pawnbroker and goes up to the rooms. It's undergoing renovations. He makes a strange impression on the workers with his talk of murder. He is driven away. While wondering whether or not to go to Razu-mikhin, he hears a noise on the street nearby. He goes there.
VII
The stroller crushed the man. A crowd of onlookers gathered around, the police, the coachman made excuses. Raskolnikov, leaning closer, recognized him as his casual acquaintance Marmeladov. He volunteered to show the way to his house. When Marmeladov was carried into the room, Katerina Ivanovna desperately cried out: “I got it!” - and rushed to her husband. She began to fuss over him and sent one of her daughters, Polechka, to fetch Sonya. Almost all the residents poured out of the inner rooms and at first they crowded only in the doors, but then they poured into the room in a crowd. Katerina Ivanovna went into a frenzy. “At least they let me die in peace! - she shouted to the whole crowd, - what a performance they found! Out! At least have some respect for the dead body!” Raskolnikov suggests calling a doctor. The doctor says there is no hope. The priest arrives for the last confession. Sonechka Marmeladova appears on the threshold of the room. Raskolnikov notes that she looks very ridiculous in her cheap but flashy outfits in the squalid surroundings. She still does not dare to approach her father. Marmeladov's gaze stops at his daughter, he asks her for forgiveness and dies. Raskolnikov gives Katerina Ivanovna all the money he has left for the funeral. Polechka catches up with him on the threshold; he gives her his address. On the way home, he feels that his illness is receding: “My life has not died yet with the old woman.”
Raskolnikov comes to Razumikhin’s party, he volunteers to accompany him. When they approach Raskolnikov's house, they see a light in his room. Rodion invites his friend to witness he doesn’t know what. But in his room he sees his mother and sister. The joy of the meeting is interrupted by Raskolnikov's fainting.
Part III
I
Raskolnikov comes to his senses and asks his family to leave him. The conversation turns to Luzhin. Raskolnikov demands that his sister refuse him and sets the condition: “or he. or me". An argument arises between him and Dunya. His mother doesn't want to leave him alone. She is disturbed by the talk about his madness. Razumikhin convinces them to leave him until the morning. After the party, in an excited state, Razumikhin tells Duna a lot of unpleasant things about the groom: “he’s not a match for you.” Razumikhin likes Dunya.
II
The next morning, getting ready to visit Raskolnikov’s relatives, Razumikhin scolds himself for his incontinence. With all his appearance and behavior he is trying to prove to Duna that she does not care about him at all. Again the conversation turns to Raskolnikov. Razumikhin says that Rodion is “a smart man, but gloomy, gloomy, arrogant and proud, he doesn’t love anyone and is unlikely to love anyone.” As for the behavior with Luzhin, he accuses Raskolnikov of unrestrained behavior. He asks Dunya to apologize for his words about her fiancé. Pulcheria Alexandrovna gives Luzhin’s note to Razumikhin to read. He writes that he wants to visit them in the evening, but asks that Raskolnikov not be there. She asks Razumikhin for advice. He offers to go to Raskolnikov so that everyone can decide together.
III
At Raskolnikov's they meet Zosimov, who states that he is almost healthy. They ask Raskolnikov about the incident with Marmeladov. Pulcheria Alexandrovna reports that patroness Marfa Petrovna Svidrigailova has died. The conversation turns to her gifts to Dounia and about Luzhin, who has not yet given the bride a single gift. Rodion and Dunya again have a quarrel over the groom. But then suddenly Raskolnikov’s mood changes sharply, and he tells her: “Marry whoever you want.” His mother conveys Luzhin's request to him. He agrees to do as his mother and Dunya decide. But Avdotya Romanovna had already decided that Rodion must be on this date.
The door of Raskolnikov's room opened and a girl entered. Raskolnikov did not immediately recognize Sonechka Marmeladova without her bright, flashy outfits. She came to invite Raskolnikov to his father’s funeral service and wake. Raskolnikov introduced her to her mother and sister. The women were embarrassed, since Sonya's reputation did not allow them to be on equal terms. When they leave, Dunya bows to her “with an attentive and complete bow.” In private, Pulcheria Alexandrovna says that the girl made an unpleasant impression on her, especially after what Luzhin wrote about her. Dunya calls him a “gossip” and Sonya “beautiful.” Raskolnikov, having heard about the interrogation of the pawnbrokers by Porfiry Petrovich, asks to introduce him to him. He wants to return his sister's ring and his father's silver watch.
Sonya left Raskolnikov. She is being pursued by a man who speaks to her. In the future, this meeting will be decisive for the heroes.
V
Razumikhin and Raskolnikov head to Porfiry Petrovich. On the way, Raskolnikov, noticing his friend’s sympathy for his sister, makes fun of him.
Raskolnikov's main goal is to find out whether Porfiry knows about his recent visit to the old woman's house after the murder. There they meet Zametov. Raskolnikov learns that he is the last pawnbroker with whom Porfiry has not yet spoken. From the conversation, he understands that his involvement in the murder seems most likely to them. He gets annoyed. Porfiry Petrovich's warning behavior alarms him. Porfiry recalls Raskolnikov’s article published in Periodical Speech. For Rodion this is a discovery. He took the article to another newspaper and was convinced that it had not been published. Porfiry leads Raskolnikov to discuss his theory of “trembling creatures” and “having the right.” According to it, ordinary people must live in obedience and have no right to break the law. And an extraordinary person, who can say a new word in his environment, “has the right... to allow his conscience to step over... other obstacles, if the fulfillment of the idea requires it.” Razumikhin intervenes in the conversation: “after all, this permission for blood, according to conscience, is more terrible than the official permission to shed blood, legal...” Porfiry tries to catch Raskolnikov in the details. He asks if he saw the dyers on his visit to the old woman’s house. Raskolnikov is afraid of falling into a trap and hesitates to answer. Razumikhin comes to his senses and shouts: “But the dyers were painting on the very day of the murder, but he was there for three days!” Porfiry pretends to be embarrassed and kindly says goodbye to his friends.
“Both went out gloomy and gloomy into the street and did not say a word for several steps. Raskolnikov took a deep breath..."
VI
Raskolnikov and Razumikhin approached the house where Pulcheria Alexandrovna and Dunya lived. Raskolnikov assures his friend that Porfiry and Zametov suspect him. Razumikhin promises to talk “in a kindred way” with Porfiry about suspicions against Raskolnikov. Rodion decides to return to his place before going to his family. When he approaches the house, some passerby calls him a murderer and leaves. This is enough for the fever to make itself felt again. He again remembers the details of the murder, tries to remember how this gentleman could know everything. He condemns himself for weakness. “How dare I, knowing myself, anticipating myself, take an ax and get bloody?” He understands that suffering for the crime he committed will always accompany him.
He falls asleep. He dreams of that unfamiliar silent man. He beckons him with his hand and leads him to the old woman’s apartment. Suddenly he discovers an old woman sitting in a chair, takes an ax and hits her on the head, but the old woman only laughs. He starts to run, but there are a lot of people everywhere, they are silent and look at him disapprovingly. He woke up. A man came to him, whom he at first mistook for a dream. He introduced himself as Arkady Ivanovich Svidrigailov.
Part IV
I
Raskolnikov unkindly receives Svidrigailov, remembering the story with his sister. Svidrigailov tells how Marfa Petrovna freed him from certain prison for cheating and that they lived together. He feels a kindred spirit in Raskolnikov, believes that they are “birds of a feather,” that there is a “common point” between them.
Raskolnikov laughs and advises him to go to the doctor. Svidrigailov asks for a meeting with Dunya. Marfa Petrovna left Duna three thousand rubles. In addition, he himself wants to give her ten thousand for the inconvenience and insults that she suffered through his fault. Svidrigailov insists on meeting with Dunya. Raskolnikov refuses.
II
In the evening, Razumikhin and Raskolnikov go to Duna and Pulcheria Alexandrovna. On the way, Razumikhin reports a conversation with Porfiry, who did not say anything definite about his suspicions.
Luzhin wants to talk about the upcoming wedding, but finds it impossible to do this in front of Raskolnikov. He reprimands the women that they neglected his demand not to invite Raskolnikov. Dunya tries to reconcile her brother with Luzhin, proving that she cannot and will not make a choice between her brother and her fiancé. Luzhin, in anger, says that she does not value her happiness, reminds her of material costs, communication with unworthy people, meaning Sonya Marmeladova. A quarrel breaks out between them. Dunya asks Luzhin to leave.
III
Luzhin did not expect a break. He was very happy with Dunya as a bride and wife. He still hopes to improve matters. Dunya completely reconciles with her brother and accuses herself of being flattered by the money of an unworthy person. Raskolnikov talks about Svidrigailov's intentions. Dunya is amazed by his proposal and believes that he is planning something terrible. Raskolnikov promises his sister that he will definitely meet him. They are making plans for the three thousand left to Dunya by Marfa Petrovna. Razumikhin suggests going into book publishing. Everyone is passionate. Suddenly, in the middle of the conversation, Raskolnikov gets up and declares that he loves them very much, but for a while it is better for them to separate and not see each other. They are scared. He entrusts them to the care of his friend. Razumikhin calms everyone down and says that Rodion is sick.
IV
Raskolnikov came to Sonya to say goodbye. He tests his theory on Sonya, trying to prove to her that her sacrifice was in vain. In his opinion, it would be fairer to die. Sonya says that she cannot leave her family, they will be lost without her. Suddenly Raskolnikov bowed at Sonya’s feet: “I didn’t bow to you, but to all human suffering.” On Sonya’s chest of drawers lies the New Testament, brought by the late Lizaveta. Sonya's friendship with the murdered woman amazes him. He asks to read him the Gospel about the resurrection of Lazarus. “The cinder has long gone out in the crooked candlestick, dimly illuminating in this beggarly room a murderer and a harlot, strangely gathered together to read an eternal book.” Unexpectedly, Raskolnikov told Sonya that he had come “to talk about business”: “Today I abandoned my family, now I have only you. We are cursed together, we will go together.” He promises to come tomorrow and say who killed Lizaveta. His feverish mood was transmitted to Sonya, and she spent the whole night delirious. In the next room, Svidrigailov overheard their entire conversation.
The next morning, Raskolnikov came to the police station to see Porfiry. He said that he had brought a paper asking for the things to be returned. Raskolnikov feels that Porfiry is testing him again. And he can’t stand it: “I finally see clearly that you suspect me of murdering this old woman and her sister Lizaveta.” Raskolnikov becomes hysterical. Porfiry calms him down, says that Raskolnikov is sick and needs to be treated. Raskolnikov accuses him of lying and playing games. He demands that Porfiry directly recognize him as either a suspect or innocent. He again avoids answering. Porfiry talks about a certain “surprise” that is in the next room. Suddenly something happens that no one expected.
VI
They brought the dyer Nikolai. He publicly admits to killing the old woman. Game continues. Porfiry and Raskolnikov both did not expect such a development of events. Raskolnikov leaves, but then analyzes the whole conversation for a long time. He catches himself thinking that he almost gave himself away. Remembering that today is the day of Marmeladov’s funeral, he goes to them to see Sonya. Suddenly the door to his room opened on its own, and a mysterious man appeared on the threshold. Just as quietly and laconicly, he asked him for forgiveness “for the slander and malice.” As it turns out, this would be one of the people who heard stories about the murder in the apartment during a visit after the murder. It was a misunderstanding. He admitted that he was Porfiry’s surprise. The hero is happy about this turn of events.
Part V
/
Pyotr Petrovich Luzhin regrets the break with Dunya, blaming her brother for everything. He decides to take revenge. He rents a room next to the Marmeladovs. Luzhin asks his neighbor Lebezyatnikov to bring Sonya to him. He explains to her that there is no way to receive government help, since Marmeladov served little and poorly. He apologizes that he will not be able to come to the wake, and gives her a ten-ruble note.
Katerina Ivanovna, guided by the “pride of the poor,” organized a decent wake. But most of the invitees did not show up. Raskolnikov arrived. She is irritated and in excitement quarrels with the owner Amalia Ivanovna. It almost comes to a fight. At that moment Luzhin appears.
III
He accuses Sonya of stealing a hundred-ruble bill, citing Lebezyatnikov’s testimony. Sonya is at first lost, but then denies the accusations, giving him his ten rubles. Katerina Ivanovna, outraged by the attacks on Sonya, rushes to her and turns out her pockets. The missing bill falls out of one pocket. Sonya cries in confusion. Lebezyatnikov comes in the middle of the stage. He calls Luzhin a “slanderer.” He saw Luzhin toss the paper to her, but he thought it was for noble reasons. Raskolnikov, who had been silent until then, explains that Luzhin wanted to take revenge on him, since “the honor and happiness of Sofia Semyonovna are very dear to me,” and to prove to his mother and sister that he was right. Luzhin threatens everyone with the police and the court. Sonya runs away to her home. The landlady kicks Katerina Ivanovna and her children out of the apartment.
V
At this moment Lebezyatnikov arrives and reports about Katerina Ivanovna’s madness. Raskolnikov returns home and sees Dunya there. She says that she understands his strange actions, since he is suspected of murdering an old woman. He asks Dunya to pay attention to Razumikhin - “he is businesslike, hardworking, genuine, capable of loving deeply.”
Raskolnikov wanders around St. Petersburg again. Katerina Ivanovna makes children walk the streets, sing, dance and collect alms. The children run away from her. Rushing after them, she falls, blood coming down her throat. She is taken to Sonya, where she dies. Her dying words: “What? A priest?.. No need... Where do you have an extra ruble?.. I have no sins!.. God must forgive anyway... He himself knows how I suffered!.. But if he doesn’t forgive, then there’s no need !.. ...They drove away the nag... She was overstrained!”
Svidrigailov appears. He is going to give the ten thousand that Dunya does not accept from him to the Marmeladovs.
Part VI
I
Katerina Ivanovna is buried. Raskolnikov understands that Sonya is not changing her attitude towards him. Razumikhin informs Rodion that his mother is sick, and Dunya received an unknown letter. He decides to meet with Svidrigailov to understand his intentions regarding his sister.
II
At the door he encounters Porfiry, who has come to him. Porfiry tells him how he began to suspect him. He directly says that there is no evidence against Raskolnikov. Trying to expose him, he relied on psychology and character. He admits that he searched his apartment, provoked him in every possible way, and apologizes for this. But he immediately says that Nikolai, who slandered himself, is not guilty. He is a schismatic, and for religious fanatics it is grace to accept suffering from the authorities. Crime has a different style. An agitated Raskolnikov asks Porfiry who killed. “Yes, you killed him, Rodion Romanych,” the investigator answers him in a whisper. He says that he wants the best for him and advises him to come confess. He gives him two days to think about it. Raskolnikov does not admit to the murder.
III, IV
The hero goes to Svidrigailov and meets him in the tavern. They talk about Duna. Raskolnikov follows Svidrigailov. He is sure that he is plotting something against his sister. Dunya is waiting for him at Svidrigailov’s house. But Raskolnikov doesn’t see her. Dunya asks her former owner on the street to explain the case for which he invited her on a date. But Svidrigailov insists on talking in his apartment. Dunya reluctantly agrees. There he shows her the empty room where he overheard Sonya’s conversation with Raskolnikov, and conveys the essence. Svidrigailov offers her the salvation of her brother in exchange for love. Dunya doesn’t believe him and wants to leave. But the door is locked and the house is empty. She takes a ladies' revolver out of her pocket, shoots several times and misses. Svidrigailov approaches Dunya. She throws the revolver, since she cannot kill, and asks to be released. A moment of struggle in Svidrigailov’s soul, and he gives her the key. Dunya leaves. He picks up the revolver she dropped.
V
Svidrigailov spends the entire evening in taverns. On the way back, he visits Sonya and reports that the children have been placed in a good boarding school. He gives her three thousand rubles, which she and Raskolnikov will need in hard labor. He leaves that evening and rents a hotel room. In a dream, he dreams of a teenage girl who once died due to his fault. At night he leaves the hotel, takes out Dunya’s revolver and shoots himself in the temple.
VI
Raskolnikov decides to accept punishment. He goes first to his mother and finds her alone at home. He seems to be saying goodbye, saying that he has always loved and will love him and Dunya. He asks to pray for him. When he returns, he sees Dunya. He tells her that he is going to the police station to confess to a crime. Theory still holds him. He does not feel guilty that he killed “the nasty, malicious old woman who sucked the juice out of the poor.” He condemns himself for his cowardice, for failing to overcome murder. Suddenly something stops him in his sister's gaze. He asks her for forgiveness and promises to start a new life.
VII
Raskolnikov comes to Sonya. She puts her cypress cross on it. On the way to the station, he remembers the words of Sonya, who invited him to repent: “Go to the crossroads, kiss the ground and tell the whole world out loud: I am a murderer!” He does just that. He is mistaken for drunk. At the station he meets Ilya Petrovich Porokh, whom he met during his first visit for apartment debts. Gunpowder informs him about Svidrigailov’s suicide. Raskolnikov is shocked. He's leaving. In the yard he sees Sonya, who has come for him. He cannot stand her gaze, returns and confesses to the murder: “It was I who killed the old official woman and her sister Lizaveta with an ax and robbed her.”
Epilogue
I
Raskolnikov has been serving his sentence in Siberia for a year and a half. Taking into account the confession, as well as the “strange behavior” and unstable health of the killer, the court sentenced him to eight years of hard labor. “The criminal not only did not want to justify himself, but even seemed to express a desire to accuse himself even more.” It turns out that Raskolnikov is a sympathetic, kind person who acutely perceives the pain of others. It turns out that he once risked his life to save children in a fire and shared his meager pennies with the poor father of a deceased comrade. Raskolnikov's mother, never understanding what was going on, first goes crazy and then dies. Sonya goes to hard labor for Raskolnikov.
Dunya marries Razumikhin. He intends to save some money and go to Siberia so that everyone can start a new life together. Sonya writes in a letter to Raskolnikov’s relatives “that he is alienated from everyone, that in prison the convicts did not like him; that he is silent for whole days and becomes very pale. Suddenly, in her last letter, Sonya wrote that he was very seriously ill and was in the hospital.”
II
He suffers from a disease “from wounded pride.” He is ashamed that he mediocrely ruined his life, but does not repent of the correctness of his theory: “He judged himself strictly, and his hardened conscience did not find any particularly terrible guilt in his past, except perhaps a simple mistake.” He looks for mistakes in his actions and condemns himself for turning himself in. Even Svidrigailov seems stronger to him, because he managed to die.
Raskolnikov “was not loved and avoided by everyone. In the end they even began to hate him... Those who were much more criminal than him despised him and laughed at him. “You are a master! - they told him. - Did you have to walk with an axe? It’s not a lordly thing at all...” “You’re an atheist! You don't believe in God! - they shouted to him. “We need to kill you.”
But they all fell in love with Sonya. “She didn’t curry favor with them; everyone already knew her, and they also knew that she had followed him. She didn’t give them money or provide any special services. Only once, at Christmas, she brought alms to the whole prison: pies and rolls. And when she met a party of prisoners going to work, everyone took off their hats, everyone bowed: “Mother, Sofya Semyonovna, you are our mother, tender, sick!” - these rude, branded convicts said to this small and thin creature. She smiled and bowed, and they all loved it when she smiled at them. They even loved her gait, turned to look after her as she walked, and praised her; They even praised her for being so small; they didn’t even know what to praise her for. They even went to her for treatment.”
Raskolnikov's recovery was difficult. Pieces of his theory came to him in his delirium. He saw wars, massacres, when only the most “pure and chosen” were saved. “He did not understand that this premonition could be a harbinger of a future turning point in life, a future resurrection, a new outlook on life.” After his recovery, Sonya falls ill. Raskolnikov is worried about her.
One day he was sitting on a steep river bank, and suddenly Sonya was nearby. She timidly extended her hand to him. “Suddenly something seemed to pick him up and seem to throw him at her feet. He cried and hugged her knees. At first she was terribly afraid. But immediately, in that very moment, she understood everything. Infinite happiness shone in her eyes; she realized that he loved, loved her endlessly, and that this moment had finally come... They wanted to talk, but could not. There were tears in their eyes. They were resurrected by love, the heart of one contained endless sources of life for the heart of the other. They decided to wait and be patient. They still had seven years left; and until then there is so much unbearable torment and so much endless happiness! But he was resurrected, and he knew it, he felt it with his entire being completely renewed, and she - after all, she lived only his life!”
Dostoevsky’s work “Crime and Punishment” is not only included in the compulsory part of the school curriculum, but also occupies the highest positions in the list of books recommended for reading. Below you can read a summary of this work, remember or find out the main points of the plot.
Part 1
Chapter 1
The main character of the novel, which takes place in the sixties of the 19th century in St. Petersburg, is a poor student Rodion Raskolnikov: a tall, handsome young man with dark brown hair and dark eyes. The young man is in a difficult financial situation: he must pay the landlady of the apartment in which he lives a fairly large sum, but for two days he does not even have enough money to eat properly. The student goes to the old pawnbroker Alena Ivanovna. A plan to kill the old woman has long been ripening in his head, and now he is seriously considering it. He pawns the silver watch, and during a conversation with Alena Ivanovna, he carefully examines her apartment. Raskolnikov tells the old woman that he will come again soon and bring a silver cigarette box to pawn.
Chapter 2
On his way home, the young man stops at a cheap drinking establishment. In it, he meets Marmeladov, a titular adviser who discusses the topic of poverty and shares the history of his family with the student. Marmeladov’s wife, an educated woman Katerina Ivanovna, having three children, married him, and he spends all her money on booze. In order for the family to have some money, she forced Marmeladov’s daughter, Sonya, to go to the panel. The man could barely stand on his feet, and Rodion walked him home. The extremely poor decoration of their home surprised the student. Katerina Ivanovna began to scold her husband for drinking his money, and Raskolnikov left, involuntarily leaving them some change on the windowsill.
Chapter 3
The room in which the young man himself lived was a very small room with a low ceiling. Raskolnikov receives a letter from his mother, Pulcheria Alexandrovna. In it, the mother tells Rodion that his sister, Dunya, was offended in the Svidrigailovs’ house, where she worked as a governess. Dunya is a very beautiful, patient and generous girl. She has brown hair and almost black eyes. Svidrigailov, the owner of the house, a man about fifty years old, began to show signs of attention to the girl. His wife Marfa Petrovna noticed her husband's interest in the young governess and began to humiliate her. Also recently, Dunya received a marriage proposal from Pyotr Petrovich Luzhin, a court councilor aged forty-five years old, who had sufficient capital. Pulcheria Alexandrovna and Dunya are planning to come to St. Petersburg in the near future to arrange a wedding as soon as possible.
Chapter 4
After reading the letter, the young man was very upset. He realized that his sister and mother agreed to the wedding only because they needed money. Rodion does not want Dunya to marry Luzhin, but he cannot prohibit the marriage. After this incident, the student thinks even more strongly about killing the old pawnbroker.
Chapter 5
Walking around the city, Raskolnikov snacks on a piece of pie and vodka. He quickly became drunk and fell asleep in the bushes. The young man had a terrible dream, which reflected an incident from his childhood. Then the men beat the old horse to death, but he could not stop them. Running up to the horse, the boy kisses it and, out of anger, attacks the man with his fists. When the young man woke up, he thought that perhaps killing the old woman would be beyond his strength. Walking home through the market on Sennaya Square, Raskolnikov sees the pawnbroker’s sister, Lizaveta, who was completely subordinate to the old woman and carried out her instructions all day long. The young man hears Lizaveta’s conversation with the traders. From it he learns that tomorrow at seven in the evening Alena Ivanovna will be home alone. After this he sees a student and an officer; they say that the pawnbroker is not worthy of living, and if she were to die, her money could be used to help poor young people.
Chapter 6
At home, the young man begins preparations for murder. He sews a loop for the ax on the inside of the coat, making it so that the ax is not visible while walking. He takes a tablet the size of a cigarette box, wrapped in paper and tied with a ribbon: it will play the role of a pledge in order to distract the old woman. Raskolnikov steals an ax from the janitor's room and goes to Alena Ivanovna's apartment.
Chapter 7
The young man was very worried and was afraid that the old woman, noticing his strange behavior, would not allow him to enter. But the pawnbroker took the “cigarette box,” and while she was trying to untie the ribbon, Rodion hit her on the head with the butt of an ax. Afterwards he repeats the blow and realizes that Alena Ivanovna is dead. Taking the keys out of the old woman’s pocket, the young man went to her room. He found her money in the chest and began to put it in his pockets, but at that moment Lizaveta returned home. Raskolnikov, in fear of being seen, kills her with an ax. Realizing what he had done, the young man felt horror, but gradually he begins to come to his senses and washes the blood from his hands, boots and the murder weapon. Getting ready to leave, Rodion hears footsteps coming from the stairs: clients have come to the pawnbroker. After waiting until they leave the house, the student quickly goes home. He puts the ax in the janitor's room, goes into his room and falls on the bed in oblivion.
Part 2
Chapter 1
The next day the young man wakes up only at three o'clock in the afternoon. Remembering the murder, he panics and checks his clothes to make sure there is no blood left on them. Having found the old woman's money and jewelry, he puts them in a hole under the wallpaper in the corner of the room. The apartment owner’s cook, Nastasya, comes to the young man and brings a summons that Raskolnikov must come to the police office. The young man is very worried, but the police called him just to write a receipt with an obligation to pay the debt for living in the apartment. Leaving the station, Rodion hears that the employees are discussing the murder of an old pawnbroker. He faints; the police thought the student was sick and sent him home. At home, Raskolnikov is afraid that he might be searched and decides to hide what he took from Alena Ivanovna’s apartment under a stone in the empty yard. After this, the young man returns home. From his experiences he falls ill and spends several days delirious.
Chapters 2-4
When the main character regained consciousness, he saw that Razumikhin, his friend from the university, a tall, smart young man, had come to him. He says that policeman Zametov visited Raskolnikov several times. Also during these days, he received money to pay for the apartment, sent by his mother. Soon another good friend comes to the young man - Zosimov, a medical student. From his story about the murder of an old pawnbroker, Rodion learns that the investigation has no reliable evidence, but there are several suspects, including the dyer Mikola.
Chapter 5
After some time, Luzhin visits Raskolnikov's room. The student tells Pyotr Petrovich that he wants to take Dunya as his wife only so that she will thank him all her life for getting rid of poverty. The man does not agree with Raskolnikov, after which the young man drives him away. Soon Rodion's friends also leave his house. Razumikhin believes that there is something burdensome on his friend’s mind and worries about him.
Chapter 6
Soon Raskolnikov enters the tavern and sees Zametov there. The friends talk about murder, and Rodion tells how he would act if he were a murderer. The young man asks Zametov what he would do if he really committed the crime, almost directly admitting to what he had done. However, Zametov does not believe in his comrade’s guilt. While walking around St. Petersburg, the young man wanted to drown himself, but changed his mind and unknowingly went to the pawnbroker's house. There he discusses the crime with the workers who are doing the repairs, and they decide that the young man is crazy.
Chapter 7
Next, Rodion heads to Razumikhin and on the way meets a crowd of people who have gathered around the drunken Marmeladov, who was hit by a carriage. He is carried home, and there the man dies in the arms of his daughter Sonya. The student gives all the money he has to the adviser's family to organize his father's funeral. Then Raskolnikov goes to Razumikhin, who accompanies him home. Approaching the house where the main character lived, the friends notice the light in the windows of his room.
Part 3
Chapters 1-2
It turns out that Raskolnikov’s mother and sister came to see him. Seeing them, the young man fainted. Having come to his senses, the young man talks with Dunya about Luzhin and insists on refusing the wedding. The young man immediately liked the beautiful Dunya. The next morning he goes to the hotel to visit her and his mother. Pulcheria Alexandrovna tells him about the letter he received from Luzhin in the morning. He says that he wants to see her and Dunya, but asks to organize a meeting without Rodion’s presence.
Chapters 3-4
In the morning, the women come to Raskolnikov and tell him about Luzhin’s letter; Dunya believes that her brother must be with her during the meeting with the groom. At this time, Sonya Marmeladova comes to the student’s apartment and invites him to her father’s funeral. Raskolnikov introduces her to her family, despite the fact that because of her reputation the girl cannot communicate with them on equal terms. Sonya goes home and on the way notices the pursuit of some stranger, who turns out to be her neighbor (by coincidence, he turned out to be Svidrigailov).
Chapter 5
Razumikhin and Raskolnikov go to the investigator working on the murder of an old pawnbroker. Rodion wants to find out how he can get the things left as pawn from the old woman, and learns that he needs to submit an application. Suddenly, Porfiry Petrovich remembers an article that Raskolnikov wrote not so long ago. It says that people are divided into ordinary people, who do not have the right to break the law, and extraordinary people, who are allowed to commit crimes. The investigator asks whether Rodion considers himself to be extraordinary, whether he is capable of committing a crime, and receives an affirmative answer. Afterwards, Porfiry Petrovich asks if the young man saw the dyers in the old woman’s house. The young man, after hesitating, answers that he did not see. Razumikhin intervenes, saying that the dyers were working on the day of the murder, and the young man was there a couple of days before. After this, the students leave.
Chapter 6
Near the house, Raskolnikov met a stranger who called him a murderer and left without explaining anything. In Rodion’s room, the fever begins again. He dreams of a mysterious stranger calling him to the old woman's apartment; the young man hits her on the head with an ax, but she laughs. The young man wants to run away, but he is surrounded by a crowd of people. Raskolnikov wakes up and Svidrigailov comes to him.
Part 4
Chapters 1-3
He asks the student to arrange a date with Dunya under the pretext that he would like to give the girl ten thousand for all the troubles caused to her in his house. Rodion refuses. In the evening, Raskolnikov and Razumikhin go to see Pulcheria Alexandrovna and Dunya. Luzhin, unhappy that the bride did not take into account his request, refuses to discuss the wedding under Rodion. Dunya drives him away.
Chapter 4
Soon the young man comes to Sonya. She says that she cannot leave her father's wife and children, who will die of hunger without her help. Raskolnikov bows at her feet, saying that the bow is addressed not only to her, but to all human suffering. The student sees that the New Testament is on the table and asks to read to him about the resurrection of Lazarus. Before leaving, Rodion promises that tomorrow he will come again and tell who killed the old money-lender. At this time, Svidrigailov is in the next room and overhears the entire conversation.
Chapters 5-6
The next day the young man goes to Porfiry Petrovich to pick up his things. The investigator tries to check him, and Raskolnikov, irritated, asks Porfiry to say whether he considers him guilty. However, the man avoids answering, and then the dyer Mikola is brought in, who confesses to the murder of Alena Ivanovna. Rodion goes home and again sees the stranger who called him a murderer. He says that Porfiry asked him about this, and now he repents. Raskolnikov’s soul becomes calmer.
Part 5
Chapters 1-3
According to Luzhin, her brother is to blame for his quarrel with Dunya. Wanting to take revenge on him, he asks Lebezyatnikov, his roommate, to call Sonya to him. Luzhin tells the girl that he will not be able to come to her father's funeral and gives her ten rubles. It seems to Lebezyatnikov that Luzhin is up to something. Many people did not come to Marmeladov’s wake. Katerina Ivanovna quarrels with the owner of the apartment. At this time, Luzhin arrives and declares that Sonya stole a hundred rubles from him, calling Lebezyatnikov as a witness. Sonya denies this accusation and gives Pyotr Petrovich ten rubles. Katerina turns out the pockets of Sonya’s clothes, and a hundred-ruble bill falls out of them. Lebezyatnikov tells everyone that Luzhin himself slipped Sonya this money. Pyotr Petrovich gets angry, and the landlady kicks Katerina and the children out of the apartment.
Chapters 4-5
After this, Rodion goes to Sonya and tells her that he knows the killer and he accidentally killed Lizaveta. The girl understood everything and said that there was no one more unhappy than Raskolnikov. Sonya is ready to go with him even to hard labor. She believes that she needs to confess to the murder, and then God will be able to forgive the young man. Lebezyatnikov comes to Sonya and reports that Katerina has gone crazy; the woman is brought to Sonya's apartment and she dies. Svidrigailov, who is nearby, tells Raskolnikov that he will give money for Katerina’s funeral, arrange the children’s future and help Sonya. He asks the young man to tell Duna that this is how he will spend the ten thousand that he did not give her.
Part 6
Chapters 1-6
Soon Porfiry Petrovich comes to the young man and says that he suspects him of murder. However, there is no evidence, and the investigator advises Raskolnikov to come to the station himself and confess everything. The student wants to talk to Svidrigailov, and he says that he was in love with Dunya, but now he has a fiancee. After this, Svidrigailov secretly meets with Dunya, telling her everything he heard from the conversations between Sonya and Raskolnikov. A man tells a girl that he will save her brother in exchange for her love. Dunya wants to leave, but the door is locked; She shoots Svidrigailov several times with a revolver, but misses. He gives her the key, and the girl leaves the revolver and leaves. Returning to the apartment, the man comes to Sonya and gives her three thousand rubles, because he knows that the money will be needed when she goes to hard labor for Raskolnikov. Svidrigailov goes to the hotel, and at dawn he commits suicide by shooting himself in the head with Dunya’s revolver.
Chapters 7-8
Raskolnikov finally decided to confess to the murder and says goodbye to his sister and mother. He goes to Sonya, who gives him a cross and tells him that he needs to kiss the ground at the crossroads. Rodion fulfills the girl’s request, after which he goes to the investigator and says that he is the old woman’s killer. He is informed about Svidrigailov's suicide.
Epilogue
Raskolnikov is sentenced to eight years of hard labor. His mother fell ill, and Dunya and Razumikhin take her out of the city. Pulcheria Ivanovna thinks that her son has left. Sonya goes to Siberia following Rodion. Razumikhin marries Duna; the young people also plan to go to Siberia in a few years. In hard labor, Raskolnikov is considered an atheist, but Sonya, who comes to him, is loved. Soon the young man falls ill and ends up in the hospital. Sonya often visits him. The young man thinks about his fate and understands that pride can only lead to death. The next time Sonya came to him, he began hugging her legs. The girl was scared at first, but then realized that he loved her very much.
A little about the novel. F.M. Dostoevsky finished the novel in 1866. The idea of writing it came to the author in 1859 - at that time the writer was serving his sentence at hard labor in the Omsk fortress-prison. At first, the author intended to create a confessional novel, but in the process of composing his plan changed. Dostoevsky wrote to the editor of the magazine “Russian Messenger” (where the novel was published for the first time) that this novel became “a psychological report of one work.” “Crime and Punishment” belongs to the literary movement “realism”. The genre of the work is defined as a novel, because the images of the characters in the novel are equal and equal in rights, while the author is almost on an equal footing, next to the characters, but does not rise above them.
Part I
Chapter 1
Rodion Raskolnikov (the main character of the novel) is a poor student from St. Petersburg. He owes his landlady rent and is hungry because he hasn’t eaten for several days. And he decides to bring Alena Ivanovna, the pawnbroker, a “mortgage.” On the way to her, Raskolnikov is thinking about some action that he intends to carry out a little later. His visit to the old woman is just a “test”. Raskolnikov first pawns a silver watch to the pawnbroker, then promises to bring him a cigarette case as well. All this time, Rodion is thinking about how to kill the old woman.
Finally, having left Alena Ivanovna, the hero goes out into the street and is horrified by the thoughts of the planned crime, exclaiming:
“What horror could come into my head!”
He goes to the tavern.
Chapter 2
One of the visitors got into a conversation with Rodion Raskolnikov in the tavern. The drunkard Marmeladov began to tell the young man about his family, how poor they were, that his daughter Sonya Marmeladova became a prostitute to save the family.
Raskolnikov takes Marmeladov home, where he meets Katerina Ivanovna, the wife of a drunkard. Rodion leaves, leaving his last money on the windowsill unnoticed by the apartment's inhabitants.
Chapter 3
In the morning, Nastasya, the maid of the owner of the entire apartment building, hands Rodion Raskolnikov a letter that his mother, Pulcheria Raskolnikova, sent to the hero. She wrote that Dunya (Rodion’s sister) was slandered in the Svidrigailov family, for whom the girl served as a governess. Marfa Petrovna Svidrigailova humiliated and insulted Dunya when she found out that her husband, Svidrigailov, had fallen in love with the girl.
Dunya was wooed by Pyotr Petrovich Luzhin, who has a small capital and is 45 years old, much older than Dunya. Luzhin is in a hurry to get married, takes a poor girl so that she will be grateful to him all her life. Rodion's mother tells her son that she and Dunya will come to him soon.
Chapter 4
Raskolnikov does not want Dunya to marry Luzhin. Rodion understands that his sister is making this sacrifice for his sake. At the same time, Raskolnikov realizes that he, a poor student, cannot help either his sister or his mother. He has no right to forbid his sister to marry the wealthy Luzhin.
Again Rodion begins to think about his theory “about the right of the strong”, thinks whether he should come to terms with his current situation or
“Decide on something bold?”
Chapter 5
Rodion decides to go to his university friend Razumikhin to borrow some money from his friend. But, having changed his mind, the hero buys himself a slice of pie and a glass of vodka with his last money. He was sick from drinking and eating. Rodion falls asleep in the bushes.
And again he sees an incredibly tragic dream about an old horse killed by men. He cries in his sleep. Having woken up, Raskolnikov goes to the market near Sennaya. There he hears how the merchant invites Lizaveta (the sister of the old pawnbroker) to visit him. Lizaveta agrees.
Raskolnikov realizes that he will come to the old woman to kill her, that “everything has been decided finally.”
Chapter 6
Raskolnikov always thinks about how unfair life is. In the billiard room, he accidentally overhears a strange conversation between an officer and a student. These two also argue that such a nonentity as an old pawnbroker has no right to live. They say that it would be nice to kill her and give her money to the poor, and thereby save them.
The next day, Rodion begins to prepare for the crime. He takes an ax from the janitor's room, hides it under his coat, and wraps a tablet similar in size to a cigarette case in paper. Raskolnikov is again going to go to the old woman-pawnbroker.
Chapter 7
Raskolnikov comes to the pawnbroker and gives her a cigarette case. Alena Ivanovna turns away from him to the window to get a better look at the mortgage. Rodion hits her on the head with the butt of an axe. The old woman falls and dies. At this time, the pawnbroker's sister returns. Raskolnikov is extremely frightened, and in confusion he kills Lizaveta.
He goes to wash the ax and hears that clients have come to the pawnbroker. Rodion froze in fear. The visitors went for the janitor to open the door for them. Raskolnikov runs out onto the stairs, notices a slightly open door on the lower floor and hides in an empty apartment.
Part 2
Chapter 1
At about three o'clock in the afternoon, Raskolnikov wakes up from a sound sleep. He examines the things taken from the pawnbroker, trying to wash them of blood in order to then hide them. Nastasya, who serves the mistress of the house, gives Rodion a summons to the police station.
Arriving there, Raskolnikov learns that the landlady is demanding rent from him through the police. Rodion writes a receipt and gives it to the warden. Leaving the station, the student hears two policemen discussing the murder of a pawnbroker.
What he heard shocked Raskolnikov so much that he fainted. The people who were at the police station at the time decide that the young man is sick and send the young man home. And in his soul he feels “endless solitude and alienation.”
Chapter 2
Rodion is tormented by remorse. He is afraid of being searched, so he wants to get rid of the old woman’s things. Raskolnikov goes to the city, after several unsuccessful attempts due to the large number of people on the streets, he still hides the stolen things. Then the student comes to his friend, without knowing why. Razumikhin also decides that his friend is very sick.
Rodion leaves his friend and returns to his apartment. On the way to the house, he almost falls under the wheels of a passing stroller. At home, the young man, in a delirious state, falls into severe oblivion, and in the morning he completely loses consciousness.
Chapter 3
Raskolnikov woke up only a few days later. Near him in the room he sees Razumikhin and Nastasya. Rodion was given some money that his mother had sent him. Razumikhin reports that policeman Zametov came to Raskolnikov, who was very interested in the young man’s things. Razumikhin gives his friend new clothes, bought with part of the money sent by his mother.
Doctor Zosimov arrives.
Chapter 4
Zosimov, a medical student, is also a friend of Rodion. He and Razumikhin begin to discuss the murder of the old woman and her sister. Raskolnikov hears from the conversation that the dyer Mikola has been arrested. However, the police have no evidence yet.
Rodion is confused and very worried. Then an unknown, decently dressed gentleman comes to him.
Chapter 5
The unknown person turns out to be Pyotr Petrovich Luzhin, who reports that he has found housing for Rodion’s mother and sister. Raskolnikov did not like Luzhin very much.
Pyotr Petrovich tried to express to the student his opinion about young people, advocating the priority of personal interest over public interest.
“Yes, from your theory it ultimately follows that people can be cut! And do you take my beggar sister to rule over her?
“- Raskolnikov tells him.
They quarrel and the student kicks the guest out of the house. Then Rodion angrily drives away his friends Zosimov and Razumikhin.
Chapter 6
Arriving at the tavern, Raskolnikov sees Zametov there again. A student discusses the murder of an old woman with a policeman. Telling what he would do if he were the killer, Rodion almost admits to what he did. However, Zametov decides that the student is sick and does not believe that Raskolnikov killed the old woman.
Rodion walks through the city, on the bridge he sees that some woman has thrown herself down from the bridge, committing suicide. The student refuses thoughts of suicide.
Then he comes to the pawnbroker's apartment. It's undergoing renovations. Raskolnikov decides to go to Razumikhin. Suddenly he sees a crowd gathered in the distance and goes there.
Chapter 7
Coming closer, Raskolnikov sees that Marmeladov is lying on the sidewalk, having been run over by a passing stroller. Rodion helps carry the victim home.
In the apartment, the student sees Marmeladov’s wife. Katerina Ivanovna gets angry at the onlookers. Sonya comes in here. Her clothes look provocative and out of place here. Marmeladov, dying, asks Sonya and Katerina Ivanovna for forgiveness for everything and dies.
Raskolnikov leaves all his money to his family and leaves. The Marmeladovs' youngest daughter, Polya, catches up with him and asks for Rodion's address. He tells her where he lives and leaves. Rodion comes to Razumikhin, together with whom he returns to his closet. Approaching the house, the friends see light in the window of Rodion’s apartment. It turned out that his mother and sister had arrived and were waiting for Raskolnikov. They rush towards him, but the student loses consciousness.
Part 3
Chapter 1
Having woken up from fainting, Rodion asks his family and friend not to worry about him. Raskolnikov argues with his sister over Luzhin and demands that Dunya refuse to marry this master. Soon the mother and sister go to the rooms that Luzhin rented for them.
Razumikhin accompanies the women to their new rented apartment. He likes Dunya more and more.
Chapter 2
Razumikhin visits Raskolnikov's sister and mother in the morning. He asks Dunya for forgiveness for unflattering words about her fiancé. Here they bring a note from Luzhin. In the note, he says that he will visit them soon and wants Rodion not to be there.
Pulcheria Ivanovna tells Razumikhin that, according to Luzhin, her son allegedly became interested in some prostitute. Mother and sister go to Rodion.
Chapter 3
The student is already better. Raskolnikov informs his mother and sister about yesterday’s incident with Marmeladov, that he gave money to help Katerina Ivanovna. The mother talks about the death of Svidrigailova and about Luzhin’s note.
Dunya wants her brother to come in the evening and be present at their meeting with Pyotr Petrovich.
Chapter 4
Sonya comes to Rodion. She asks him to attend Marmeladov's funeral. Raskolnikov introduces her to her sister and mother, who treated the girl with great sympathy. Pulcheria Ivanovna and her sister soon leave. Saying goodbye, Dunya bowed to Sonya, who was very embarrassed by this.
Raskolnikov really wants to meet Porfiry Petrovich. Rodion expects to learn from him the details of the investigation into the murder of the pawnbroker.
Sonya goes home. A gentleman follows her, follows the girl all the way to her house, and even tries to talk to her. It turns out that the gentleman lives next door to Sonya.
Chapter 5
Raskolnikov and Razumikhin come together to Porfiry Petrovich, whose guest was Zametov. The student wanted to know what the police knew, so he asked what needed to be done to claim his rights to the things he had pledged.
- the investigator told the student. Then Porfiry begins to discuss with Rodion the theory that the student recently published in the newspaper.The essence of the theory: all people are divided into extraordinary and simple. Extraordinary people are allowed much more; they can even commit a crime at the behest of their conscience if it helps the common good. Rodion explains:
“I only believe in my main idea. It consists precisely in the fact that people, according to the law of nature, are generally divided into two categories: into the lower (ordinary), that is, so to speak, into material that serves solely for the generation of their own kind, and into people proper, that is, those who have the gift or the talent to say a new word among oneself.”
“...the first category, that is, the material, generally speaking, people are by nature conservative, orderly, live in obedience and love to be obedient. In my opinion, they are obliged to be obedient, because this is their purpose, and there is absolutely nothing humiliating for them.”
Then he adds:
“The second category, everyone breaks the law, destroyers, or is inclined to do so, judging by their abilities. The crimes of these people, of course, are relative and varied; for the most part they demand, in very diverse statements, the destruction of the present in the name of the better. But if he needs, for his idea, to step over even a corpse, through blood, then within himself, in conscience, he can, in my opinion, give himself permission to step over blood - depending, however, on the idea and size her, mind you. It is only in this sense that I speak in my article about their right to commit a crime.”
“What if one of the ordinary people suddenly decides that he is a genius and begins to remove all obstacles?”
– asks Porfiry. “There are police and prisons for this,” Raskolnikov replies.
Porfiry Petrovich asks him a question:
“And would you dare to step over?”
"It may very well be"
Raskolnikov answers him.
Porfiry guesses that it was Rodion who killed the old woman and invites him to come to the police station. At the same time, Razumikhin notes in a conversation that a friend came to the old woman three days before the murder, but not on that day. Then the friends leave.
Chapter 6
Having said goodbye to Razumikhin, Raskolnikov approached his house. A stranger catches up with him, who throws just one word in Rodion’s face: “murderer” and leaves. The young man returns home in confusion and falls into a heavy sleep.
In his dream, he tries again and again to kill the pawnbroker, who laughs in his face. Alena Ivanovna’s apartment is filled with some people who also reproach the student for murder.
Having difficulty waking up from a nightmare, Rodion sees yesterday’s stranger on the threshold of his room. This is Arkady Ivanovich Svidrigailov, a landowner who was watching Sonya and recently tried to seduce Dunya.
Part 4
Chapter 1
Raskolnikov is not at all happy about Svidrigailov’s sudden visit, especially since the landowner recently compromised Rodion’s sister. The hero finds Svidrigailov unpleasant.
And during the conversation, the guest suddenly touches on an “otherworldly” topic: he confidentially tells how the dead appeared to him several times in the form of ghosts. And he thinks about what eternity will be like in the next life:
“What if it’s just some smoky bathhouse with spiders.”
The young man wants to kick out the guest, but he tries to convince the student that he wants to give Duna the money left by Svidrigailova, and promises Rodion ten thousand rubles if Raskolnikov helps the landowner see the young man’s sister. Rodion is indignant and kicks out the guest.
Chapter 2
Raskolnikov, together with his friend Razumikhin, go to Bakaleev’s rooms in the evening to visit Rodion’s mother and sister. There they meet Luzhin, who is indignant that the women did not heed his request and called Raskolnikov.
Pyotr Petrovich tries to point out to the bride what a disastrous, difficult situation she and her family are in, and reproaches the girl. Dunya firmly answers that she cannot, will not choose: brother or groom.
Pyotr Petrovich mentions Svidrigailov. Dunya and the groom are quarreling. As a result, the girl breaks up with Luzhin and asks him to leave.
Chapter 3
Raskolnikov tells his mother and sister about the visit and Svidrigailov’s proposal. Dunya is afraid and does not want to meet the landowner. However, Pulcheria Ivanovna and her daughter begin to dream about how and what they can use the 3,000 rubles given to them by Svidrigailova.
Suddenly Rodion gets up and leaves; instead of saying goodbye, he asks his family not to try to see him. He says he will come himself if possible. Razumikhin thinks for the first time that his friend could be the murderer of the pawnbroker. He stays with Dunya and Pulcheria Ivanovna and takes upon himself all the worries about them.
Chapter 4
Having left his family, Rodion comes to Sonya Marmeladova, in her wretched closet. There he says to the girl:
“You stepped over too. You also ruined your life, even your own - but it doesn’t matter! And your sin turned out to be in vain: you never saved anyone! Let's go together. The main thing is to break what is necessary forever, take on the suffering upon yourself, and thus gain freedom and power over all trembling creatures.”
Sonya, at a loss, replies that her family will simply die without her help. Raskolnikov offers the girl:
"Let's go together. The main thing is to break what is necessary forever, take on the suffering upon yourself, and thus gain freedom and power over all trembling creatures,”
Then he bows at Sonya’s feet and says:
“I didn’t bow to you, I bowed to all human suffering.”
The girl thinks that Rodion has gone crazy.
The young man learns from the conversation that she was friends with Lizaveta, even the Gospel to Sonya was left as a keepsake from the murdered woman. Raskolnikov asks her to read about the resurrection of Lazarus, then, already leaving, promises to later tell her who killed Lizaveta.
Svidrigailov, who was staying in the apartment next to Sonya’s, listened to their entire conversation through a thin wall.
Chapter 5
The next day, Raskolnikov comes to Porfiry Petrovich. He turns to the investigator and asks to return the things he left with the murdered old woman. Porfiry Petrovich starts a strange conversation with him, checking the young man. Rodion is nervous and demands that he be either recognized as a murderer or innocent.
However, the investigator avoids a specific answer, but hints that there is some kind of surprise for Rodion in the next room.
“It is better not to arrest another criminal immediately, but to keep him free. Then he himself will not be able to withstand the uncertainty and will begin to swirl around me, like a butterfly around a candle, and fly straight into my mouth. If you arrest him, he will only strengthen himself and withdraw into himself.”
Raskolnikov shouts in hysterics that Porfiry is still lying.
“And I know how you went to that apartment later! - he answers. - I have a surprise in the next room. Would you like to see?"
Chapter 6
Nikolai, a dyer from the house where the pawnbroker lived, is brought into the office. Nikolai, shocking everyone present in the investigator’s office, suddenly confesses that it was he who killed Alena Ivanovna. Rodion is very surprised and goes home.
Approaching the house, the young man again sees the stranger who recently called him a murderer. The stranger asks for forgiveness for accusing Rodion, but today he believes in the young man’s innocence. This tradesman turned out to be the “surprise” that Porfiry Petrovich was preparing for Raskolnikov.
Part 5
Chapter 1
Luzhin considers Raskolnikov to be the cause of his quarrel with Dunya. He is thinking about how to take revenge on Dunya’s brother. Pyotr Petrovich settled with Lebezyatnikov, whom he knew. Lebezyatnikov lives in a neighboring apartment with the Marmeladovs.
Luzhin lays out the money on the table, supposedly wanting to count it, then asks his friend to call Sonya here. The landowner apologizes to the girl for not going to the wake for her father and gives her 10 rubles to help a family that has lost its breadwinner. Lebezyatnikov thought that his friend was up to something evil.
Chapter 2
Marmeladov's widow organized a very nice wake for her husband. However, very few guests came. Among those who came was Raskolnikov. Katerina Ivanovna began to quarrel with the mistress of the house, Amalia Ivanovna.
The hostess began to reproach the widow for the fact that the poor woman did not invite her “decent” friends to the funeral, but invited “just anyone.”
In the midst of a quarrel, Luzhin comes to the Marmeladovs.
Chapter 3
The landowner sees a quarrel between women, Raskolnikov among the guests. Luzhin accuses Sonya of theft in front of everyone: she allegedly stole 100 rubles from him. The girl, at a loss, takes out 10 rubles, which Pyotr Petrovich himself recently gave her.
Katerina Ivanovna assures everyone that her eldest daughter is not a thief, that she could not steal, and begins to turn out the girl’s dress pockets. Suddenly a hundred-ruble bill falls out of your pocket.
Luzhin calls Lebezyatnikov as a witness to the theft, who begins to understand what adventure his acquaintance has dragged him into. And Lebezyatnikov, in front of all the guests, declares that Luzhin himself put 100 rubles in the girl’s pocket.
Pyotr Petrovich is indignant and shouts that he will call the police. The owner Amalia Ivanovna kicks the Marmeladovs out of the house. Raskolnikov tries to explain to the guests what kind of meanness Luzhin is planning, and leaves after Sonya.
Chapter 4
Rodion comes to the girl and tells her that he allegedly personally knows Lizaveta’s killer. Sonya realizes that Rodion killed. The girl asks: why did Raskolnikov commit such a sin, why did he go to kill, since he didn’t even appropriate the loot for himself.
“What have you done to yourself! - Sonya shouts. - There is no one more unhappy than you in the whole world now! But how could you, such as you, decide to do this?
Raskolnikov is confused in his explanations: first he explains that he “was going to help his sister and mother,” then that he “wanted to become Napoleon.” However, in the end, Rodion himself begins to understand the truth:
“I’m just proud, envious, angry, vindictive, I didn’t want to work. And I decided to find out: am I a trembling creature or do I have the right...”
Sonya takes pity on him and is ready to follow him to hard labor. Rodion tries to explain to her his theory about a superman, but begins to get confused in the explanations, realizing himself that his theory is worthless. “What should I do now!” he exclaims in despair. –
“Stand at the crossroads,” says Sonya, “kiss the ground that you desecrated and tell everyone out loud: “I killed!” Accept suffering and redeem yourself with it!”
Rodion refuses: “No, I’ll still fight!” The young man pushes away the cross the girl holds out to him and leaves.
Chapter 5
Lebezyatnikov unexpectedly comes to Sonya, who reports that her mother, Katerina Ivanovna, seems to have gone crazy, that she took young children into the street, forcing the children to beg. Sonya and Rodion go to look for her.
On one of the streets, running after one of the children, Katerina Ivanovna falls dead, bleeding from her throat. The woman is taken to Sonya, where the widow dies.
At this time, Dunya sees Svidrigailov, who tries to give the girl money, but she refuses it. Arkady Ivanovich wants to give the money to the Marmeladovs. And Raskolnikov advises his sister to take a closer look at Razumikhin.
Svidrigailov turns to Raskolnikov, promising to help Sonya and the children with money, and says:
“After all, Katerina Ivanovna was not a pest, like an old money-lender.”
And winks at the young man. Rodion is literally petrified by these words. And Arkady Ivanovich explains that he heard all of Rodion’s conversations with Sonya from behind the wall.
Part 6
Chapter 1
After the funeral of Katerina Ivanovna, Razumikhin comes to Rodion. He tells Raskolnikov that Dunya received some kind of note that greatly worried her, and Pulcheria Ivanovna fell ill. After his friend leaves, an investigator suddenly comes to Raskolnikov.
Chapter 2
Porfiry Petrovich again talks for a long time with the young man, saying that he does not believe that the dyer is guilty, but he is sure that Rodion killed him. The investigator advises the student to confess to his crime, although there is no evidence of Raskolnikov’s guilt. “So who killed?” Rodion asks in fear. “Like who killed? - Porfiry answers. “Yes, you killed, sir,” then he gives two days to think about it and leaves.
Chapter 3
At the tavern, Rodion meets Svidrigailov, who begins to talk about his adventures. The young man doesn’t like this at all; he winces at such dirty stories. However, Svidrigailov notes that Raskolnikov himself is no better - after all, he is a murderer.
Chapter 4
Dunya comes to Arkady Ivanovich, who tells the girl that her brother killed Alena Ivanovna and Lizaveta, and promises Dunya to save Rodion if the girl becomes his mistress. She cannot agree to this.
Dunya tries to leave. However, he discovers that the door is locked. The girl grabs a revolver and, out of fear and despair, shoots at Svidrigailov, several times, but misses. Dunya throws the weapon on the floor, crying, and asks to let her go.
Arkady Ivanovich opens the door, the girl runs away. And Svidrigailov raises the revolver and hides it.
Chapter 5
Arkady Ivanovich cannot forget Dunya. In despair, he wanders from tavern to tavern, then comes to Sonya, to whom he tells that he has placed the Marmeladov children in the best boarding house, then gives the girl some money and leaves.
He has nightmares at night. He sees a mouse running around the bed, then he dreams of a drowned girl whom he dishonored in his long past, then of a teenage girl whom he once destroyed.
Svidrigailov hurries to leave the hotel, and later, unable to withstand the pangs of conscience, commits suicide by shooting himself with a revolver.
Chapter 6
Raskolnikov confesses to his sister that it was he who killed Lizaveta and the old money-lender, and that he can no longer endure the pangs of conscience. He says goodbye to his mother and Dunya, swears to them that he will begin to live completely differently. Rodion is sad that he was unable to cross the threshold of humanity and his conscience torments him.
Chapter 7
Raskolnikov comes to Sonya, allows her to put a cross on him, then, on the girl’s advice, feeling a sudden kind of liberation in himself, he goes to the crossroads, falls to his knees, kisses the ground and is about to say: “I am a murderer.” But the people gathered around began to mock him, thinking that he was drunk. And Rodion leaves from there, but comes to the police, wanting to confess to the murder. Here he hears someone talking about Svidrigailov's suicide.
Chapter 8
The news of the death of Arkady Ivanovich shocks Rodion. Raskolnikov leaves the police, but on the street he sees Sonya, who is waving her hands in despair. The young man returns to the station and confesses to the murder.
Epilogue
Chapter 1
At the trial, Raskolnikov does not try to justify himself, but the judges relent and give him eight years of hard labor. Sonya goes after Rodion. Pulcheria Ivanovna dies during the trial. Sonya writes to Duna and Razumikhin about how Rodion and they live in Siberia.
Dunya and Razumikhin got married, they are going to go to Raskolnikov and Sonya when Rodion’s friend finishes his studies at the university, so that they can all live together in Siberia.
Chapter 2
The convicts did not accept Raskolnikov, avoided him, did not love him. And Rodion, tormented by pangs of conscience, thought that Svidrigailov turned out to be stronger in spirit than himself, since he was able to commit suicide. The prisoners respected Sonya and even fell in love with her. When they met a girl, they took off their hats in front of her and bowed to the ground.
Raskolnikov somehow became seriously ill and was hospitalized. His recovery was very difficult and difficult, and his mental healing was just as difficult and difficult.
One day Raskolnikov burst into tears, kneeling in front of Sonya. The girl cried in response, suddenly realizing that Rodion loved her. She herself loved him and could not live without him.
“They were resurrected by love, the heart of one contained endless sources of life for the heart of the other”
A brief retelling of the events of the novel “Crime and Punishment” reflects the most significantly important events happening to the heroes of the work, and the main idea, the main idea of the novel: there is no crime without punishment. The novel itself, entirely in the original, will be even more interesting to the reader.
Still from the film “Crime and Punishment” (1969)
60s of the XIX century. A poor area of St. Petersburg, adjacent to Sennaya Square and the Catherine Canal. Summer evening. Former student Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov leaves his closet in the attic and takes the last valuable thing as a pawn to the old pawnbroker Alena Ivanovna, whom she is preparing to kill. On the way back, he goes into one of the cheap taverns, where he accidentally meets the official Marmeladov, who has drunk himself and lost his job. He tells how consumption, poverty and her husband’s drunkenness pushed his wife, Katerina Ivanovna, to a cruel act - to send his daughter from her first marriage, Sonya, to work at the panel to earn money.
The next morning, Raskolnikov receives a letter from his mother from the provinces describing the troubles suffered by his younger sister Dunya in the house of the depraved landowner Svidrigailov. He learns about the imminent arrival of his mother and sister in St. Petersburg in connection with Dunya's upcoming marriage. The groom is a calculating businessman Luzhin, who wants to build a marriage not on love, but on the poverty and dependence of the bride. The mother hopes that Luzhin will financially help her son complete his course at the university. Reflecting on the sacrifices that Sonya and Dunya make for the sake of their loved ones, Raskolnikov strengthens his intention to kill the pawnbroker - a worthless evil “louse”. After all, thanks to her money, “hundreds, thousands” of girls and boys will be spared from undeserved suffering. However, disgust for bloody violence rises again in the hero’s soul after a dream he saw, a memory of his childhood: the boy’s heart breaks with pity for the nag being beaten to death.
And yet, Raskolnikov kills with an ax not only the “ugly old woman,” but also her kind, meek sister Lizaveta, who unexpectedly returned to the apartment. Miraculously leaving unnoticed, he hides the stolen goods in a random place, without even assessing its value.
Soon Raskolnikov discovers with horror the alienation between himself and other people. Sick from his experience, he is, however, unable to reject the burdensome concerns of his university friend Razumikhin. From the latter’s conversation with the doctor, Raskolnikov learns that the painter Mikolka, a simple village guy, has been arrested on suspicion of murdering the old woman. Reacting painfully to conversations about crime, he himself also arouses suspicion among others.
Luzhin, who came for a visit, is shocked by the squalor of the hero’s closet; their conversation develops into a quarrel and ends in a breakup. Raskolnikov is especially offended by the closeness of practical conclusions from Luzhin’s “reasonable egoism” (which seems vulgar to him) and his own “theory”: “people can be cut...”
Wandering around St. Petersburg, a sick young man suffers from his alienation from the world and is ready to confess to a crime to the authorities when he sees a man crushed by a carriage. This is Marmeladov. Out of compassion, Raskolnikov spends his last money on the dying man: he is carried into the house, the doctor is called. Rodion meets Katerina Ivanovna and Sonya, who is saying goodbye to her father in an inappropriately bright outfit of a prostitute. Thanks to a good deed, the hero briefly felt a sense of community with people. However, having met his mother and sister who had arrived at his apartment, he suddenly realizes that he is “dead” to their love and rudely drives them away. He is lonely again, but he has hope of getting closer to Sonya, who, like him, “transgressed” the absolute commandment.
Razumikhin, who almost at first sight fell in love with the beautiful Dunya, takes care of Raskolnikov’s relatives. Meanwhile, the insulted Luzhin puts the bride before a choice: either he or his brother.
In order to find out about the fate of the things pawned by the murdered woman, and in fact to dispel the suspicions of some acquaintances, Rodion himself asks for a meeting with Porfiry Petrovich, the investigator in the case of the murder of the old pawnbroker. The latter recalls Raskolnikov’s recently published article “On Crime,” inviting the author to explain his “theory” about “two classes of people.” It turns out that the “ordinary” (“lower”) majority is just material for the reproduction of their own kind; it is they who need a strict moral law and must be obedient. These are “trembling creatures.” “People themselves” (“higher ones”) have a different nature, possessing the gift of a “new word”, they destroy the present in the name of the better, even if it is necessary to “step over” the moral norms previously established for the “lower” majority, for example, by shedding someone else’s blood. These “criminals” then become “new legislators.” Thus, not recognizing the biblical commandments (“thou shalt not kill,” “thou shalt not steal,” etc.), Raskolnikov “allows” “those who have the right” - “blood according to conscience.” The intelligent and insightful Porfiry discerns in the hero an ideological murderer who claims to be the new Napoleon. However, the investigator has no evidence against Rodion - and he releases the young man in the hope that his good nature will overcome the delusions of his mind and will itself lead him to confess to his crime.
Indeed, the hero is increasingly convinced that he has made a mistake in himself: “the real ruler is destroying Toulon, committing massacres in Paris, forgetting the army in Egypt, wasting half a million people on the Moscow campaign,” and he, Raskolnikov, is tormented by “vulgarity” and “ meanness" of a single murder. It is clear that he is a “trembling creature”: even after killing, he “did not step over” the moral law. The very motives of the crime are twofold in the hero’s consciousness: this is both a test of oneself for the “highest level”, and an act of “justice”, according to revolutionary socialist teachings, transferring the property of “predators” to their victims.
Svidrigailov, who came after Dunya to St. Petersburg, apparently guilty of the recent death of his wife, meets Raskolnikov and notes that they are “birds of a feather,” although the latter has not completely conquered the “Schiller” within himself. Despite all the disgust for the offender, Rodion’s sister is attracted by his apparent ability to enjoy life, despite the crimes he has committed.
During lunch in the cheap rooms where Luzhin, out of economy, settled Dunya and his mother, a decisive explanation takes place. Luzhin is accused of slandering Raskolnikov and Sonya, to whom he allegedly gave for base services the money selflessly collected by his poor mother for his studies. The relatives are convinced of the purity and nobility of the young man and sympathize with Sonya’s fate. Expelled in disgrace, Luzhin is looking for a way to discredit Raskolnikov in the eyes of his sister and mother.
The latter, meanwhile, again feeling a painful alienation from his loved ones, comes to Sonya. From her, who “transgressed” the commandment “thou shalt not commit adultery,” he seeks salvation from unbearable loneliness. But Sonya herself is not alone. She sacrificed herself for the sake of others (hungry brothers and sisters), and not others for herself, like her interlocutor. Love and compassion for loved ones, faith in the mercy of God never left her. She reads the gospel lines to Rodion about Christ’s resurrection of Lazarus, hoping for a miracle in her life. The hero fails to captivate the girl with the “Napoleonic” plan for power over “the entire anthill.”
Tormented by both fear and the desire to be exposed, Raskolnikov again comes to Porfiry, as if worried about his mortgage. A seemingly abstract conversation about the psychology of criminals eventually leads the young man to a nervous breakdown, and he almost gives himself away to the investigator. What saves him is his unexpected confession of murdering the pawnbroker Mikolka.
In the passage room of the Marmeladovs, a wake was held for her husband and father, during which Katerina Ivanovna, in a fit of morbid pride, insults the owner of the apartment. She tells her and the children to move out immediately. Suddenly Luzhin, who lives in the same house, enters and accuses Sonya of stealing a hundred-ruble banknote. The girl’s “guilt” is proven: money is found in her apron pocket. Now in the eyes of others she is also a thief. But unexpectedly there is a witness that Luzhin himself quietly slipped Sonya a piece of paper. The slanderer is put to shame, and Raskolnikov explains to those present the reasons for his action: having humiliated his brother and Sonya in the eyes of Dunya, he hoped to regain the favor of the bride.
Rodion and Sonya go to her apartment, where the hero confesses to the girl about the murder of the old woman and Lizaveta. She pities him for the moral torment to which he has doomed himself, and offers to atone for his guilt with voluntary confession and hard labor. Raskolnikov only laments that he turned out to be a “trembling creature”, with a conscience and a need for human love. “I’ll still fight,” he disagrees with Sonya.
Meanwhile, Katerina Ivanovna and her children find themselves on the street. She begins to bleed from the throat and dies, refusing the services of a priest. Svidrigailov, who is present here, undertakes to pay for the funeral and provide for the children and Sonya.
At his home, Raskolnikov finds Porfiry, who convinces the young man to confess: the “theory”, which denies the absoluteness of the moral law, tears away from the only source of life - God, the creator of humanity, united by nature - and thereby dooms its captive to death. “Now you need air, air, air!” Porfiry does not believe in the guilt of Mikolka, who “accepted suffering” out of an primordial popular need: to atone for the sin of not conforming to the ideal - Christ.
But Raskolnikov still hopes to “transcend” morality. Before him is the example of Svidrigailov. Their meeting in the tavern reveals to the hero a sad truth: the life of this “insignificant villain” is empty and painful for himself.
Dunya's reciprocity is the only hope for Svidrigailov to return to the source of being. Having become convinced of her irrevocable dislike for himself during a heated conversation in his apartment, he shoots himself a few hours later.
Meanwhile, Raskolnikov, driven by the lack of “air,” says goodbye to his family and Sonya before confessing. He is still convinced of the “theory” and is full of self-contempt. However, at Sonya’s insistence, in front of the people, he repentantly kisses the land before which he “sinned.” At the police office, he learns about Svidrigailov’s suicide and makes an official confession.
Raskolnikov finds himself in Siberia, in a convict prison. The mother died of grief, Dunya married Razumikhin. Sonya settled near Raskolnikov and visits the hero, patiently enduring his gloom and indifference. The nightmare of alienation continues here: the common convicts hate him as an “atheist.” On the contrary, Sonya is treated with tenderness and love. Once in the prison hospital, Rodion sees a dream reminiscent of pictures from the Apocalypse: mysterious “trichinas”, moving into people, give rise to a fanatical conviction in everyone’s own righteousness and intolerance to the “truths” of others. “People killed each other in senseless rage” until the entire human race was exterminated, except for a few “pure and chosen.” It is finally revealed to him that the pride of the mind leads to discord and destruction, and the humility of the heart leads to unity in love and to the fullness of life. “Endless love” for Sonya awakens in him. On the threshold of “resurrection into a new life,” Raskolnikov picks up the Gospel.
Retold