Raskolnikov’s Duplistic Nature in Crime and Punishment :: Crime Punishment Essays

Dostoevskys Crime and Punishment is the story of a worthless man in czarist Russia who can only purge himself of his guiltiness through suffering. It deals with the mental and physical tribulation brought upon him by his crime. His troubles are intensify by the conflicting personalities which he possesses. The reader is inclined to characterize him by his cold, intellectual side. Yet, without the contrasting humane side of his nature, Raskolnikov never realizes the errors in his surmisal and actions. Raskolnikov is defined by the duplistic nature of his personality, with each facet being notwithstanding as vital as the other.Raskolnikovs cold side leads him to develop his theory, and thusly to commit murder. This side of him bases all decisions on reason and rationalization (although it is sometimes incorrect), rather than on feeling. It is purely stoical, without emotion. The other side of his character is large-minded and compassionate. Without this side being presented the r eader views him as an evil murderer, and not a mislead victim, as Dostoevsky intends.In the novel Raskolnikov engages in sporadic acts of kindness. He gives money to the Marmeladov family, he attempts to aid Marmeladov when he dies, and he tries to get a drunken girl home and away from her pursuer. All of these deeds were do without premeditation. He simply feels that at the time it is the right thing to do. later on a short period of time his outlook dramatically reverses. He starts to rationally analyze what he has done, and then feels that his actions were stupid. This transition marks the pop off of his cold side, and it occurs after every kind thing that Raskolnikov does.