Crime and Punishment Case

The following research upon the book, Crime and Punishment, had brought up many contextual and cultural attentions that emphasize the nature of the novel being cynically psychological. Dostoevsky wrote the script of Crime and Punishment as the confession of a young criminal upon his experiences of being in prison. (Meyer xiii introduction) The philosophy behind Crime and Punishment wraps around idea of socialism, utilitarianism, and finally Nihilism.

Socialism is the ideology of collective ownership of the means of production and the joint distribution of goods. (ASCHER, ABRAHAM. "Socialism." Encyclopedia of Russian History ) Goals of being a Socialist Revolutionary corresponds to Raskolnikov's mentality with persuasion. If anything, Raskolnikov refers himself as "superman" being of high authority that can govern the rest of humanity. The means of persuasion would result as assassinations on political figures, or in this case people who lacked morality to Raskolnikov. Furthermore, socialism had a constant rebuttal with its principals. (ASCHER, ABRAHAM. "Socialism." Encyclopedia of Russian History ). One concerning with the peasant population creating a new society, where the other would be the industrial proletariat. The 1st principal contributes to the setting of the novel where most peasant people are pretty communal. Socialism had also led up to the tone of the community were most people didn't have a proper job in which resulted for them to have belittle jobs. Sunia , being a prime example had to succumb to prostitution.

Nihilism is a form of philosophy that was popular in Russia throughout the 1850's and 1860's. It consisted of a strict materialism, or scientific principles besides emotional and family bonds (Cox, Gary. "Part 2." Crime and Punishment: A Mind to Murder). This whole concept then correlates to utilitarianism, the concept of decision making on morals should be for the greater good other than individually. The decision to kill off the pawnshop owner or, Alyona Ivanova, becomes clear for Raskolnikov since his understanding to kill her would be beneficial to his society. Raskolnikov's rationality though is placed at constant debate at himself, the act certainly describes a nihilist act. There is no certainty of absolute ethnics when Raskolnikov thinks about it, but it leads back to scientific rationality.

As you see, the following research on the philosophical context emphasize nature of the novel being cynically psychological. Dostoevsky wrote the script of Crime and Punishment as the confession of a young criminal upon his experiences of being in prison. The philosophy behind Crime and Punishment wraps around idea of socialism, utilitarianism, and finally Nihilism.

Word count: (406)

Citations

ASCHER, ABRAHAM. "Socialism."

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