Blog Entry #2 (9/9/12)

Part II of Crime and Punishment commences Raskolnikov’s moral decay. I agree with Gabe and Madie’s opinions that Raskolnikov is a mentally unstable character with an internal struggle between right and wrong. Now that the murders of Alyona Ivanova and her sister, Lizaveta, have finally been committed, Fyodor Dostoyevsky begins to portray the stages of Raskolnikov’s mental breakdown due to his profound sense of guilt over the murders. Still paralyzed with agitation and dismay over the previous night’s events, Raskolnikov could not find himself falling asleep with ease. After awakening from a night of restless sleep, Raskolnikov instantaneously checked his clothes and apartment for traces of blood or any clues that could possibly link him to the murder scene. A frantic Raskolnikov is then informed that he has been summoned to the police station; however, Raskolnikov is relieved to discover that he was only called to the station because his landlady reported him for not paying rent. As Raskolnikov overhears a detective discuss the murder of the Ivanova sisters, his disposition transitions and once again, Raskolnikov grows anxious over his heightened sense of guilt. Raskolnikov states “that it was no longer possible for him to address these people in the police station, not only with heartfelt effusions, as he had just done, but in any way at all” (Raskolnikov 84). This quote is crucial to the overall theme of Crime and Punishment because it illuminates the protagonist’s hasty realization that the murders have caused him to completely isolate himself from society. This serves as the first stage of Raskolnikov’s internal punishment and suffering. Dostoyevsky does a great job of illustrating how guilt and anxiety are leading to the collapse of Raskolnikov’s character. I agree with Gabe’s opinion that Raskolnikov will eventually pay the consequences of his brutal actions. I look forward to continuing this intriguing novel and discovering how Raskolnikov overcomes his internal suffering, which serves as his true punishment.

-Alex