Reaction to Part II

As I read through the chapters of Part II of Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov’s new internal conflicts become increasingly evident. In chapter 1, it is clear that Raskolnikov’s primary concern is being caught. His paranoia over the dilemma continues to grow and it results in strong feelings of anxiety, feebleness, and deliria. In addition, Raskolnikov evades being caught by burying the stolen goods under a large rock. Although Raskolnikov is deeply concerned with being caught for the murders, I was both surprised and angered when he disposed of the pawned items simply because stealing these items from Alyona was his reason to murder her in the first place. In addition to his worries with being caught, Raskolnikov also begins expressing remorse/regret for the murders in Part II. Raskolnikov makes note of the fact that his true punishment for murdering the pawnbroker and her sister, Lizaveta, is the mental and emotional suffering that he will face due to his extreme sense of anxiety and guilt. I am intrigued by the fact that Raskolnikov acknowledges the idea of internal punishment given that the majority of criminals do not feel remorse for their actions. At this point in the novel, Dostoyevsky introduces an additional internal conflict of Raskolnikov’s. Rather than struggling between whether or not he should commit the crime (Raskolnikov’s internal conflict in Part I), Raskolnikov now struggles with his desire to confess and his desire to remain a free man. This internal struggle is obvious when Raskolnikov faints in the police station. Personally, I think Dostoyevsky includes this scene in the narrative in order to display the extreme sense of pressure that Raskolnikov feels and his will to confess. Furthermore, I feel like Raskolnikov’s hallucinations are the result of his desire to forget that the murders even occurred. I am excited to find out how Raskolnikov deals with his guilt as the moral decay of his character progresses. I don’t think it will be too long before someone finds out who should really be held responsible for the murders.  

- Alex