Crime and Punishment Essay

Societal Rehabilitation Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s work in Crime and Punishment can be cited as largely autobiographical. Although the author never committed anything like the atrocious murders depicted in the novel, the nihilistic traits of his protagonist, Raskolnikov, closely resemble his own ideals as a youth. In 1947, Dostoyevsky joined the revolutionary Petrashevist cause. The author and this group of radical socialists narrowly escaped death after being arrested by police. They received a pardon from the czar …

…book and through his punishment, he transforms from a troubled, adolescent atheist to a contented, matured Christian. He rejects his socialist movement and chooses a sedate, satisfied life with family and God. The acute contrast of these two images demonstrates Dostoyevsky’s purpose in glorifying the conservative cause and condemning a radical youth. Crime and Punishment is more than a fictional masterpiece; it is the author’s device to make a social statement about Russia.