Sin, Redemption, and Resurrection
By: Matthew Laux
In “Crime and Punishment” by Fyodor Doetsky, Raskolnikov wished to commit murder but could not muster the courage to follow through. He desired to “avenge himself on himself” in order to achieve revenge on others and desire self punishment. “Crime and Punishment” demonstrates the inherent death in modern worldliness because the New Testament morally demonstrates a trust in God involving a sense of resurrection. Numerous scenes within “Crime and Punishment” convey Raskolnikov directing himself into a decay in spiritual belief. Within the New Testament, instances of loyalty to the lord leading to one rising to heaven allegorically, morally, and spiritually are present. Within today’s society, individuals who follow the Christian faith believe in Resurrection to those who stay dedicated and allegiant toward the Lord Jesus Christ.
Part one of “Crime and Punishment” chapter three, is a remarkable representation of how Raskolnikov’s spiritual thoughts are enhanced by external factors. His deathly and murderous ideas do not just come out of nowhere, but are based upon his poverty-stricken background. His eventual plan to kill Alyona Ivanovna seems as if it will never happen due indecisive personality. However commiting murder goes against one of the Ten Commandments and most importantly, all of the lord’s morals. Morally, within the Gospel of John chapter 9, a woman is caught committing adultery. One who believes in the Lord, also believes that adultery can not be committed until marriage. Committing a sin disassembles the trust between an individual and Jesus as seen in both works of literature. Similarly in the instance of Raskolnikov, he commits a sin and looks for redemption. Internally, Raskolnikov struggles with his own morals and can not figure out his next plan of action. Within The Gospel of John chapter 9, a man who is born blind is encountered by Jesus. Jesus approaches the man and heals him because his blindness was not caused by sin but rather a birth deformity.
Specifically in part one chapter three of “Crime and Punishment”, as described through an assortment of literary devices the reader could tell that Raskolnikov was not in the right headspace. As described in the classic novel, “He had got completely away from everyone, like a tortoise in its shell, and even the sight of a servant girl who had to wait upon him and looked sometimes into his room made him writhe with nervous irritation. He was in the condition that overtakes some monomaniacs entirely concentrated upon one thing” (Dostoevsky 39). Clearly, Raskolnikov is seen to be struggling with his internal thoughts and ideas. When Dostoevsky stated the simile, “like a tortoise in its shell” he really hit on the point in a sense of Raskolnikov being lonely and stuck. He completely isolates himself from society and even seen in the next page, Nastaasya attempts to give him a cup of tea but he questions her by saying that it is coming from a landlady. From a moral perspective, if someone offers an individual something, one shall either take it or decline with gratitude. In this instance Raskolnikov questioned and declined which demonstrates a sense of disrespect within himself. Literally speaking, Raskolnikov can not get his mind off committing murder. These thoughts are stuck in his mind and do not seem to be leaving anytime soon. In Konstantin Mochulsky’s critical biography Dostoevsky ; His Life and Work, “In October 1859 he wrote to his brother from Tver: Don’t you remember I talked to you about a confession”(Mochulsky 271). This reveals key information to Doetsky’s purpose of making Raskolnikov want to commit murder. Dostoevsky wanted to create a novel where the protagonist demonstrated a passion to do something but, in the end, confessed to feeling bad about it. This directly relates to Raskolnikov wanting to commit murder but deep down inside the reader could infer that he does not want to commit murder.
The New Testament, specifically the Gospel of John chapter 9 connects to this in a sense of forgiveness from the Lord. In “Crime and Punishment” part one chapter three, it seems as if Raskolnikov is completely gone. Gone meaning that his only thought on his mind is committing a crime and nobody else can change that. Within John chapter 9, it starts off as Jesus finds a man who was born blind. However, “Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents; but that the works Of God should be made manifest him”(John 9:3). This illustrates that due to some genetic nature the man was born blind. Since the man did not sin, Jesus is willing to help and in the end Jesus uses his powers to give the man his vision back. This relates to chapter 3 of “Crime and Punishment” because Raskolnikov needs assistance from God. All he wants to do is commit murder and he can not get that out of his mind. Morally, God would never want someone to commit murder so this is a key situation where God can definitely come and save Raskolnikov. As stated in John chapter 9, God can use his power to do and fix anything and in this instance, Raskolnikov can really use this help.
Next, within “Crime and Punishment” part two chapter five Raskolnikov commits the crime that he has been plotting during all of part one. He kills the pawnbroker Alyona Ivanovna. Raskolnikov did not realize that this would also kill his mental stability. Razumihin the voice of reason uttered, “You seem to be jeering at me, brother? He said to him , with a well-feigned irritability. I dare say I do seem to you absurdly anxious about such trash; but you mustn’t think me selfish or grasping for that, and these two things may be anything but trash in my eyes” (Dostoevsky 320). The reader could infer from this that Raskolnikov’s mind is extremely irritated from the crime he committed. He seems to be paranoid about the whole situation (as he should be). A few more pages in, Raskolnikov and Razumikhin continue to argue and then the police arrive to investigate the murder. This scares him because nobody knows he commited the murder but he thinks that they have caught him. Furthermore, Within the New Testament John chapter 14 compares this situation perfectly, displaying the assistance that Raskolnikov needs.
The Gospel of John Chapter 14 opens up, “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; thay where I am, ye may be also” (John 14:3-4). The style of this quote is very metaphorical when Jesus refers to the father’s house, he refers to heaven. He gives the disciples a sense of reassurance that if they believe in the Lord everything will work out. Further into the chapter Jesus tells the disciples he is sending them the Holy Spirit to make sure they stay comfortable. On top of that he promises that if they are ever in trouble he will be there to help.
Allegorically this relates to “Crime and Punishment” part two. In both works of literature metaphors are used to describe how people are feeling and what the future could bring. For example in John 1, symbolically Jesus wants to help his believers make it to heaven calling it “Father’s House”. Just like how Jesus reassures the disciples, one could feel how Raskolnikov needs the same reassurance. Raskolnikov is in a difficult mindstate and is extremely struggling to grasp his thoughts. Mentally he is destroyed and is displaying signs of anxiety and depression. It had gotten so bad to the point where he can not even function normally on a daily basis. Jesus’s reassurance and assistance would work magic for Raskolnikov at this very moment. It would give him the comfort and compassion to pray and still have the chance to be allowed to go to heaven.
Finally, within “Crime and Punishment” part five chapter two, the punishment due to Raskolnikov’s murder is inflicted. Described in chapter one and two, Raskolnikov was sentenced to do labor for Siberia due to committing murder. Raskolnikov is still in a horrible state of mind for what he has done, if not worse than before. Katerina displayed to Raskolnikov the, “Drops of perspiration stood out on her forehead and her handkerchief was stained with blood. She showed Raskolnikov the blood in silence, and as soon as she could get her breath began whispering to him again with extreme animation and a hectic flush on her cheeks” (Doetsky 479). With inference, one could perceive that when Raskolnikov saw the blood from the person he murdered it was definitely tough to look at. At this point in the novel, Raskolnikov’s mental health has almost fully deteriorated. In Luke chapter 22 the chief scribes and priests seem to have a strategy to ultimately kill Jesus but are scared to see how the people will react. Coincidentally Jesus predicts that one of his disciples is going to disobey him. However this was not in time as Jesus is arrested by Judas and his crowd of people. In both of these works of literature Raskolnikov and Jesus are both seen as criminals, as they are both arrested and sentenced to prison-like scenarios.
Specifically at this point in Crime and Punishment Raskolnikov is struggling psychologically. He is exceedingly overwhelmed by everything going on inside and outside the detention center, and is seen as starting to break down. Katerina indirectly addressed Raskolnikov, “No doubt you think, like everyone, that I was too severe with him” (Doetsky 482). This represents Katerina as a character, as she is questioning herself if she was too harsh on Raskolnikov after she already committed what she did. One could see a little bipolarity out of this statement as she contradicted herself. In Luke chapter 22, “…as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together, and led him into their council, saying, art thou the Christ? Tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe. (Luke 22:66-68). This was the scene where Jesus had been arrested similar to Raskolnikov being arrested. Literally, Jesus and Raskolnikov were humiliated in both of these instances. Being arrested and prosecuted in front of others is definitely very tough to go through.
Morally, at least on Raskolnikov’s part he committed a crime and sinned. Jesus on the other hand, was arrested due to betraying the Judas which is not seen even close to committing murder. However, in a moral instance murder and betrayal are not seen as the correct thing to do. Raskolnikov and Jesus both seem to have angered a variety of people and as a result were arrested. Ultimately, this scene of Jesus is the foreshadowing of his crucifixion. To Raskolnikov, he is in the worst state of mind he has ever been in and honestly would rather not be alive then be alive. Each plot is similar in the fact that the protagonists are in states of disparity. They both feel guilty and heave to live the terrible reality of staying within a prison. According to Dostoevsky And Memory Eternal: An Eastern Orthodox Approach to the Brothers Karamazov, Sheehan demonstrates that one of Dostoevsky’s melodic purposes was that memory is eternal. This relates to Raskolnikov because if one commits murder, they will definitely not forget about it. A crime so severe such as murder is an episodic memory, one that will never be forgotten.
Overall, “Crime and Punishment” by Fyodor Dostoevsky reiterates themes of disparity and redemption within society as the New Testament highlights believing in Christ includes parallels to resurrection and redemption. Through an allegorical, moral, and literal Dostoevsky exclaims the Raskolonikov’s internal and external actions. As Raskolnikov struggles to become heir to the crime he committed, the New Testament depicts biblical narratives from John and Luke that cover themes such as sin, redemption, and resurrection. The journey of Raskolnikov through “Crime and Punishment” directly compares to the biblical figures in the New Testament searching through sin and redemption while keeping forth Jesus Christ.
References
Dostoevsky, Fyodor. Crime and Punishment. Vintage Classics, 1993.
The Holy Bible: King James Version.
Mochulsky, Konstantin. Dostoevsky ; His Life and Work:
Translated and Introduction by Michael A. Minihan.
Princeton University Press, 1967.
Another City. “Dostoevsky and Memory Eternal: An Eastern Orthodox Approach to The
Brothers Karamazov.” Another City, 2024.
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