Raskolnikov's entourage. Raskolnikov's theory - social and philosophical origins of the theory and its meaning

The famous classic work by F. M. Dostoevsky “Crime and Punishment” is the story of a student who decided to commit a terrible crime. In the novel, the author touches on many social, psychological and philosophical issues that are relevant to modern society. Raskolnikov's theory has been manifesting itself for decades.

What is Raskolnikov's theory?

The main character, as a result of lengthy deliberation, came to the conclusion that people are divided into two groups. The first includes individuals who can do whatever they want without paying attention to the law. To the second group he included people without rights, whose lives can be neglected. This is the main essence of Raskolnikov’s theory, which is also relevant for modern society. Many people consider themselves superior to others, breaking laws and doing whatever they want. An example is the majors.

Initially, the main character of the work perceived his own theory as a joke, but the more he thought about it, the more real the assumptions seemed. As a result, he divided all the people around him into categories and assessed them only according to his own criteria. Psychologists have already proven that a person can convince himself of various things by thinking about them regularly. Raskolnikov's theory is a manifestation of extreme individualism.

Reasons for creating Raskolnikov's theory

Not only literature lovers, but also specialists in various fields carefully studied Dostoevsky’s work in order to highlight the social and philosophical origins of Raskolnikov’s theory.

1. The moral reasons that prompted the hero to commit a crime include the desire to understand what category of people he belongs to and pain for the humiliated poor.
2. There are other reasons for the emergence of Raskolnikov’s theory: extreme poverty, the concept of injustice in life and the loss of one’s own guidelines.

How did Raskolnikov come to his theory?

The main character himself throughout the novel tries to understand what caused the terrible act. Raskolnikov's theory confirms that in order for the majority to live happily, the minority must be destroyed. As a result of lengthy reflection and consideration of various situations, Rodion came to the conclusion that he belongs to the highest category of people. Literature lovers put forward several motives that prompted him to commit the crime:

• influence of the environment and people;
• desire to become great;
• desire to get money;
• dislike for the harmful and useless old woman;
• desire to test one's own theory.

What does Raskolnikov's theory bring to the disadvantaged?

The author of Crime and Punishment wanted in his book to convey suffering and pain for all humanity. Poverty and the harshness of people can be seen on almost every page of this novel. In fact, the novel, published in 1866, has much in common with modern society, which is increasingly showing its indifference to its fellow man. Rodion Raskolnikov’s theory confirms the existence of disadvantaged people who do not have a chance for a decent life, and the so-called “leaders of life” with big wallets.

What is the contradiction in Raskolnikov's theory?

The image of the main character consists of only inconsistencies that can be traced throughout the entire work. Raskolnikov is a sensitive person who is not alien to the grief of those around him, and he wants to help those in need, but Rodion understands that he is not able to change the way of life. At the same time, he proposes a theory that completely contradicts.

When figuring out what is wrong with Raskolnikov’s theory for the hero himself, it is worth noting the fact that he expected that it would help him get out of the impasse and start living in a new way. At the same time, the hero achieved the exact opposite result, and he finds himself in an even more hopeless situation. Rodion loved people, but after the murder of the old woman, he simply cannot be around them, this even applies to his mother. All these contradictions show the imperfection of the put forward theory.

What is the danger of Raskolnikov's theory?

If we assume that the idea put forward by Dostoevsky through the thoughts of the protagonist has become large-scale, then the result for society and the world as a whole is very deplorable. The meaning of Raskolnikov’s theory is that people who are superior to others by some criteria, for example, financial capabilities, can “clear” the road for their own good by doing whatever they want, including committing murder. If many people lived according to this principle, then the world would simply cease to exist; sooner or later, the so-called “competitors” would destroy each other.

Throughout the novel, Rodion experiences moral torment, which often takes on different forms. Raskolnikov's theory is dangerous because the hero is trying in every possible way to convince himself that his action was correct, since he wanted to help his family, but he did not want anything for himself. A huge number of people commit crimes thinking this way, which in no way justifies their decision.

Pros and cons of Raskolnikov's theory

At first it may seem that the idea of ​​dividing society does not have any positive aspects, but if you sweep aside all the bad consequences, then there is still a plus - a person’s desire to be happy. Raskolnikov's theory of the right of a strong personality shows that many strive for a better life and are the engine of progress. As for the disadvantages, there are more of them, and they matter to people who share the ideas of the main character of the novel.

1. The desire to divide everyone into two classes, which can have dire consequences, for example, such ideas are identical to Nazism. All people are different, but they are equal before God, so striving to become superior to others is wrong.
2. Another danger that Raskolnikov’s theory brings to the world is the use of any means in life. Unfortunately, many people in the modern world live by the principle “the ends justify the means,” which leads to dire consequences.

What prevented Raskolnikov from living according to his theory?

The whole problem is that while creating the “ideal picture” in his head, Rodion did not take into account the peculiarities of real life. You can't make the world a better place by killing another person, no matter who he was. The essence of Raskolnikov’s theory is clear, but what was not taken into account was that the old pawnbroker was only the initial link in the chain of injustice and, by removing it, it is impossible to cope with all the world’s problems. People who try to profit from the misfortunes of others are not correctly called the root of the problem, since they are only a consequence.

Facts confirming Raskolnikov's theory

In the world you can find a huge number of examples where the idea proposed by the main character of the novel was applied. You can remember Stalin and Hitler, who sought to cleanse the people of unworthy people, and what the actions of these people led to. Confirmation of Raskolnikov’s theory can be seen in the behavior of rich youth, the so-called “majors”, who, without paying attention to the laws, ruined the lives of many people. The main character himself commits murder to confirm his idea, but in the end he understands the horror of the act.

Raskolnikov's theory and its collapse

A strange theory not only appears in the work, but is also completely refuted. To change his decision, Rodion has to endure a lot of mental and physical torment. Raskolnikov's theory and its collapse occurs after he has a dream where people destroy each other and the world disappears. Then he begins to gradually restore faith in goodness. As a result, he understands that everyone, regardless of their situation, deserves to be happy.

When figuring out how Raskolnikov’s theory is refuted, it is worth citing as an example one simple truth - happiness cannot be built on crime. Violence, even if it can be justified by some high ideals, is evil. The hero himself admits that he did not kill the old woman, but destroyed himself. The collapse of Raskolnikov’s theory was visible at the very beginning of its proposal, since the manifestation of inhumanity could not be justified.

Is Raskolnikov's theory still alive today?

No matter how sad it may sound, the idea of ​​dividing people into classes exists. Modern life is tough and the principle of “survival of the fittest” forces many to do things that are not consistent with their lives. If you conduct a survey of who lives today according to Raskolnikov’s theory, then each person will most likely be able to cite as an example some personalities from his environment. One of the main reasons for this state of affairs is the importance of money, which rules the world.

F. M. Dostoevsky’s novel “Crime and Punishment” was written in 1866. This was a time of reforms, when the old “masters of life” began to be replaced by new ones - bourgeois businessmen-entrepreneurs like Luzhin and Svidrigailov, when the old morality was replaced by a new one - “love yourself first.” F. M. Dostoevsky, as a writer who is sensitive to all changes in society, reflected these changes in his novel “Crime and Punishment.”

The main character of this work is Rodion Raskolnikov - a poor student of St. Petersburg

University, who was forced to quit his studies because he did not have enough money, due to nervous and physical exhaustion. We meet Raskolnikov on the very first pages of the novel. We see in what terrible conditions the main character lives: he is poor, he does not have decent clothes, his room looks more like a closet than a person’s home, he does not even have money to pay the landlady for housing, and he is forced her to hide. Around him Rodion Raskolnikov sees poverty, human suffering, death. He asks himself the question why some people, like Luzhin and Svidrigailov, live in luxury, while others, who are much better, more moral than the first, like Sonechka and Katerina Ivanovna, should die of hunger and poverty.

Raskolnikov understands that the world is unfair. He wants to change the existing order of things, but he understands that only an extraordinary person - a “ruler” - can change the world. Rodion Raskolnikov creates his theory, according to which all people are divided into two categories: the first is “lords”, there are very few of these people in the world, these are those who carry out the progress of society, such as Napoleon or Newton. Their main task is to control the rest of the masses, “ordinary people,” as Raskolnikov calls them. The main task of “ordinary people,” according to Raskolnikov, is reproduction and submission to “lords.” For the sake of any great idea, “lords” can sacrifice any means, including human life. They can throw millions of people to their deaths, as Napoleon did, and still remain great. Raskolnikov was a supporter of the idea that a great goal justifies any means. He considered himself a “lord,” but he wanted to use his capabilities and his power not for his own glory, but to help poor people. Sonechka Marmeladova asks Raskolnikov what to do to help the “humiliated and insulted,” to which Raskolnikov replies: “What to do? Break what you need and take the suffering upon yourself! Freedom and power, and most importantly - power! Over all the trembling creatures, over the entire anthill.” Raskolnikov asks himself: “Am I a trembling creature or do I have the right?”

In order to check which category of people he belongs to, Raskolnikov decides to kill the old pawnbroker. He knows she has a lot of money. She is very rich, but all her money is wasted, and after her death she bequeathed it to the monastery. Raskolnikov understands that with this money more than a dozen lives can be saved. But in fact, the real reason for the murder was Raskolnikov’s desire to test himself and his theory, to find out what category of people he belongs to, and helping the “humiliated and insulted” is only a moral justification for him. By killing the old pawnbroker, Raskolnikov seemed to cut himself off from the whole world, from all other people. He cannot even hug his mother and sister, because he feels that he has “blood on his hands.” Dostoevsky follows the hero step by step, does not miss anything, shows every little thing, every detail. Dostoevsky comes to the conclusion that a person who committed such a brutal murder, on the basis of his no less brutal theory, must have a split character, and indeed, Rodion Raskolnikov, on the one hand, is endowed with the best human qualities, on the other, a lot of negative is concentrated in him. With his inhuman theory, Raskolnikov placed himself above other people, but by doing this he cut himself off from the whole society. Raskolnikov arrogated to himself the right to “execute and pardon” - a right that, according to Dostoevsky, only God possesses. Raskolnikov is not only outside society, but also outside faith. He denies God, otherwise he would not have committed this murder.

After the crime, Raskolnikov’s “punishment” begins. It is very symbolic in the novel that only one part is devoted to crime, and the other five to punishment, and Dostoevsky believed that moral punishment is much stronger than physical. Raskolnikov suffers to a greater extent because he understands that in the end he remained a “trembling creature,” and only through Sonechka Marmeladova was Raskolnikov able to realize the inhumanity of his theory, cleanse himself spiritually and morally, and begin the difficult and gradual path of returning to people.

Sections: Literature

Purpose: to analyze the reasons for the emergence of Raskolnikov’s theory; reveal the essence of Raskolnikov’s theory; give her an assessment

I. Introduction by the teacher.

After reading the novel, we come to the conclusion that Raskolnikov became a victim of his own idea. What kind of idea is this? How did it come about? What reasons led Raskolnikov to create an inhumane theory? How do you evaluate this theory? What assessment does Dostoevsky give it?

These questions will be answered in class.

II. Conversation

What can be called the main reason in Raskolnikov’s creation of the theory that led him to the crime?

One that is born of the social environment, and primarily poverty.

What happens to a person who finds himself in the grip of poverty?

It humiliates a person’s dignity, hurts his pride; suppresses a person, gives rise to an inferiority complex in him; he is constantly captivated by problems from which he sees no way out; he painfully reflects on his life, compares himself with other people, trying to explain the reasons for his troubles, and begins to draw the wrong conclusions; Having made the wrong conclusions, a person incorrectly evaluates everything around him; personal qualities cease to be a support, moral guidelines are lost, and in order to get out of difficulties, a person is ready and capable of criminal acts.

Support this with examples from the novel. (Students retell the content of individual episodes of the novel, present and comment on the history of the Marmeladov family).

Marmeladov - having become a beggar, he is insulted by the fact that he cannot find a job, provide

family, to feel respected; not finding a job to ease his mental suffering, he starts drinking and becomes an alcoholic; poverty and difficulties weakened his will and deprived him of hope; Marmeladov’s consciousness changes, and he does something that he would never have done before - he steals things from the house, sends his family around the world; and as a result, the daughter is sent to the panel and is no longer embarrassed to live at her expense, with the money earned by her terrible “labor”. This is his gravest moral crime.

But not every person necessarily commits a crime. An example of this is Raskolnikov’s friend Razumikhin. What, besides need, can push a person to crime? - Much depends not only on the circumstances, but also on the person himself.

III. Working with the text of a novel.

(Commented reading; drawing up a social and psychological portrait of Raskolnikov; searching for quotes, retelling and analyzing episodes that reveal the essence of the theory; note-taking; drawing up a reference outline-scheme, working with a linguistic dictionary).

What is the main character's social status?

The main feature of Raskolnikov's social portrait is the extreme degree of poverty. The son of a poor provincial official, he has a mother who lives on a pension for her deceased husband of 120 rubles a year, and an adult sister who became a governess in the house of a wealthy landowner Svidrigailov to help her brother study. Currently, he, a penniless student, is expelled from the university for non-payment. The mother sent money for training from her tiny pension, earning money by knitting, and from her sister’s salary. This money was not enough to live on, and Raskolnikov tried to support himself by doing tutoring, for which they paid pennies, and they could not significantly support him. He didn’t have enough for the basic necessities, so he became very worn out, lost his decent appearance and, as a result, lost his job. This trouble dragged on from day to day. Therefore, a once noble man turned into a “rag.”

Does this mean that Raskolnikov found himself in a hopeless situation? And is it hopeless? Although he is emaciated and physically weakened by constant malnutrition, he could earn money through intellectual work, for example, by translating, like Razumikhin, or by copying papers . Why is it inactive? Is pride getting in the way, or are there other reasons?

(We discuss the question: is it humiliating, is it shameful for a person to do “menial” work? We recall specific historical examples, in particular, the facts of Nekrasov’s biography).

What are Raskolnikov's personality traits?

Razumikhin characterizes him as a kind person; Marmeladov reveals to him the tragedy of his life; children do not shy away from him; he disinterestedly, to his own detriment, at the first impulse of his soul helps the poor Marmeladovs, the girl on the boulevard, his university friend, his sick father; rescues children from fires; ruins his sister's wedding with the scoundrel Luzhin; treats Sonya with respect; his theory is also created out of compassion for disadvantaged people.

It’s like there are two people in him, opposite to each other; It’s not for nothing that he bears a telling surname - Raskolnikov. Kindness, compassion for the disadvantaged, the ability to selflessly help, a heightened sense of justice and individualism, arrogance, consciousness of superiority over people, painful suffering due to poverty, from which he develops an inferiority complex. Hence the hero’s isolation, and the desire to assert himself, and increased self-esteem.

(Using an explanatory dictionary of the Russian language, students find the meaning of words"personality" " individualism, selfishness, take notes in notebooks).

What happens to Raskolnikov under the influence of poverty?

Not only his own poverty, but also the general need and suffering of the poor makes Raskolnikov think about the structure of the world; he observes the lives of people around him, sympathizing with all those suffering from cruel reality.

Reflecting on the reasons for the unjust structure of society, he painfully searches for an answer to the question: is a person capable of destroying the usual laws of life or is he forced to powerlessly obey them?

Assessing what is happening, he concludes that it is necessary to remake the world. But who is capable of this? The tormented, suffering man in the street is not able to do this due to his weakness and habit of obeying other people's laws. But there are - there are not many of them - special people, “rulers of the world”, “having the right”, capable of creating laws and transforming life, building it according to their own, fair, laws and forcing everyone to obey them. And those who resist and interfere should be destroyed for the sake of the great idea of ​​​​transforming the world. Thus was born his theory, the essence of which is to grant the right to selected people to make history, justifying sacrifices in the name of progress. The idea of ​​a strong personality prompted Raskolnikov to consider himself extraordinary and test this by committing a murder, which led him to personal tragedy, to discord with the whole world and life.

IV. Drawing up a basic outline-scheme of Raskolnikov’s theory

Raskolnikov divided all people into two categories:

I category: lowest - ordinary people - most - mediocrity - material - “trembling creatures” - law-abiding - “masters of the present” - their task: to be obedient, to live for today - they cannot change the world.

II category: highest - extraordinary people - few, talented - people themselves - “having the right” - creating laws - “lords of the future” - their task: to destroy the present in the name of the future - they can improve, remake the world and therefore have the right (and should ) to destroy all obstacles on the path to the common good, including they have the right to commit a crime, to kill the few who interfere with this universal happiness (they have the right to allow themselves “blood according to their conscience”) and not consider themselves criminals, since the noble goal justifies the means.

Evaluating Theory. She is anti-human: she preaches the idea of ​​a superman, the natural inequality of people; criminal within means: achievements.

V. Discussion on the topic "Are there extraordinary people? On whom does historical progress depend?"

VI. Independent written work

1. Give your assessment of Raskolnikov's theory.
2. Write , Did Raskolnikov’s theory find real reflection in the history of mankind in the 19th, 20th, 21st centuries? What consequences did this incarnation have for life on earth? What threat does it pose to humanity in our time?
3. Establish the similarities and differences between Raskolnikov’s theory and Bazarov’s nihilism.

His idea is simple: to kill an old money-lender who is useless to anyone, steal the money she has accumulated and use it for the benefit of the disadvantaged. “One death and a hundred lives in return. But there’s arithmetic here,” says the author of the theory. So, Raskolnikov’s goals are quite worthy, but, as you know, the road to hell is paved with good intentions; Therefore, the question arises: does the end justify the means? Deciding to kill, Raskolnikov considers himself to be “those with the right,” that is, to a special group of the powers that be, to whom everything is permitted. For him, crime is a test, and if he does not pass it, he will remain a “trembling creature,” like most people on the planet. Succumbing to the influence of this idea, Raskolnikov commits a murder, which immediately entails another.

Man and society in the work Crime and Punishment (cm)?

Attention

In Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky’s novel “Crime and Punishment,” the conflict between society and the individual is clearly visible. Raskolnikov’s mother is in poverty, Raskolnikov’s sister is constantly forced to avoid harassment, Raskolnikov himself, an intelligent and not lazy person, is forced to vegetate in poverty. Many believe that in addition to his own theory, Raskolnikov was “helped” to commit a crime by many external factors, in particular, the injustice of the world around him and the difficult living conditions of Raskolnikov himself and his family.

Argument crime and punishment person society

We can talk for a long time about how immoral this act is, to what extent it contradicts moral, ethical, religious principles, not to mention legal norms. One thing is clear - murder is terrible, monstrous, and its idea is no better, because it justifies violence. There is a character in the novel whose position is clearly opposed to Raskolnikov’s.

This is Sonya Marmeladova, an exponent of Christian morality. She responds to violence and anger with kindness and considers all people worthy of compassion; Sonya’s social status is even lower than Raskolnikov. She is a prostitute. Only Christian ideas help her to survive, moreover, to live in spirit, despite the constant humiliation.
Thus, using the example of Sonya Marmeladova and Raskolnikov, one can understand how different an idea can have on a person. It can lift a person from the very bottom, or it can force him to sink to the bottom, to wallow in the most serious sins.

How society influences a person arguments crime and punishment

If an idea takes hold of an individual, that’s one thing; if it takes hold of the masses, it’s another matter. Raskolnikov's last dream shows the possible consequences of mass infatuation with a false, dangerous idea. In my opinion, in our century the dreams of the unfortunate murderer began to come true.

1. The meaning of the title of the novel “Crime and Punishment” The great Russian writer Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky sought to show the ways of moral renewal of human society.
   Man is the center of life to which the writer’s gaze is riveted. “Crime and Punishment” is a novel by Dostoevsky...see full story
2. I killed myself, not the old woman. An essay based on Dostoevsky’s novel “Crime and Punishment” F. M. Dostoevsky is the greatest Russian writer, an unsurpassed realist artist, an anatomist of the human soul, a passionate champion of the ideas of humanism and justice.

The influence of an idea on a person according to the novel Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Important

But still, the novel “Crime and Punishment” is a very bright work, although tragic. The writer expressed in it his innermost thoughts about the moral ideal of humanism. The main character of the novel comes to a moral ideal after experiencing a lot of suffering.

At the beginning of the work, this is a man who is disappointed in people and believes that only through violence can the desecrated goodness and justice be restored. Rodion Raskolnikov creates a cruel theory according to which the world is divided into “those who have the right” and “trembling creatures.” The first is allowed everything, the second - nothing. The main themes and motives of the novel “crime and punishment” The main philosophical question of the novel is the boundaries of good and evil.

The writer seeks to define these concepts and show their interaction in society and in the individual. In Raskolnikov's protest, it is difficult to draw a clear line between good and evil.

The theme of man and society in crime and punishment

Dostoevsky has very few author's monologues, the writer's voice is far from being in the foreground, and with all the variety of ideas reflected in his novels, there is not a single one that can be clearly defined as the author's. Therefore, it cannot be said that in the works of Fyodor Mikhailovich a certain author’s position is formulated and defended; these are not novels with an idea, but rather novels about an idea and its influence on a person. In Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov fell most strongly under the influence of the idea.

This is a student who has not completed his education, living in a closet that looks more like a closet. Rodion Romanovich barely has enough money to feed himself. Around him he sees the miserable life of the St. Petersburg “slums,” full of social injustice and disorder.
And in this dust, stuffiness and dirt, a terrible thought is born in Raskolnikov’s inflamed mind.

How does society influence a person? (final essay)

He realized that the traditions of his grandfathers and fathers could be wrong or unfair. Arguments from literature on the topic: a person outside of society. He is bright, ardent, strives to learn something new, impatient and passionate. It is he who comes to the defense of freedom, art, intelligence and brings a new high morality to Famusov’s world, but Famusov’s prim world does not accept change and cuts off any beginnings of the new, bright and beautiful in the bud.

This is the eternal conflict between the progressive individual and the crowd that gravitates towards conservatism.

• The main character of the novel, M.Yu., is also filled with a rebellious spirit. Lermontov "Hero of Our Time". Pechorin does not accept many established social rules, but still tries to find a common language with the world around him. His personality, like the personalities of many others, is formed under the influence of several forces: the first is his will, the second is the society and era in which he exists .

Info

The works of F. M. Dostoevsky, one of the greatest writers and thinkers of the last century, reflect many ideas and theories of various kinds, often not coinciding with the author’s. These ideas interact with each other, collide, and influence human consciousness. Unlike L.N. Tolstoy, F.M. Dostoevsky did not describe the formation of the human spirit, its tossing and doubts; the writer was interested in the relationship between already formed personalities and the ideas they expressed.

Society influences a person's crime and punishment

The works of F. M. Dostoevsky, one of the greatest writers and thinkers of the last century, reflect many ideas and theories of various kinds, often not coinciding with the author’s. These ideas interact with each other, collide, and influence human consciousness. Unlike L.N. Tolstoy, F.M. Dostoevsky did not describe the formation of the human spirit, its tossing and doubts; the writer was interested in the relationship between already formed personalities and the ideas they expressed. In my opinion, this is why Dostoevsky’s heroes remember almost nothing, and their life attitudes do not experience strong changes during the course of the works. Being a profound psychologist, the writer very convincingly depicts the hero’s experiences, reflections through internal monologues; and even tries to penetrate into the realm of the subconscious, which no one in Russian literature had done so clearly before him. In the works of F.M.
Here is a clear protest against murder and cruelty, here is sympathy for the pain of others. Under the influence of sleep, two motives for the alleged murder occur. One is hatred of the torturers. Another is the desire to rise to the position of judge.

But Raskolnikov did not take into account the third factor - the inability of a good person to shed blood. And as soon as this thought occurred to him, he abandoned his plans in fear. In other words, even before lifting the ax, Raskolnikov understands the doom of his idea. Having woken up, the hero was almost ready to abandon his plan: “God! - he exclaimed, - can it really be, can I really take an ax, hit her on the head, crush her skull... People in the novel cannot earn money for their existence. And the consciousness of this provokes people to gradually sink lower and lower, engaging in prostitution and theft.

How society influences a person essay crime and punishment

In addition, let us remember the protagonist’s entourage: this is Sonya Marmeladova, a very kind girl who has a positive influence on Raskolnikov. All these factors led to the fact that the main character confesses to the crime. In this literary work, we clearly observe how society influenced a person, forcing him to do what was necessary. In conclusion, I would like to say that a person is inextricably linked with society. Undoubtedly, it is impossible to abstract oneself from it one hundred percent. And from this statement it follows that society directly proportionally influences the person who belongs to it.
Raskolnikov, a former law student, “left the university for lack of anything to support himself,” and was forced to earn a living by giving penny lessons. When “lessons and other means ceased,” Raskolnikov had to pawn the most valuable things he had and the things dearest to him - his father’s old watch and a gold ring given by his sister as a souvenir. “Overwhelmed by poverty,” he did not have his own home, but rented a closet from the tenants, “more like a closet or chest,” a tiny cell, being in which “it became creepy, and his eyes and thoughts involuntarily asked for space.” Moreover, he “owed everything to the mistress” and was constantly hiding from her. Having almost no means of subsistence, he sometimes ate nothing for several days, and “was dressed so poorly that some<… посовестился бы днём выходить в таких лохмотьях на улицу».

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Raskolnikov, a former law student, “left the university for lack of anything to support himself,” and was forced to earn a living by giving penny lessons. When “lessons and other means ceased,” Raskolnikov had to pawn the most valuable things he had and the things dearest to him - his father’s old watch and a gold ring given by his sister as a souvenir. “Overwhelmed by poverty,” he did not have his own home, but rented a closet from the tenants, “more like a closet or chest,” a tiny cell, being in which “it became creepy, and his eyes and thoughts involuntarily asked for space.” Moreover, he “owed everything to the mistress” and was constantly hiding from her. Having almost no means of subsistence, he sometimes ate nothing for several days, and “was dressed so poorly that some<...>I would be ashamed to go out into the street in such rags during the day.” Being in this position, the hero, of course, could not take care of his loved ones, his mother and sister Dunya, who were not protected from the cruelty and injustice of the world around him. Raskolnikov understands that Dunya is “ready to sell herself” for his sake, “to take her freedom, peace of mind, even her conscience to the crowded market,” to marry Luzhin, who only wanted to “take a girl without a dowry,” who “was already in distress and<...>will consider her husband as her benefactor,” is ready to be subjected to humiliation, having already experienced it in the Svidrigailovs’ house; Raskolnikov does not want Dunya’s sacrifice and, at the same time, is powerless to prevent this, because he “has nothing to offer his sister in return.”

However, Raskolnikov, experiencing the hardships of poverty, whose life, as well as the life of his family, is unhappy, lives in a world of even more terrible tragedies, distorted destinies, in a world where “every man is a martyr.” So the fate of the Marmeladov family is extremely tragic. Katerina Ivanovna, a woman of noble birth, left with three children in extreme poverty, agreed to marry Marmeladov, because “there was nowhere to go,” but again found herself in “hopeless poverty.” Living in a “magnificent capital adorned with numerous monuments,” they rented a corner from Mrs. Lippevekh-zel, being in “the ugliest sodom.” Marmeladov, unable to feed his family, drank even his wife’s stockings and, at the same time, madly feeling sorry for the children, sometimes “dead drunk” he brought them a gingerbread cockerel, “blaming himself all around”, realizing that he was responsible for the ruined life of his daughter from his first marriage , Sonya, meek and “unresponsive”, forced to “go with the yellow ticket”, against herself, in order to save her family from starvation...

But the fate of the Marmeladovs is not an isolated case, not out of the ordinary, but a typical case in St. Petersburg. The city in which Raskolnikov lives is full of injustice, cruelty, and vulgarity. The majestic “Peter’s creation”, Petersburg, appears before us as a city of contrasts, where an insurmountable abyss separates “people in carriages”, those who live in “dachas decorated with greenery”, where there is no stench, no stuffiness, no drinking bars, and people people like Raskolnikov, like the Marmeladovs, crushed by poverty, renting miserable little rooms for pennies, broken by a cruel fate and looking for oblivion, and sometimes “sorrow and tears at the bottom of a half-stack” or rebelling in an ugly rebellion against this life, like Raskolnikov.

This twin city has a “sovereign, austere appearance,” but behind its external splendor hides a terrible inner side, a city of drinking establishments, poor neighborhoods near the Sennaya with dirty and stinking courtyards, a city of yellow color (Raskolnikov’s pale yellow complexion, yellow wallpaper in Raskolnikov’s closet and the old woman’s apartment, Marmeladov’s yellow complexion, the yellow dress of the drowned woman), which characterizes St. Petersburg as a city of “half-crazy people,” a city where everything is bought and sold (yellow is the color of gold), and finally, as a city of evil...

In this world, thousands of little people die in poverty, every year a certain number of victims fall into the “percentage”. This world is completely perverted, where “there is drama everywhere”: Raskolnikov on the boulevard meets a very young, but already descended into debauchery, drunken girl, he witnesses a suicide attempt by a woman, obviously driven to despair, who throws herself into the Neva from a bridge. Thus, this city becomes both a murderer, and a witness to terrible crimes, and an accomplice that “rarely where can there be so many gloomy, harsh and strange influences on the human soul as in St. Petersburg.”

Pressing on the consciousness, St. Petersburg, where even the air is “smelly, dusty, polluted by the city,” as if pushing a person to break the law of conscience.

The atmosphere of immorality and meanness leads Raskolnikov, an intelligent, capable of compassion, a humane and kind person by nature, to the fact that a terrible, anti-human theory is born in his mind, allowing “blood according to conscience”, admitting that “those who have the right”, “extraordinary “People can afford to neglect moral laws, a theory as ugly and ugly as the world against which the hero rebelled, as a result of which Raskolnikov completely took possession.