Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov - Part II

 

Picture source: https://minervawisdom.com/2022/03/09/literary-summary-crime-and-punishment/

PART II - Chapter I to VII

Hello again my fellow readers!
Here I am, once again, to continue with my impressions from Part II. Let’s go!

    I am still struck by the vivid representation of Raskolnikov's inner chaos of emotions. We can clearly see Raskolnikov's feelings, particularly his overwhelming sense of guilt and fear of being caught for his crime. He is becoming anxious about the murder he has committed, and is also worried about the police investigation, since he had left several clues at the crime scene. He is starting to behave suspiciously around, thinking everyone is watching him. For instance, Raskolnikov's thoughts, "I must keep myself in hand now, or I shall go mad," highlights and portraits his inner struggle and chaos. 

    Following up, the interactions between Raskolnikov and other characters were also quite intriguing and interesting. I was especially curious by his compassion and empathy towards Marmeladov and Sonya, a friend whom he had met before at the tavern mentioned in Part I, and a prostitute, daughter of the former. Raskolnikov offers to help them in any way he can, and this compassion is in sharp contrast to his violent tendencies and contempt for the authorities. As it says, "If anyone had talked to him like this a week ago, he would have blown them up...now he felt for some reason an unbounded goodwill for this man." 

    Generally, Part II of Crime and Punishment is a strong exploration of complex colours and themes such as morality, guilt, and again, as in Part I, the nature of the human psyche. Dostoevsky's writing is passionate and thought-provoking, leaving a lasting impression on the reader. As Raskolnikov reflects on his actions, "I am a murderer, but I am not a thief," we can see the complexity of his character and the depth of his inner struggles.

 That is all for now. See you in the next chapter! ;)