Why did Raskolnikov decide to commit a crime? — Litera.site

The causes and motives of Raskolnikov’s crime in the novel “Crime and Punishment”

It is important to understand that none of the reasons listed below can justify the crime of Raskolnikov or any other criminal. The main reason for Raskolnikov's crime

At first glance, you might think that Raskolnikov commits murder for the money of the old money-lender. Yes, the young man is poor and he wants to get out of poverty quickly and effortlessly, but money is not the main reason and motive for murder. The main reason for Raskolnikov’s crime is his theory about ordinary and extraordinary people. The essence of the theory is that people are supposedly divided into two types:

people are brilliant, special, great
ordinary people, that is, “material” for the great

Raskolnikov decides to test his theory in practice and prove to himself that he is one of the great people, like Napoleon, and is not a “trembling creature.”

What else pushes Raskolnikov to crime?

Dislike for the old pawnbroker

Raskolnikov considers the old pawnbroker a “louse” who is unworthy of living. He finds justification for the future crime in the fact that the old woman:

evil, cruel and greedy woman
profiting from someone else's misfortune, giving money as bail on unfavorable terms
uses his weak-minded sister Lizaveta as a slave
wrote a will, according to which almost all of her fortune goes not to her sister Lizaveta, but to some monastery

Other circumstances

Shortly before committing the murder, several events occur in Raskolnikov’s life that push him to commit a crime:

Shortly before the crime, the hero overhears a conversation between two strangers in a tavern. Strangers discuss an evil old pawnbroker who ruins people's lives and treats her sister poorly. Raskolnikov seems to be convinced that many people hate the pawnbroker and wish her harm.
On the eve of the crime, Raskolnikov meets the drunkard Marmeladov and learns the story of his life, as well as the sad story of his daughter Sonya Marmeladova, who is forced to earn a living from an obscene craft. The story about Sonya leaves a depressing impression on Raskolnikov’s soul.
On the eve of the murder, Raskolnikov receives a letter from his mother, which talks about the upcoming wedding of his sister Dunya with the scoundrel Luzhin, as well as about Dunya’s suffering as a governess in the Svidrigailov family. Raskolnikov feels guilty for what his mother and sister are forced to endure. The young man is against his sister marrying a scoundrel for money. Raskolnikov is angry with himself for not being able to give his mother and sister a decent life.
Shortly before the crime, Raskolnikov sees a drunken, deceived girl on the boulevard on the street. This sad sight makes him think about the fate of his poor sister Dunya. Raskolnikov is worried that something similar could happen to Dunya due to poverty.
On the eve of the crime, Raskolnikov accidentally hears that the sister of the old pawnbroker, Lizaveta, will be absent from home at a certain time (“tomorrow at 7 o’clock in the evening”).
Raskolnikov's closet depresses his psyche and leads him to dark thoughts. According to the hero's mother, his room is partly to blame for the fact that he feels unhappy.
In recent months, Raskolnikov has not been giving private lessons and has dropped out of university studies. He does nothing and spends all day in his closet. Lack of employment is partly the reason for his monomania, that is, his “obsession” with his theory about ordinary and extraordinary people. When monomania reaches its climax, he decides to test his terrible theory.

We emphasize once again that, whatever the reasons and motives for the murder, they do not justify Raskolnikov’s crimes. Raskolnikov after the crime

Immediately after committing the crime, Raskolnikov realizes that he was deeply mistaken in his terrible theory.
He understands that he is not “Napoleon” and is not capable of building a “bright future” at the cost of crime. Raskolnikov understands that he cannot live calmly and happily with such a terrible sin in his soul. Punishment overtakes Raskolnikov not at hard labor in Siberia, but immediately after the crime: mental torment does not leave him for a second. In the end, the hero himself confesses to the police and goes to hard labor. See: - All materials on “Crime and Punishment” - All articles about Raskolnikov
The entire work “Crime and Punishment” by F. M. Dostoevsky is based on the murder committed by the main character. What is important here is not only the consequences of the crime, but also its causes. It is important to understand why Raskolnikov committed the crime.

What are the reasons for Raskolnikov’s crime

Raskolnikov's reasoning is nothing more than a philosophical justification for the crime. According to him, there is “nothing particularly new” in it, except for one thing: allowing blood according to conscience. Raskolnikov's theory is the result of the operation of laws and the manifestation of morality in a misanthropic society, where man is the enemy of man. It is no coincidence that the sister’s remark: “But you shed blood!” Raskolnikov replies: “which is poured like champagne.”

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In the first chapter we learn about the time of action (“At the beginning of July, in an extremely hot time.”), the place of action (St. Petersburg), the main character (“one young man”) and his condition (“indecisiveness”): “And every Once a young man, passing by, felt some painful and cowardly sensation, which he was ashamed of and from which he winced.” This “painful and cowardly feeling” is the subconscious voice of conscience: “he owed everything to his mistress and was afraid to meet her.” Dostoevsky informs readers that the manifestation of an unconscious conscience, characteristic of Raskolnikov by nature, is a manifestation of a good beginning in him. But by nature he also has a lot of pride. Conscience and pride in a clash give rise to a conflict between human nature and his mind: “What business do I want to encroach on and at the same time what trifles am I afraid of.” In this painful internal struggle of the hero, one of the reasons for the moral crime is revealed.

Poverty and misery

The very way of life in Russia at that time provoked people to a hard life and unpleasant decisions. Rodion, forced to leave his studies due to lack of money, led a poor life in which there was very little joy. His mother helped him with everything she could, but she and Dunya were in poverty themselves, Rodion was their main hope. Raskolnikov loved his family and felt guilty that Dunya had to humiliate herself, and her mother sent him her last money.

The injustice of life around, dirt and baseness, could turn even a good person into a criminal. People had nothing to eat, nothing to support their families, they had to survive by any means necessary. Raskolnikov was a kind and compassionate person, he knew how to reflect and think. The situation around him prompted him to create an unusual and cruel theory, which was the main reason for his crime. A year before committing the murder, he even published his theory in the newspaper.

Philosophical theory

According to Raskolnikov’s theory, there are two types of people in the world: ordinary ones, whose tasks include only reproduction and complete subjugation of life, and extraordinary ones, who decide the destinies of people and great deeds for the era. It is these extraordinary people who have the right to commit any crimes in order to achieve their great goals, and are even obliged to commit them. In the eyes of their contemporaries, such people look cruel, but their descendants recognize them as great people. Raskolnikov includes Newton and Napoleon, as well as himself, among such personalities. It is because of this theory that Raskolnikov goes to kill the old pawnbroker.

The image of Raskolnikov in the novel “Crime and Punishment”

The philosophy of the hero of Dostoevsky's work

What crime did Raskolnikov commit? As the story progresses, the main character becomes more and more embittered because of his powerlessness to help the people close to him. Depressed by his poverty, he decides to kill the old pawnbroker, who was benefiting from the misfortune of people. The reasons that prompted Raskolnikov to commit a crime lie not only in his poverty and helplessness. The main character seeks revenge for all the disadvantaged and abused, for the suffering and humiliation of Marmeladova, for every person who was brought to the brink of moral torment and poverty. Passionately believing in his theory, Rodion is outraged by the philosophy of the successful entrepreneur Luzhin, who sought to marry Raskolnikov's sister. Luzhin stands on the side of “reasonable egoism.” Petr Petrovich believes that first of all, everyone needs to take care of themselves and their own well-being. And the more rich people there are in a society, the richer the whole society will become. According to Luzhin’s philosophy, you only need to take care of yourself, without thinking about your neighbors. Speaking about why Raskolnikov committed a crime, it should be said precisely that Rodion, unlike Peter, “cared” about all people, striving for the universal good. And in this case, he considered the murder he committed as a way to confirm his theory.

Experiment on yourself

To prove to himself that he belongs to the category of “those with the right,” Raskolnikov decides on a cruel experiment. He tries to contrast himself with “ordinary” people who cannot change anything, believing that he has the right to be the true engine of history. Doubting his decision, he sees various “signs of fate” that bring him even closer to the decision to commit murder. He sincerely believes that he is committing a crime for the benefit of his neighbors and even all of humanity; he sees in the act exactly the power that is endowed to “those with the right.” Having overheard a drunken conversation in a tavern the day before that the murder of Alena would not have been a crime if the killer had distributed the stolen money to the poor, Rodion decides to do so, thereby checking his involvement in the category of extraordinary people.

But the heavy burden of conscience turns out to be beyond Raskolnikov’s strength. He rushes from one thought to another, cannot cope with the realization of what he has done. Reflecting, he comes to the conclusion that if he committed murder because of hunger alone, it would be easier for him to cope with the consequences of his crime.

Raskolnikov's theory is the main reason for the decision to commit a crime, but the fruits that his deed brings to him are far from those that the hero expected. In his haste, he does not even have time to take away the money with which he wanted to help his family and those in need, and he hides the jewelry that he managed to take under a stone. And the torment that the hero experiences after the murder is his main punishment.

This text will help you correctly write the essay “Why Raskolnikov committed a crime,” indicating the main reasons for the murder.

Why did Raskolnikov commit a crime? Reasons for Raskolnikov's crime

Raskolnikov manages to commit a crime. But the murder leads to a different result from the one he expected. When discussing why Raskolnikov committed a crime, it should be remembered that he was driven primarily by the desire to bring his idea to life. But the morality of “unusual” people turned out to be incomprehensible to Rodion. And after the murder of the pawnbroker, the main character begins to see true morality and beauty not in those who are higher, but in people like Sonechka Marmeladova, who are capable of maintaining morality in unbearable conditions. Such people, enduring humiliation and hunger, still retain faith in life and love.

According to many critics, Dostoevsky is a master of describing “sick souls.” One of the most interesting heroes of the writer is Rodion Raskolnikov. “Crime and Punishment,” the novel in which he became a character, is full of conflicting feelings, human torment and the eternal search for oneself.

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Question 1 of 16
In what year was Dostoevsky's novel Crime and Punishment written?
- 1865
1867
1868

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The reasons for Raskolnikov’s crime in F. M. Dostoevsky’s novel “Crime and Punishment” lie in himself, in his attempt to prove to himself that “he has the right.”

The novels of F. M. Dostoevsky are distinguished by the presence of a great idea in them. It could be the Christian idea of forgiveness or the idea of getting rich like Rothschild. In Crime and Punishment it is the idea of extraordinary people.

Raskolnikov's doubles in the novel "Crime and Punishment" (theme of "doubleness")

The main character of the work is Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov. This is a young man of pleasant appearance who finds himself in a difficult life situation. He lives in St. Petersburg. He doesn’t have money to continue his studies at the university; he doesn’t want to earn money. He is very poorly dressed, he has nothing to pay for housing. All these circumstances make him experience mental suffering.

The Raskolnikov family consists of his mother and younger sister Dunya. They love him very much, have high hopes for him, are ready to make great sacrifices so that Rodion has the opportunity to study at the university.

Dostoevsky does not talk about how the hero’s days passed before he got the idea to commit a crime. One can only assume that he was lying in his closet-like room and thinking. His thoughts resulted in an article that he decided to share with readers. This article dealt with the psychological characteristics of the criminal during the entire period of the crime.

At the end of the article, the young man casually noted that there are people who have the right to commit atrocities. This idea formed the main part of Raskolnikov’s theory. In his opinion, all people are divided into two categories: ordinary and extraordinary. The former serve as material, biological mass for reproduction, work, and ensuring the life of extraordinary people. They must not break the law. The latter are people with great abilities in various fields of activity. Their purpose is that they move humanity forward, contribute to progress and the development of civilization. Often, moving forward is impossible without human sacrifice, therefore, for the sake of a better future, extraordinary people are allowed to kill, destroy, that is, break laws, commit crimes. If Newton needed to kill ten or a hundred people to discover it, he would not only have the right to do so, he would be obliged to eliminate them.

Raskolnikov confirms the accuracy of his theory with historical examples. Lycurgus, Napoleon, Mohammed were criminals in the universal sense of the word. By establishing their laws, they violated those that existed before them. Great people must be criminals, only this will allow them to get out of their rut. Without breaking patterns, it is impossible to perform outstanding actions and make discoveries. They destroy in the name of something better, and this justifies them.

Raskolnikov complains that the masses do not recognize the right to commit crimes for the extraordinary. They are executed and then placed on a pedestal. The ordinary always rule in the present, the extraordinary in the future, the former preserve peace and increase the population, the latter advance the world towards its goal.

This theory led the former student to crime. He killed two women not because his mind was clouded by hunger, and not out of a desire to get rich. He killed to prove to himself that he was a Napoleon.

It took him a long time to commit a crime. A whole arithmetic has formed in his mind that justifies him. By killing one harmful old woman, he can make a hundred good people happy. His theory right before the crime, when he still had doubts, was confirmed by a conversation he overheard in a tavern. A student and an officer were talking. It was about Alena Ivanovna, who gives money as a mortgage and keeps her sister in a black body. The student brought the conversation to the point that a stupid, insignificant, harmful old woman lives for no reason, young forces are wasted without material support. A thousand good deeds can be done with this money. What if you kill her, take the money and devote yourself to serving humanity. “Won’t one crime be atoned for by “a thousand good deeds?” - asked the student. Raskolnikov listened with excitement to other people's words, which completely coincided with his own theory. This to some extent predetermined the outcome of the case.

The inadvertent confirmation of his theory by others was an indirect cause of the crime. A few days later, Raskolnikov hacked to death with an ax the old woman and Lizaveta, who became an accidental witness to the crime.

The image and characteristics of Raskolnikov in Dostoevsky’s novel “Crime and Punishment”

Several other events push him towards crime. A letter from her mother, in which she shares the news that Dunya is marrying a vile man in order to improve the family’s financial situation. A mother sacrifices her daughter for her beloved son. A drunk girl on the street, who is less fortunate, reminds the hero of the fate of his sister. Official Marmeladov tells the story of his family and mentions that his daughter is forced to sell herself so that her stepmother’s children have something to eat. All these events make Raskolnikov realize his guilt before his mother and sister. Hearing that Lizaveta is leaving home at seven o’clock, he makes up his mind.

Raskolnikov's plight, his inhuman theory, a conversation in a tavern and pride pushed him to commit a terrible crime. He was not a cruel person, quite the opposite. The hero is very worried about his sister, who is forced to marry for money. The last money given to the poor family of an unknown official speaks of the generosity and nobility of his nature. And yet he commits a terrible crime. Despite all the positive character of the hero, his dominant feature is pride, which tempts his soul.

After committing the murder, he fell ill, was unable to use the money, and even after that he did not renounce his theory. Moral torment alienates the hero from people and makes life unbearable. Raskolnikov confesses to the crime and goes to hard labor. He realized that he was not a Napoleon. This realization worries him more than the crime itself. Raskolnikov repents of his deeds much later, already in hard labor. The daughter of an official, whose troubles he sympathized with, Sonya Marmeladova, played a significant role in this. Love and faith led him to repentance and resurrection.

Dostoevsky shows the torment of a man who decided to commit a crime and committed cold-blooded murder. The depth of suffering generated by the clash of beliefs and reality is astonishing. Raskolnikov is not afraid of hard labor; his punishment was mental torment. This evokes sympathy for the hero, but does not justify his action.

Raskolnikov's most faithful ally was loneliness. Alone, he came up with the idea of committing a crime. So he came up with a plan and believed that this was what would take him out of this poverty. His plans included the murder of the old pawnbroker; he believed that she could be sacrificed for the sake of his own well-being and for this he would not be seen as a criminal. He did not think that, in principle, all people are equal in their origin and nature; he believed that the old woman did not deserve everything that she had and that she did not bring any benefit. Most likely, he got this impression due to the fact that he had to constantly pay her for the room, and from this he concluded that she was not worthy of life; she gave him a feeling of disgust. When the old woman made a will, all her possessions were transferred to the monastery, and her sister was left with nothing. Raskolnikov believed why many people get everything, but he lives in poverty and therefore thought that for a normal life he just needed to kill the old woman. He considered himself one of the great people who were destined to become famous. His idol was Napoleon, who spared no one and wanted to conquer the whole world.

Her murder became a kind of test for him to see if he could withstand such a test of blood. He believed that only those who were able to step over themselves and pass the test of blood could become a person. But Raskolnikov did not pass this test. And thus we see that Raskolnikov was not helped by his plan, and he did not get rich as he wanted.

Essay on the topic: Reasons for Raskolnikov’s crime

This is how Raskolnikov’s theory is born, dividing people into two unequal groups, one of which can be sacrificed for the benefit of the second. People who are simply consumables, and those for whom sacrifice is possible. Does he feel sorry for those whom he himself has reduced to the level of “consumables”? Not at all. Rodion himself is sure that for the sake of people like him, the old pawnbroker can be sacrificed. Her life is useless and empty, it is already approaching sunset, but for him, for Raskolnikov, it is still just beginning. Therefore, he is not sorry to sacrifice the old woman for the sake of his goal - his own well-being. After all, he, Rodion Raskolnikov, must somehow make his way in life, leave a significant mark in it, become one of the people, but on his way he has a difficult, almost insurmountable obstacle - poverty. And now there is a chance to leave failures behind, for which you need to take just one step - eliminate the old woman.

Raskolnikov, planning the murder of the old woman, does not consider himself a villain. It does not seem to him that all people are equal by nature, and that each of them deserves to live on an equal basis with the rest. No, for the sake of great minds and grandiose ideas, one can sacrifice the so-called “consumable material,” to which Rodion classifies the old money-lender. Her life seems to Raskolnikov to be some kind of mistake. From his point of view, the old woman does not bring any benefit, only teasing and irritating him with the fact that she has something that is inaccessible to Rodion himself. Why does she live in abundance and satiety, and he must wait with fear for each new day? Why should this new day inspire him with such horror, while she, not at all appreciating what she has, lives, unaware of the worries with which Rodion’s life is full?

Essay 2

“Crime and Punishment” is the greatest work of Russian literature about a person’s struggle with the principles of morality and morality in the quest to gain the unattainable.[BR]The main character of the novel is a poor student Rodion Raskolnikov, who commits murder to prove the validity of his own philosophy. This philosophy is based on the fact that there are two different categories of people: “extraordinary” people - those who are allowed everything to achieve their goals, and the powerless majority of ordinary people.

This theory arises in Raskolnikov’s head as a result of long thoughts about class inequality. While millions of people eke out a poor existence, meekly submitting to fate, there are a few “chosen ones” who are the real engine of progress and have the right to adhere to the laws of morality. Naturally, he himself wants to belong precisely to the caste of the ruling and powerful and, therefore, decides that the murder of the moneylender Alena Ivanovna will be good proof to himself and everyone around him that he is worthy to be among the “chosen ones”.

Raskolnikov's theory appears under the influence of poverty, which accompanies his entire family. Dunya's mother and sister are trying their best to help him, although they themselves live very poorly. Lack of funds forces him to leave his studies. He understands that he himself and many other people are doomed to starvation, while there are some people who feast, have fun and at the same time look down on those who do not have money. However, his theory is controversial. On the one hand, he condemns class inequality, considers it unfair and hates those who are rich. On the other hand, he wants to join the ranks of the rich people he hates. At the same time, he chooses the most cruel method for this, not even realizing that his theory only aggravates the situation.

Having committed a crime, Raskolnikov realizes that he has not achieved his goal. The looseness and steadfastness of the “powers of this world” turned out to be too much for him. His remorse for his actions undermines his belief in the “morality of the elect” and causes disgust for evil, violence and himself. He now sees true beauty and morality in those people who, despite life's difficulties, retain faith in humanity and compassion.

Dostoevsky leads his hero along a difficult path from immorality to purity of soul, sincerity and humanism, helps to understand the true values of love for people and that pride is sinful and leads to the moral death of the human soul.

Other topics:← The theme of family in the novel Crime and Punishment↑ Dostoevsky Luzhin in the work Crime and Punishment → `

Essay on the reasons for Raskolnikov's crime

In addition, Raskolnikov, despite his plight, could easily recover. This is indicated to us by the scene with Razumikhin, when he offers translation work to the main character. Rodion was well versed in German, so he could have responded to his friend’s offer, but he still chose to refuse.

In this article we will look into the reasons and motives based on which the main character of the novel “Crime and Punishment” Raskolnikov decided to commit a crime. We will not justify the main character, like other criminals.