Crime And Punishment, Raskolnikov And Svidrigailov

Between all the other characters in Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov and Svidrigailov are the most similar in that Svidrigailov is depicted as Raskolnikov’s baser self and a depraved character. While Raskolnikov is seen to be a more repentant character who is afflicted with guilt after murdering the pawnbroker for his own selfish desires despite telling himself it is for the greater good, Svidrigailov is rumored to have committed several murders and feels nothing for his victims, one of them being his own wife. Throughout the story, Rask is shown as wanting to be like Svidrigailov just as Svidrigailov longs to be like Rask because each one has qualities that the other wants in their life. Svidrigailov is†¦show more content†¦That is also the reason as to why he doesn’t rape Dounia and lets her leave because he cares for her. And so, when he has a dream about an innocent child that turns into a prostitute, it’s alarming for him when realizes that every good thing he touches is destroyed because he realizes that he isn’t capable of being redeemed. His actions have led him on a road where he doesn’t believe he’s capable of redemption and is the reason why â€Å"Svidrigailov [pulls] the trigger† because that’s the only way to escape for him (487). His dreams that he has had of his wife Martha, coming to him after her death, don’t have the same affect on him as Rask’s dreams do because he feels nothing for the woman that was his wife for several years. He doesn’t feel remorse or believe what he did was wrong. Raskolnikov shares similar traits to Svidrigailov; however, unlike Svidrigailov, he’s is burdened by a conscience that wants him to do the right thing. Rask has two sides to him, a dark side that is similar to that of Svidrigailov, and a good side that feels remorse for killing the pawnbroker. Rask has a bit of Svidrigailov in him because he doesnà ¢â‚¬â„¢t believe that what he did was wrong and has a wicked side to him that comes out when he sees the pawnbroker, especially in his dream where â€Å"he began to smash the old woman on the head† with a vengeance because of how much heShow MoreRelatedEssay on Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment1017 Words   |  5 PagesFyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novel â€Å"Crime and Punishment† brings the reader a glimpse into the mind of a criminal, tormented by the guilt of murder. Dostoevsky’s focal point of the novel does not lie within the crime nor the punishment but everything in between. Dostoevsky also vividly depicts the life and conditions of poverty within the confines of St. Petersburg. 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