Crime and Punishment

Synonyms

Petersburg; Raskolnikov; Crime; Bakhtin; Underground Man

Introduction

The novel is one of the most famous literary representations of Saint Petersburg. Six parts and an epilogue in total, the novel tells the story of Raskolnikov, an impoverished law student, committing, reflecting on, and confessing the murder of two women, which takes place in a slum during a boiling summer. The murder, carried out somewhat irresolutely by the young man, occupies Part One. Parts Two to Six narrate Raskolnikov and other characters’ reflections on the crime. Most of them are done in liminal spaces such as taverns, stairs, bridges, and market squares. He likes to wander in the city, reflecting on the extents to which he can bear the weight of guilt arising from his criminal act. He considers himself as the great criminal, but at the same time, he thinks he is a louse, failing to speak the “new word” and carrying out transgression. After the killing, he returns to the crime scene to reexperience...