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Why does Raskolnikov murder the pawnbroker in Crime and Punishment?
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Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Fyodor Dostoyevsky, shown in 1876, was introduced to a new generation of readers in 2024–25 when “White Nights” surged in popularity thanks to TikTok and Instagram users.
In Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment, the protagonist Rodion Raskolnikov is driven by a complex web of contradictory motives rather than a single, clear reason.1
His decision to murder the pawnbroker is influenced by several ideological justifications:
- Utilitarianism: He reasons that killing the pawnbroker is a positive good, as her money could be used to help many others.1
- The "Extraordinary Man" Theory: Raskolnikov theorizes that the world is divided into "ordinary" people and "extraordinary" individuals—such as Napoleon or Caesar—who possess the "right to transgress" moral laws to achieve humanitarian ends or progress.12
- Social Resentment: Despite his denial of traditional morality, he views the pawnbroker as an oppressor of the weak and feels a sympathetic urge to eliminate her.1
- Amoralism: He attempts to convince himself that concepts of good and evil are merely religious relics and that, in a moral sense, crime does not exist.1
Ultimately, the novel explores the psychological consequences of these ideas, as Raskolnikov is gripped by terror and guilt rather than the intellectual satisfaction he anticipated.12