Crime and Punishment

“Pain and suffering are always inevitable for a large intelligence and a deep heart. The really great men must, I think, have great sadness on earth.”

In the streets of glorious and troubled St. Petersburg, the shadow of a man is wandering aimlessly. He has committed murder by killing a pawnbroker who was evil incarnate. No one would miss her. There is not a single being on Earth that was benefited by her presence. The Devil himself would fear her. So, her blood money can be put to good use, for honest deeds, for relieving the torment of others in an era where poverty and destitution were at large.

But there is no peace. As guilt grows and grows, Raskolnikov's mind descents in an abyss of coldness, doubt, remorse and paranoia. And alongside him, we begin to wonder. Is murder justifiable? Is killing an evil person a righteous act? Do we have the right to ignore balance and take the law into our hands? Do we have the right to feel so superior, so intelligent and strong that we can deal with the results of such an action? And even if we escape unscathed, do we have the required resilience to drive the Furies away? Will have a Sonya to confide in, someone who will support us and share the difficult road towards punishment? Will we have the determination to fight against the Luzhins and Svidrigailovs of the world?

For me, the answer is yes. For others, it may be different. It is for us to decide the depth of the crimes and the severity of the punishments.

What more can be said about THE novel, about the most complex, the most perfect literary work ever produced by the human mind, about the powerful questions it poses for each one of us, about its ability to hold a mirror for us to confront ourselves, our values and convictions? About Fyodor Dostoevsky to whom we owe so much as readers, as human beings?

“What do you think, would not one tiny crime be wiped out by thousands of good deeds?”