Crime and Punishment

The plot of Crime and Punishment is probably familiar to many. An impoverished former student, Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov lives in St. Petersburg. Raskolnikov is a nihilist, driven by a utilitarian prospective, he contemplates committing a terrible crime. Dostoevsky explores psychology of crime and punishment and focuses on what lies between the two end points. Raskolnikov’s inner world is full of doubts, deliria and despair – partly a result of his utter disregard of social norms. Alienated from society, he is forced to face his tormenting guilt almost completely on his own.