Crime and Punishment is a profound novel that deals with man’s struggle to find purpose in suffering. Roskolnikov is a poor student who lives in derelict poverty and has become increasingly withdrawn from society. He has become obsessed with his belief that society is divided between extraordinary figures such as Napoleon Bonoparte and ordinary men and seeks to prove that he is one of the extraordinary ones. He is also obsessed with the nihilistic philosophy that characterizes Russian society during this time period and thus chooses to murder a ruthless pawnbroker because it is an act that will benefit society. At the novel’s opening, Roskolnikov is obsessed with this “superman theory” and his plan to commit the murder that will prove that he is a superman. It torments him and provides motivation for all of his actions. Dostovyesky implies that Roskolnikov’s obsession with becoming a Superman is rooted in his personal poverty. He is a man of great intellect but he is stuck living a pauper’s existence in a city full of them. Because he feels he is intellectually superior to those around them he seeks to prove it to himself by committing the murder. Thus Roskolnikov’s search for meaning is a search to establish his own intellectual significance. However, after committing the murder, Roskolnikov is tormented by guilt and doubt about the virtuosity of his actions. He comes to realize that he is not a superman and the values he previously espoused were morally corrupt. Thus, he spends the rest of the novel struggling to come to grips with these realities and find a personal peace. Dostoyvsky sorrounds Rosklnikov with Christian imagery (the story of the redemption of Lazerus, the cross Sonya presents him with and his behavior in kissing the ground before his confession are all examples of this) which provide evidence that Roskolnikov is now finding meaning in the pursuit of a Christian redemption. While Roskolnikov pursues meaning selfishly, Dostoyevski also presents characters who achieve a sense of meaning by serving others. Sonya and Dunya are pillars of selflessness within Crime and Punishment. Both of these women live in extreme poverty but instead of selfishly trying to prove that they are above their situation they simply accept it and do their best to try and improve it and help those around them. These women find peace and meaning in their devotion to their families.
A life of poverty is a struggle to find meaning in the face of overwhelming depression and despair. Dysoteyevski provides a depiction of what drives the poor to continue living and the social and moral results of these motivations. When you consider their motives and search for personal meaning and peace it becomes clear why the poor resort to such desperate measures to find peace in their lives. Sonya becomes a prostitute to serve her family, Dunya seeks to marry a man she does not love and Rosklnikov commits a murder. Thus, Dostoyevski shows that most social problems are the result of attempts by the poor to instill their lives with a greater sense of poverty and purpose. Simultaneously, sinners also seek meaning in the rectification of their sins.
