Moral Emotions in Crime and Punishment

Fydor Dostoevsky's masterpiece, Crime and Punishment, is one of the best novels in world literature and an excellent example of the importance of moral storytelling. Raskolnikov, the main character, is an isolated nihilist with a Nietzsche-like belief that he is above the common people and their morality. This belief leads him to commit a terrible crime which leaves him ridden with guilt, until he is saved by the pious prostitute Sonia. Raskolnikov sheds his isolation through his guilty suffering and Sonia's compassion, which are both demonstrated by the characters very intense moral emotions.

Raskolnikov is a poor Russian student living in a boarding house in St. Petersburg:

"It was a tiny cupboard of a room about six paces in length. It had a poverty stricken appearance. . . . It would have been difficult to sink to a lower ebb of disorder, but to Raskolnikov in his present state of mind this was positively agreeable" (Dostoevsky, 22)

In his poverty Raskolnikov has become ill and isolated from society, as described here: "His name derives from the Russian word raskolnik, meaning "schismatic" or "divided," which is appropriate since his most fundamental character trait is his alienation from human society" (Sparknotes, n.p.). He is divided by two things: his belief that he is above the masses, yet his willingness to be kind to them.

As he cut himself off from the whole of society he is tormented by a terrible idea that has been plaguing his mind of late and causing him to fall ill:

He gave a sudden start; another thought, that he had had yesterday, slipped back into his mind. But he did not start at the thought recurring to him, for he knew, he had felt beforehand, that it must come back, he was expecting it; besides it was not a dream at all, it had taken a new menacing and quite unfamiliar shape, and he suddenly became aware of this himself. . . . He felt a hammering in his head, and there was a darkness before his eyes (Dostoevsky, 37).

The thought is of murdering an old pawnbroker woman, whom he considers useless and mean. He reasons that killing her is of no consequence and would even benefit society: "What do you think, would not one tiny crime be wiped out by thousands of good deeds? For one life thousands would be saved from corruption and decay. One death, and a hundred lives in exchange - it's simple arithmetic (Dostoevsky, 53)!" He reasons that her death could aid many people and therefore would be worth while.

As Raskolnikov wrestles with his demons over the issue his illness increases. He feels guilty about thinking of killing the old pawnbroker woman, so what drives him to really commit the crime? Since Raskolnikov does fancy himself apart from the masses he wants to prove to himself he can kill the old woman. He gets the perfect opportunity when he overhears her sister was going to be out at a certain time and day:

Certainly, if he had to wait whole years for a suitable opportunity, he could not reckon on a more certain step towards the success of the plan than that which had just presented itself. In any case, it would have been difficult to find out beforehand and with certainty, with greater exactness and less risk, and without dangerous inquiries and investigations, the next day at a certain time an old woman, on whose life an attempt was contemplated, would be at home and entirely alone (Dostoevsky, 51).

It is by this simple twist of fate that he decides to go through with the murder and changes his life forever.

The next day at the time Lizaveta was meant to be out he pays the old woman a visit with an ax:

He pulled the ax quite out, swung it with both arms, scarcely conscious of himself, and almost without effort, almost mechanically, brought the blunt side down on her head. . . . As she was short the blow fell on the very top of her skull. . . . The blood gushed as from an overturned glass, the body fell back. He stepped back, let it fall, and at once bent over her face; she was dead (Dostoevsky, 62).

Then something happened that Raskolnikov did not expect, Lizaveta came home early. In his haste he murdered her and barely escaped without being caught. He stole a purse and a few pledges, a total of "three hundred and seventeen roubles and sixty copecks" (Dostoevsky, 437).

Although Raskolnikov struggles with the decision of whether or not to kill the old woman, his guilt becomes paramount after the crime has been committed and he seems to really be losing his mind. This is evident as he further isolates himself from others: "After committing the murders, his isolation grows because of his intense guilt and the half-delirium into which his guilt throws him" (Sparknotes, n.p.). It becomes obvious that guilt is Raskolnikov's prominent moral emotion. James Liszka describes guilt as: "a self-generated feeling of anxiety resulting from the violation of an internalized norm that has caused harm to others" (Liszka, 20). In order for someone to feel guilty about something they must recognize it as wrong (Liszka, 19), so Raskolnikov must already recognize the murdering of the old woman and Lizaveta as wrong, although he has yet to realize it.

As the guilt begins to overtake Raskolnikov he starts to believe he is losing his mind: "For the first moment he thought he was going mad. A dreadful chill came over him; but the chill was from the fever that had begun long before in his sleep. Now he was suddenly taken with violent shivering, so that his teeth chattered and all his limbs were shaking" (Dostoevsky, 75).

Dostoevsky does an excellent job of demonstrating Raskolnikov's guilt through his physical illness which plagues him throughout the entire book. It aids in the understanding of his intense suffering over his guilt and adds tremendously to his character's erratic behavior.

After Raskolnikov wakes from his sleep he begins madly trying to cover any evidence that could link him to the crime:

He pulled off the noose, hurriedly cut it to pieces and threw the bits among his linen under the pillow.
"Pieces of torn linen couldn't rouse suspicion, whatever happened; I think not, I think not, any way!" he repeated, standing in the middle of the room, and with painful concentration he fell to gazing about him again, at the floor and everywhere, trying to make sure he had not forgotten anything. The conviction, that all his faculties, even memory, and the simplest power reflection were failing him, began to be an insufferable torture.
"Surely it isn't beginning already! Surely it isn't my punishment coming upon me? Is it"
(Dostoevsky, 76)!

This is extremely interesting because it suggests Raskolnikov's punishment is not being caught, but the guilt that plagues him. This idea is described here:

Dostoevsky concerns himself not with the actual repercussions of the murder but with the way the murder forces Raskolnikov to deal with tormenting guilt. Indeed, by focusing so little on Raskolnikov's imprisonment, Dostoevsky seems to suggest that actual punishment is much less terrible than the stress and anxiety of trying to avoid punishment (Sparknotes, n.p.).

Since Raskolnikov spends most of the novel trying to avoid being caught he has brought the punishment upon himself. For it is only in the end when he confesses that his guilt is lifted.

As the guilt takes a stronger hold on Raskolnikov he begins to imagine things:

Then a strange idea entered his head; that, perhaps, all his clothes were covered with blood, that, perhaps, there where a great many stains, but that he did not see them, did not notice them because his perceptions were failing, were going to pieces . . . his reason was clouded" (Dostoevsky, 77).
It is clear how the guilt took its toll on Raskolnikov, and it fits in with the idea that guilt is: "a self-generated anxiety" (Liszka, 19). Raskolnikov is the one creating his own anxiety from his fear of being caught and being punished by it.

Raskolnikov begins to act more erratic and is even held up in bed for four days in a state of delirious fever. Once he awakes he becomes extremely agitated if anyone speaks about the old woman's murder. When he is able, Raskolnikov goes to a tea house to read what the papers had to say of the murder and meets the head clerk, Zametov, who wanted to speak with him. In there peculiar conversation Zametov is very put off by Raskolnikov's strange behavior. He has every reason to be, especially when Raskolnikov makes this startling confession:

He had turned fearfully pale and his upper lip was twitching and quivering. He bent down as close as possible to Zametov, and his lips began to move without uttering a word. This lasted for half a minute; he knew what he was doing, but could not restrain himself. The terrible word trembled on his lips, like the latch on that door; in another moment it will break out, in another moment he will let it go, he will speak out.
" 'And what if it was I who murdered the old woman and Lizaveta?' he said suddenly and - realized what he had done (Dostoevsky, 136).

Although he is unaware of how truly guilty he feels, Raskolnikov conscience is pushing him toward the truth and confession. But, because Zametov didn't believe Raskolnikov's claim it increase's the length of his suffering.

Raskolnikov next stop on his strange journey is the flat in which he murdered the old woman and her sister. He arrives there quite to his own surprise and to the surprise of the workman in the flat:

" 'The floors have been washed, will they be painted?' Raskolnikov went on. 'Is there no blood?'
'What blood?'
'Why, the old woman and her sister were murdered here. There was a perfect pool there'
'But who are you?' the workman cried, uneasy.
'Who am I?'
'Yes.'
'You want to know? Come to the police station, I'll tell you.'" (Dostoevsky, 142).

At this point it is clear that Raskolnikov's guilt has lead him to the point of nearly confessing. In fact, he leads the workmen and the porter to the police. He really means to confess but is stopped when he sees Marmeldov, a man he spoke to in a tavern, was run over by a carriage. He puts off his confession to take the dying man to his home.

Raskolnikov is a complicated character to follow, and here he gets even more complex as he gives his only twenty roubles to Marmeldov's widow. This demonstrates the kindness, but division of his character. On the one hand he wants to be isolated from the masses and prove himself to be above them, so he kills the woman and takes her money. Yet, he does not spend it, and gives away twenty roubles to a woman he hardly knows.

As he leaves he runs into Nikodim Fomitch on the stairs who observes the blood on Raskolnikov's clothes: " 'Yes . . . I'm covered with blood,' Raskolnikov said with a peculiar air; then he smiled, nodded and went downstairs" (Dostoevsky, 153). Although Raskolnikov is covered with the blood of the old woman and Lizaveta he still gave his only bit of money to a woman he barely knew. It is obvious that he capable of good, he only needs someone to bring it out of him.

Raskolnikov then meets the woman who will save him, Sonia. She is Marmeldov's eldest daughter and sells herself to support her stepmother and siblings. Sonia has been described as "one of the noblest characters in fiction" (Literature Resource Center, n.p.). This is paramount as Raskolnikov speaks with her at length for the first time. She shows him nothing but compassion: "Her pale cheeks flushed, there was a look of anguish in her eyes. It was clear that she was stirred to the very depths, that she was longing to speak, to champion, to express something. A sort of insatiable compassion, if one may so express it, was reflected in every feature of her face" (Dostoevsky, 259). She is truly the most compassionate of all characters in the novel.

To understand the compassion that Sonia personifies it must be made clear what compassion is. It is a type of sympathy and according to James Liszka it is: "a species of sympathy which. . . focuses on the suffering of another but, . . . creates a feeling of mutuality, a recognition of the victim's common humanity or likeness with oneself" (Liszka, 30). Sonia is extremely compassionate as she never puts herself above anyone, like Raskolnikov does, and always manages to relate to the common humanity of others. It is this moral emotion that helps Sonia to save Raskolnikov from his guilt.

In their first meeting Raskolnikov is cruel to Sonia, yet she remains kind and compassionate toward him. He points out her sins like stains on her clothing: "and your worst sin is that you have destroyed and betrayed yourself for nothing" (Dostoevsky, 262). But her compassion has her lead down that path, and she is doing it for the good of her family. Raskolnikov is too egotistical to recognize that she transgresses for others while he only did so for himself (Sparknotes, n.p.).

Sonia's piety becomes even clearer when Raskolnikov asks her to read the story of Lazarus to him. She does so with a wild reverent energy that makes it clear how truly believing and innocent she is. This first meeting has such a profound effect upon Raskolnikov that when he learns she knew Lizaveta he offers to tell Sonia who murdered her. It is Sonia's unflinching compassion that lead Raskolnikov to reveal this and put him on the road toward his own redemption.

Upon their next meeting Raskolnikov makes good his promise to reveal Lizaveta's murderer:

'I must be a great friend of his . . . since I know,' Raskolnikov went on, still gazing into her face a though he could not turn his eyes away. 'He did not mean to kill Lizaveta . . . he . . . killed her accidentally. . . . He meant to kill the old woman when she was alone and he went there . . . and then Lizaveta came in . . . he killed her too.'
Another awful moment passed. Both still gazed at one another.
'You can't guess, then?' he asked suddenly, feeling as though he were flinging himself down from a steeple.
'N-no . . .' whispered Sonia.
'Take a good look' (Dostoevsky, 333).

This is the first time Raskolnikov really reveals the truth to someone with the full intent of confessing. He must confess to Sonia because she is the only person capable of offering him forgiveness. His guilt lead him to her and made him confess.

Yet, even with this horrible confession Sonia's compassion is still strong: " 'What have you done - what have you done to yourself?' she said in despair, and jumping up, she flung herself on his neck, threw her arms round him, and held him tight" (Dostoevsky, 334). This really shows the depth of Sonia's compassion. When Raskolnikov confesses to the murder of two people she immediately embraces him for his horrible suffering over the guilt he must carry. She never wavers or stops to question him. It is this characteristic that aids Sonia in saving Raskolnikov.

Sonia does not stop at merely hugging Raskolnikov, she makes the following offer: " 'I'll follow you to Siberia!' He recoiled at this, and the same hostile, almost haughty smile came to his lips. 'Perhaps I don't want to go to Siberia yet, Sonia' he said" (Dostoevsky, 335). Even at her kind offer Raskolnikov still shows signs of resistance. It is clear that his guilt has only lead him to confess to Sonia and her compassion is not yet leading him to redemption.

However, she does make him realize something important that Raskolnikov has overlooked until now:

" 'I've only killed a louse, Sonia, a useless, loathsome, harmful creature.'
'A human being - a louse!'
'I know too it wasn't a louse,' he answered, looking strangely at her" (Dostoevsky, 338).

It is only know that Raskolnikov is coming to terms with the reality of his crime. He killed two people. No matter how useless he perceived them they were people nonetheless, and he was not worthy to hold a hand in their demise. This is an amazing revelation for Raskolnikov, because up until this point he has held that the old woman was useless, and he was above her enough to be able to murder her. His guilt of the crime shines suspicion upon his claims, but it is only with Sonia that he voices the truth. He is coming closer to the commonness of himself and becoming closer to humanity through the help of Sonia.

Although Raskolnikov is on the right track, he still tries to justify the murders to Sonia, but his excuses fall on deaf ears. She is unrelenting in her belief that murder cannot be justified, and breaks Raskolnikov to this finally admitting what he really did the day he murdered the old woman: " 'Did I murder the old woman? I murdered myself, not her! I crushed myself once and for all, forever'" (Dostoevsky, 341). Raskolnikov killed the old him when he killed the old woman. He killed the him that believed he was superior enough to go through with the crime. The guilt he suffers with afterwards is his rebirth into the world as a new person, a common person.

Raskolnikov finally asks Sonia for her advice in the matter: "'Well, what am I to do now? he asked, suddenly raising his head and looking as her with a face hideously distorted by despair'" (Dostoevsky, 341) Raskolnikov great guilty suffering is once again showing physical signs. The guilt and suffering has distorted his handsome face. Sonia is only to happy to answer him:

"What are you to do?" she cried, jumping up, and her eyes that had been full of tears suddenly began to shine. "Stand up!" (She seized him by the shoulder, he got up, looking at her almost bewildered.) "Go at once, this very minute, stand at the cross-roads, bow down, first kiss the earth which you have defiled and then bow down to all the world and say to all the men aloud, 'I am a murderer!' Then God will send you life again. Will you go, will you go?" she asked him, trembling all over, snatching his two hands, squeezing them tight in hers and gazing at him with eyes full of fire (Dostoevsky, 341).

This demonstrates Sonia's dedication to Raskolnikov's redemption. She wants him to repent, not so he will be sent to Siberia, but so his great suffering will end and he will be reborn. Her compassion is ever lasting, even when Raskolnikov tells her he will not turn himself in.

Raskolnikov does not turn himself in immediately and tries in vain to uphold his separation from society and the guilt that is destroying him. But he finally goes to Sonia:

" 'Yes,' said Raskolnikov smiling. 'I have come for your cross, Sonia.' Without a word Sonia took out of the drawer two crosses, one of cypress wood and one of copper. She made the sign of the cross over herself and over him, and put the wooden cross on his neck" (Dostoevsky, 426). Raskolnikov is finally ready to release his guilt and confess to the crime, the cross is his to bear like all the suffering he has endured.

From Sonia's room, he goes to the police and makes his statement: " 'It was I killed the old pawnbroker woman and her sister Lizaveta with an ax and robbed them.' Ilya Petrovitch opened his mouth. People ran up on all sides. Raskolnikov repeated his statement" (Dostoevsky, 433). Raskolnikov's guilt and Sonia's compassion lead him to confess to his crime and accept his punishment, Siberia. Raskolnikov is at last close enough to humanity to be able to confess, but only one person can truly aid him in shedding his isolation, Sonia.

In the Epilogue Sonia has indeed followed Raskolnikov to Siberia. He continues to live as though isolated from society even thought his guilt has left him. It is not until he surrenders himself to Sonia and realizes his love for her that he is truly set free:

They wanted to speak, but could not; tears stood in their eyes. They were both pale and thin; but those sick pale faces were bright with the dawn of a new future, of a full resurrection into a new life. They were renewed by love; the heart of each held infinite sources of life for the heart of the other (Dostoevsky, 448).
Since Raskolnikov has finally surrendered his heart to another person he has shed his isolation and began his new life.

In Crime and Punishment Raskolnikov is transformed from a guilty, isolated man with little respect for other people, into a redeemed soul who accepts his own humanity. His journey is aided by his own horrible suffering and the compassion of Sonia. Both of these characters are driven by their moral emotions. Which lead them from the first to the final page of the book, and the love they eventually share. It is the moral emotions of guilt and compassion that demonstrate the importance of moral storytelling and enrich these characters journeys.

Works Cited

Dostoevsky, Fyodor. Crime and Punishment. Trans. Constance Garnett. Barnes and Noble, 1994.

Liszka, James Jakob. Moral Competence: An Integrated Approach to the Study of Ethics. 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2002.

"A Russian Novelist." Literature Resource Center. 13 Nov. 2002. LitRC?c=1&stab=512&ai+88790&ste>.

Sparknotes. 1 Dec. 2002.