Analyzing protagonist rodion raskolnikov’s psychology in terms of motive constituents in “crime and punishment” by fyodor dostoevsky

Analyzing protagonist rodion raskolnikov’s psychology in terms of motive constituents in “crime and punishment” by fyodor dostoevsky Analyzing protagonist rodion raskolnikov’s psychology in terms of motive constituents in “crime and punishment” by fyodor dostoevsky Analyzing protagonist rodion raskolnikov’s psychology in terms of motive constituents in “crime and punishment” by fyodor dostoevsky Analyzing protagonist rodion raskolnikov’s psychology in terms of motive constituents in “crime and punishment” by fyodor dostoevsky Analyzing protagonist rodion raskolnikov’s psychology in terms of motive constituents in “crime and punishment” by fyodor dostoevsky Analyzing protagonist rodion raskolnikov’s psychology in terms of motive constituents in “crime and punishment” by fyodor dostoevsky Analyzing protagonist rodion raskolnikov’s psychology in terms of motive constituents in “crime and punishment” by fyodor dostoevsky

CAN THO UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND CULTURE - -

B.A THESIS

ANALYZING PROTAGONIST RODION

RASKOLNIKOV’S PSYCHOLOGY IN TERMS OF MOTIVE CONSTITUENTS IN “CRIME AND PUNISHMENT” BY FYODOR DOSTOEVSKY

CAN THO UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND CULTURE - -

B.A THESIS

ANALYZING PROTAGONIST RODION

RASKOLNIKOV’S PSYCHOLOGY IN TERMS OF MOTIVE CONSTITUENTS IN “CRIME AND PUNISHMENT” BY FYODOR DOSTOEVSKY

DECLARATION

I confirm that the B.A graduation thesis entitled “Analyzing Protagonist Rodion

Raskolnikov’s Psychology in terms of Motive Constituents in ‘Crime and Punishment’ by Fyodor Dostoevsky” is conducted under the supervision of Assoc Prof Dr Phan Thi

Tuyet Van at Can Tho University I, Tran Minh Huy, hereby declare that this research is the result of my own work

Can Tho, May 25th 2023

Supervisor Student

Phan Thi Tuyet Van Tran Minh Huy

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

For my very first words, I would love to send my greatest appreciation and gratitude to my beloved Assoc Prof Phan Thi Tuyet Van, the thesis supervisor, who gave numerous priceless suggestions and pieces of advice during the planning and development of my graduation thesis She not only believes in my writing and literary competence but also supports me in every project that I conduct Moreover, she motivated me to be conscientious and optimistic in my hardest time From the bottom of my heart, her wholehearted encouragement forced me to attempt as much as possible in order to complete this crucial project flawlessly

Another important person that I really aspire to reciprocate her support toward me, that is Ms Ho Phuong Thuy I could not have undertaken this unforgettable journey without her She spared no valuable time so as to assist her students whenever she was able to; Ms Thuy is also the lecturer who recognized and appreciated my writing capacity at that time, for the first English novel that I wrote and a short story I sent to Bristol Story Prize 2023 Her warmth and enthusiasm are stimuli which encourage me to endeavour harder in the future as a writer

I would be remiss in not mentioning my closest friends, peers and family They are the endless motivation in pursuing my biggest dreams; that would-be destination might not come true without their presence and advocates

Last but not least, I am about to express my sincere contributions and teachings of lecturers in School of Foreign Languages since the first day I entered this profound milestone, being an English-majored freshman There were both pitiful and memorable experiences However, your presence in my life is an exhorbitant gift that I must yearn to purchase And to my beloved mother, I truly owe my sincerest gratitude and reciprocation to you; unless my courage does not allow me to speak out, I then write “Mẹ ơi, con cảm ơn mẹ.”

ABSTRACT

Beside American and English literature, Russian literature has always been a fertile land for readers to deeply delve into Indeed, some greatest works of Lev Tolstoy, Pushkin, or Fydodor Dostoevsky circulated a profound impact on contemporary literary trend including realism, romanticism or surrealism In relation to human psychology, it emerged a lack of a thorough and multifaceted prism so as to analyze contextual or interpersonal mental turmoil of characters in Russian literature, especially in those of

Dostoevsky “Crime and Punishment” should be a typical example for its reputation in

mingling religious, psychological, philosophical, social, historical and political aspects; and the protagonist Raskolnikov is a potential character to deal with In order to shed light on the character’s mental dichotomy and inferiority complex that are affected by sociopsychological contexts, or so-called motive constituents, the thesis utilizes qualitative research method framed by behaviorism, Foucauldian discourse analysis (FDA), textual analysis and Freudian theory (Psychoanalysis) The research analyzes and unfolds several reasons behind Raskolnikov’s murders and psychological turbulence by using discourse analysis, textual analysis and indisciplinary approach constructed by aforementioned theoretical framework In regard to the findings, the protagonist’s complexity in paradoxical ideologies and murders stem from external-situational components as well as his confessions of the crime

Keywords: Russian literature, protagonist, motive constituents, psychology, crime,

Foucauldian discourse analysis (FDA), textual analysis, inferiority complex, psychological dichotomy

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

FDA Foucauldian Discourse Analysis

LIST OF FIGURES

Page

Figure 5 The interaction of Raskolnikov’s narcissism and

selfishness and delirious rants

63

Figure 7 The correlation between Raskolnikov’s psychological

dichotomy and social pressure

69

1.5.Significance of the study 15

1.6.Outline of the study 15

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 16

2.1 The concept of ‘motive constituents’ 16

2.1.1 The internal motive constiuents 16

2.1.2 The external motive constituents 17

2.2 Introduction of Russian Literature 17

2.2.2.2 Famous authors and novels 21

a) Lev Tolstoy – War and Peace 21

b) Boris Leonidovich Pasternak – Doctor Zhivago 22

c) Nikolay Gogol – Dead Souls 23

2.3 Realism and its influence on Russian Literature 24

2.4 Fyodor Dostoevsky – Biography 25

2.4.1 Life and reputation 25

2.4.2 Renowned literary works 26

2.4.3 “Crime and Punishment” 26

2.5 Plot Summary of “Crime and Punishment” 27

2.6 An overview of theories in psychology 28

2.6.1 Theory of Imitation by Gabriel Tarde 28

2.6.2 Radical Behaviorism by Skinner 29

2.6.3 Criminal Psychology 30

2.6.4 Psychoanalysis by Sigmund Freud 30

2.7 The importance of psychology in text and discourse analysis 31

CHAPTER THREE: LITERARY ANALYSIS 33

3.1 Societal and Cultural Interpretations 33

3.2 Superiority Complex and Inferiority Complex 38

3.3 Sense of Patriarchy 45

3.4 Psychological Dichotomy 47

3.4.1 Origin of Raskolnikov’s ‘delirious rants’ 47

3.4.2 Raskolnikov’s state of delirium 52

3.5 Philosophies 56

3.6 Futher Considerations 62

3.6.1 Narcissism and selfishness 62

3.6.2 Dehumanization and Justification for the Murder 64

3.7 Realism in Russian literature and its association with human psychology 65 CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 67

4.1 Findings 67

4.1.1 The correlation between Raskolnikov’s psychological dichotomy and social pressure 67

4.1.2 Raskolnikov’s motive constituents 69

4.1.2.1 Social and cultural interpretations 71

CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSIONS 76

5.1 Summary of the major findings 76

5.2 Conclusions 77

5.3 Implications 78

5.3.1 Implications for Vietnamese EFL students 78

5.3.2 Implications for literature teaching curricula 78

Picture 1 Fyodor Dostoevsky 88

Picture 2 The Cover of the Novel Crime and Punishment 89

APPENDIX B 89

Picture 3 Translator Constance Garnett 89

APPENDIX C 89

Rodion Raskolnikov’s Portrait and the Scene of Murders 89

Picture 4 Rodion Raskolnikov’s Portrait 90

Picture 5 The Scene of Murders 90

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

This chapter introduces the overall information of the research Chapter 1 covers six major sections including rationale, research aims, research questions, research methods, significance of the study and outline of the study

Russian literature plays a pivotal role in shaping trends and influences during the

historical length In its earliest form, literary etiquette is seen as the most important, in

which fixed themes including saints’ lives, military tales, or chronicles Therefore, it is classifiable to Russian genres, especially with Old Russian literature (Ingham, 1987)

Considering the longitudinal stretch of Russian history, scholars stick to their firm belief that literature is one of the game-changing elements caused by unexpected events such as the corruption of Soviet Union (USSR), or the October Russian Revolution; hence, those politics-based changes blossom in greatest writers’ mind a string of ideas in terms of morality, social classes, interpersonal or interhierarchical conflicts which push the pressure among tiers of people to its zenith The nineteenth century could be considered major milestone of Russian literature, with dozens of timeless literary works of Lev Tolstoy, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Nikolai Gogol, Alexander Pushkin, Ivan Turgenev and Ivan Krylov

Together with literature is the field of psychology of which character analyses are made up In a fairer specific elucidation, characters’ psychological development strikes readers to unravel, basing on multifaceted viewpoints Pankova & Stashinova (2014) assert that problems relevant to social and psychological status of a person have an inextricable relationship with complex characteristics and mental dichotomy, thereby influence on his or her well-being

A novel psychological hypothesis that emerges in the twentieth century, Freudian psychoanalytic theory, has paved the way for further considerations in case of characters’

psychological development According to Cherry (2022), Sigmund Freud theorizes that human behavior is discernibly affected by three main aspects: the id, the ego, and the superego In accordance with Freudian psychoanalysis, scholars now own a boon for critcally delving into the deepest corner of some character in literature regardless of genres by expanding their view on contextual factors comprising of societal, political, religious, psychological and interpersonal ones

Heading back to Russian literature, “Crime and Punishment” by Fyodor

Dostoevsky gives the proof that psycholoanalysis can perfectly be applied into investigating characters’ psychological issues considering situational factors The novel combines diverse controversial issues in contemporary Russia, with Rodion Raskolnikov – the protagonist, as centre of the plot Throughout the complexity of Raskolnikov’s characteristics, readers are able to unveil his emotional conflicts resulted in external elements such as impoverishment, social pressure and inferiority complex

By using discourse analysis and textual analysis, it is effortless for researchers and readers to take a glimpse at how character’s psychological development is constructed and reconstructed with such exemplary theories of Freud, Skinner, and Tarde

At certain extent, the scrutinity of literature and literary psychoanalysis are substantially influenced by historical and situational fluctuations; and in Russian literature, the significance of historical events is much more indisputable Sticking to the dark side of human beings in social upheaval, Dostoevesky successfully creates a penniless university student possessed with an avalanche of insane ideas in mind, which

contributes to a great work like “Crime and Punishment”

Generally, along with the application of psychology in analyzing literary characters, discourse and textual analyses could be considered important, and served to multidimensional prisms for readers themselves As being aforementioned, literature has always been a fertile land to research Fyodor Dostoevsky, with his impressive works

including Crime and Punishment, Devils, Notes from Underground, Brothers

Karamazov, and The Idiot Each of these has its own moral message about humans, as

he states:

“Neither man nor nation can exist without a sublime idea.”

His contributions to Russian and World Literature are worth being cited, and thereby further investigations need conducting in order to exhaustively comprehend his mighty ideas in every masterpiece More importantly, his implications about humans’ dichotomy in psychological development strike researchers’ and scholars’ curiosity, making the urge to dig into them furthermore

This research aims to investigate the motive constituents, also known as contextual or situational factors, that lead him to the protagonist Rodion Raskolnikov’s fatal crime by applying Foucauldian discourse analysis and textual analysis mingling with Freudian psychoanalysis as well as Tarde’s Theory of Behaviorism, Theory of Imitation by B F Skinner Thanks to the configuration of the theoretical framework, Rodion Raskolnikov’s psychological dichotomy and social pressure will be particularly elucidated

This research has two primary aims:

• to investigate how motive constituents affect protagonist Rodion Raskolnikov’s murders

• to collate protagonist Rodion Raskolnikov’s psychological dichotomy with his social pressure, from discourse and textual analysis

In compliance with the aforementioned research aims, following research questions are formulated in order to shed light on the issue:

1/ To what extent do motive constituents in “Crime and Punishment” influence Rodion Raskolnikov’s murders at the beginning of the novel?

2/ How can the protagonist’s psychological dichotomy and social pressure be correlated during the plot?

The study applied qualitative research method that comprises of several secondary methods as listed below

1.4.1 Foucauldian discourse analysis (FDA)

In a whole sense, Khan & MacEachen (2021) define Foucauldian Discourse Analysis as a qualitative tool for understanding certain phenomena in interpersonal communication and a constructionist approach to figuring out the key meaning of social actions and texts through the lens of power relations, specifically, through political and social spheres

The study uses FDA in order to unfold at what extent political and social control can pose a huge impact on a person’s mind and explicit actions Within the novel “Crime and Punishment” by Fyodor Dostoevsky, conversations between the protagonist and other characters will be analyzed basing on political and social powers

1.4.2 Textual Analysis

Textual analysis is also an important research method that could perfectly match to FDA to fruitfully developing the study, providing a multidimensional lens to the novel Ifversen (2003) gives a number of illustrations on how discourse and text analyses are correlated

The figure shows that the interrelation of texts (intertextuality) are covered within the discourse analysis Intertextuality is a great vehicle to collate and draw relevant ideas among texts

The remaining two figures synchronously illustrate the correlation among those listed elements, which discernibly links to the contextual factors that are mentioned in the previous section of the study

The research uses textual analysis in intention to compare the protagonist’s psychological fluctuation during the plot as well as analyzing his motives to the murders at the opening of the novel

1.4.3 Interdisciplinary approach

By adopting an interdisciplinary approach that mixes numerous insights from philosophy, especially nihilism and utilitarianism, psychology, sociology, literature, and history, a comprehensive understanding of the reasons behind Rodion Raskolnikov’s motives to commit crime can be drawn, given the situational components

In general, the study applies several methodologies so as to explore a comprehensive viewpoint of the way Fyodor Dostoevsky constructs his characters’ psychological upheavals and also the complexity in humans’ thoughts

1.5 Significance of the study

The ongoing development of literature and literary criticism urges further investigations into undiscovered corners, moreover, humans’ mind serves an extremely sophisticated mechanism so that a multitude of studies need to be conducted in relation to deciphering those reasons behind As EFL students are more aware of the importance of literary criticism, this study provides an insight to approaching Russian literature, which some of them are yet to scrutinize Beside American-British literature, Russian literature deserves to have a spot in teaching curricula of English Studies Thus, the study creates motivational strategies for EFL students to study such an intriguing literary field

The study consists of five main chapters: (1) Introduction, (2) Literature Review, (3) Literary Analysis, (4) Findings and Discussion, (5) Conclusion

Chapter 1 sketches the rationale, followed by research aims, research questions, research methods, significance of the study

Chapter 2 reviews and synthesizes relevant literature that contributes to formulating the theoretical framework of the study

Chapter 3 gives detailed and further analyses on the protagonist Rodion Raskolnikov, motive constituents and depiction of his mental dichotomy and inferiority complex

Chapter 4 presents the findings of the research after the literary analysis

Finally, Chapter 5 concludes the current thesis, along with some recommendations for further research Additionally, implications arising from the study and certain limitations will be covered in this chapter

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

This chapter reviews the literature on certain definitions of psychology from several psychologists together with its applications on crime analysis, history of Russian literature and the role of realism There are four major parts in this chapter First, the chapter discusses some types of psychology for its importance in analyzing Russian literary works and shows how psychology should be applied into literature Second, this chapter presents periods in Russian literature and noted themes Subsequently, the chapter illustrates the epitome of crime in some famous novels Finally, chapter two mentions the emergence of realism and its influence on Russian literature

2.1 The concept of ‘motive constituents’

2.1.1 The internal motive constiuents

In reality, there are different factors of causing a motive for committing crime However, the major motives will be described in this section According to Tharshini (2019), when linking criminal behaviour with genetic and aggressive factors, it is surprising that biological traits play a pivotal role in shaping a criminal, genetically, the psychological patterns will be under control of genetic traits Moreover, the aggressive patterns of criminal behaviour also contributed to crime he did Even though criminal behaviour is a multi-dimensional field to dig into, the importance of genes and aggression ingrained in a person can cohesively affect him

Wang (2023) explores certain influential factors that are likely lead to crime consisting of parenting styles, personal disorders The consideration of biological influences on committing crime is drawn from in-depth invesigation of criminal behaviour (Tharshini, 2019; Wang, 2023) In terms of violent crimes, parenting styles and personal disorders substantially contribute to the increase aggression in the criminal behaviour Furthermore, Sikand and Reddy (2017) claim that internal motive constituents can be shaped by the automatic reation with the environment, which urges a person to perpetrate crime at certain cases

2.1.2 The external motive constituents

The external motive constituents, also known as social and environmental factors, evidently enroot the criminal behaviour in a person’s mind Wang (2023) pinpoints the importance of social burdens in committing crime, saying that social burdens such as low income, peer pressure, or being disregarded are catalysts for crime upbringings According to Sahni and Krishnakumar (2021), societal factors are the top motive that leads a person to commit violent crimes, from three perspective of biological, psychological, and sociological facets, this combination are inherently makes a person become criminal, and societal factors take the dominant position among three categories

In summary, from the internal and external motive constituents, it is suggested that both two spheres of motive need combining in order to provide a holistic investigation into criminal behaviour, as well as to consolidate the theory that criminal behaviour is shaped by internal and external factors, in which both of them are correlated and co-existent

2.2 Introduction of Russian Literature

2.2.1 Overview

As many other literary cultures across the globe, Russian literature itself has numerable controversies due to its unusual structure Particularly, the Russian Revolution of 1917 brings another paramount change in shaping different genres: drama, prose and poetry also The most well-known phase, however, is the nineteenth century, for this period contributes several masterpieces in quantitative and qualitative spheres

An eminent writer that must be mentioned is Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910), according

to Morson (2022), he prevails most of the significant literary works in this period Now that there are three abrupt breaks during the evolution of Russian literature, it is

confirmed that Russian literary history can be divided into four major stages: pre-Petrine or Old Russian, Imperial, post-Revolutionary and post-Soviet Additionally, the chaos of

Russian history substantially affects numerous generations of authors Aslo, Morson

(2022) concerns about an influential Russian critic, Vissarion Belinsky, that he insists the precise year that Russian literature starts; nor he agrees all pre-Petrine literary works

Between the Imperial and post-Revolutionary phases is the burgeon of intense concentrations on philosophical issues related to Western cultures, as a result, this mixture has created an important renovation – of formal radicalism and preoccupation

with arbitrary philosophical problems Among those emerging genres, Socialist Realism

is the most recognizable distinction that readers could look into Socialist Realism is really prevalent in the Soviet Union between 1932 to 1980 Specifically, it is still an ambiguous term to evaluate Russian literary works

a) Pre-Petrine period (Old Russian)

Old Russian period can be considered inextricably indisputable in the stream of Russian literature Its concentration of genres and features lies on the alterity When the distance between ubiquitous themes of modern literature and queer phenomena is exhaustively apparent Seeman and Ingham (1987) identifies different types of genre, and a tendency of contemporary Russian literature that emerges in the medieval time – Realism

Genre consciousness is also mentioned in relation to a crisis in the Russian social order The point here merely supposed to be the fact that the literary consciousness in genres by the polar of Old Russian writers, readers as well as scribes illustrates itself practically, no longer theoritically and critically (Seeman & Ingham, 1987)

The sheerly intricate system of genres in Old Russian literature appears to be predominated by literary kinds rather than that of the modern era (Ingham, 1987)

b) Imperial period

It is noted that the Westernization in Russia has brought a whole turn, which is discernibly fast and radical The beginning of Westernization in Russia is from Peter the Great, for upper social classes, and Russian literature is not an exception Westernization

in the imperial period is somewhat influential on typifying the absolute power of dominant hierarchies

Until the nineteenth century, the phenomemon gradually becomes commonplace

with the Petrine reforms Therefore, the notion of ‘crossing borders’ among writers

keeps a vital role in shaping Russian literature Some acclaimed works can be listed such

as Boris Godunov by Pushkin, Father Sergius of Lev Tolstoy Some are really afraid of

the discontinuity in Russian literature stream on account of the fact that external factors affect it overwhelmingly

Moreover, the cliché seems prevalent when Western authors are inclined to parody

literary conventions Lev Tolstoy critically investigated in his War and Peace: “There is

not a single work of Russian artistic prose, at all rising above mediocrity, that quite fits the form of a novel, a poem, or a story.”

c) Post-Revolutionary period

This stage is seen as the most profound change in Russian literature, by The Bolshevik seizure of power in 1917 The literary system and writers are under the control of Soviet rule, which hinders certain important following works Particularly, all authors have to adhere to the strict censorship: no permission in creating dissident, complicated

or objective works They are forced to be ‘engineers of human souls’ in the attempt to make up ‘the new Soviet man’

Two types of unapproved and unofficial literature co-exising still have their positions

in Russian literature: émigré literature and illegally typewritten literature The émigré

literature contains certain notable works of the 19th century, and it comes to an end when the fall of the Soviet Union occurs The latter, which is written within the Soviet Union, circulates under illicit copies, or unpublished copies Some rigorous rules forbid writers creating their own ideology, therefore must be in compliance with the Communist Party guidelines

Nevertheless, state-of-the-art ideas still creep into Russian writers’ minds They are conscious of those Western trends As a result, pre-Revolutionary period has to switch its conventions periodically Then, many hidden works become widely known

d) Post-Soviet period

Unfortunately, the collapse of U.S.S.R government leads to a paramount modification in Russian literature First, and most importantly, censorship is aborted, even though citizenship was orginally restored to émigré authors Many of them are achievements of Nakobov, Solzhenitsyn, Voynovich and so on This period eventually allows Westernized movements to spread among diverse genres

Additionally, the arising form of postmodernism brings another insight for readers and writers to thorougly comprehend the literary and historial matters in the past, as well as the turbulent and different present

2.2.2 Russian literature in the 19th century:

2.2.2.1 Introduction

The 19th century is considered the “golden age” of Russian literature, in which

the rapid emergence of romanticism and realism plays a significant role in configuring contemporary literary trends In addition, some greatest Russian writers also contribute a huge amount of masterpieces to the Russian literature in general Together with Leo Tolstoy, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Ivan Turgenev, and Alexander Pushkin, Nikolai Gogol

earns a prestigious spot for his work “Dead Souls”, or Boris Pasternak becomes

renowned after publishing the novel “Dr Zhivago”, all of these famous figures fruitfully create the golden era of Russian literature

This period witnesses the dramatic rise of romanticism, especially in Alexander Pushkin’s poems; he is the one who pioneered to the new level of artistic school of poems Beside, other poets also engage in this pivotal phase, could be listed as Makhail Lermontov, Nikolay Nekrasov, or Fyodor Tyutchev

Likewise, in parallel with the impressive milestone of poetry, realism is the other polar, where Fyodor Dostoevsky and Lev Tolstoy predominated Their literary

achievements consist of timeless novels such as Crime and Punishment, War and Peace,

Anna Karenina, Devils (The Possessed), The Idiot It is commonplace that their writing

styles literally combines ironic tones and the reality, which strike the readers of all time

2.2.2.2 Famous authors and novels a) Lev Tolstoy – War and Peace

Lev Tolstoy (1828-1910), a great Russian novelist in history, also a master of realistic fiction, forms certain important works for Russian as well as world’s literature

His most well-known novels include War and Peace (written in 1865 and completed in four years) and Anna Karenina (written in 1875 and finished in 1877)

War and Peace can be considered crucial for defining Tolstoy’s style among

readers and critics Kate (2023) classifies War and Peace as a historical novel, and

originally published under the name Voyna i mir This novel is a great source of

psychoanalysis, which varies in most of his characters

War and Peace is attributed to the Russianess, femininity and romantic aesthetics

– becomes one of the greatest novels of all time (Olson, 1997) The first focus of Tolstoy is the strong sense of femininity, and feminist criticism, for his attitude toward women in his novels is misogynistic

The mixture of mysterious concepts between femininity and Russianness is comprehensively essential for the romantic plot of this novel Tolstoy’s protagonist – Natasha Rostova is accentuated by playing various roles such as a muse, a mother, or a wholehearted lover Natasha is definitely the origin of all aesthetic charisma, then steadily becoming immoral for being a mother, as a psychological transformation inside her Another figure, Planton Karataev, who is also embraced by tempting feminine features, creates the bridge for feminity and Russianness to emerge In a whole, the

description of feminity in the protagonist becomes the centre of the nove, to the point it could trigger some problematic considerations

According to Hare (1958), there might be a mulplicity of motives for Lev Tolstoy

to write War and Peace in such a sensitive stage in which mysogynists are predominant

Choosing to write a controversial book is virtually risky, but then he is able to unfold his attitude toward discrimination and gender equality in a progressive step The impetus for transforming literary viewpoints is apparent, to shift a critical move in Russian literature Lev Tolstoy is also captured by the historial and romantic specimens which are actually rare by the time Soviet rules for literary works limit writers from creativity There should be an acclaim and appreciation for his determination in personal aims despite monstrous public concerns on his decision

b) Boris Leonidovich Pasternak – Doctor Zhivago

Boris Leonidovich Pasternak (1890-1960) is one of the most eminent Russian

writers who wins the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1958 by his famous novel Doctor

Zhivago The publication and translation are conducted in secrecy in spite of the fact that

the novel becomes an international best seller at that time, due to the strong opposition in the Soviet Union

Dr Zhivago expresses so much of the extravagant affection in the midst of the

harshness of Russian Revolution, and it partially sheds light on the spiritual isolation inside every character

Furthermore, Zaslove (1967) compares Pasternak’s and Tolstoy’s ideology under the consideration of their widespread influence amongst Russian literature Both Boris Pasternak and Lev Tolstoy step far beyond critics’ expectations in light of their progressive view toward literary crisis The sense of reality in their works is transparent, which gets involved in realism in general Likewise, the emerging idea of following realism in Russian literature stimulates a number of authors, more exclusively, Tolstoy and Pasternak are pioneers in configuring the transcendence

Dr Zhivago also claims huge of reputation and praises for its renovative narrating

system, called ‘poem in prose’, though Pasternak himself poses a refusion for ‘lyrical

thinking’ Moreover, most readers are not sure of whether or not Dr Zhivago can be read

as a prose in lieu of a poem, inherently (Griffiths & Rabinowitz, 1980) The reason lies upon the account that this work is actually heir to the 19th Russian novel, the same as Lev Tolstoy and Fyodor Dostoevsky

c) Nikolay Gogol – Dead Souls

Nikolay Gogol (1809-1852), or in his full name, Nikolay Vasilyevich Gogol, is a Ukrainian-born writer, humorist, dramatist whose masterpieces are written in Russian language His works significantly influence the direction of Russian literarure in that period Some well-known novels and short stories that can be listed are Dead Souls (1842), The Overcoat (1842); these set the foundations of the greatest 19th-century convention of Russian realism

Dead Souls, in general, ironizes the Russian civil society with the protagonist

Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov, a nameless servant attempts to climb the social ladder in his most sarcastic adventures

Freeborn (1971) initially considers Dead Souls as a novel written in dramatic form, on account of the fact that Gogol also works as a playwright In particular, Gogol writes beyond critics’ expectations for a standardized novel; Dead Souls itself is phenomenal, since researchers are obliged to shed light on the reason why Gogol puts this work under an enigmatic dramatic form

Weathers (1955) measures the degree of reality in Dead Souls amidst of the phases when Russian literary settings; the depiction of Chichikov in Dead Souls opens a new approach into ‘heroic spirit’, amongst social deceptions, its satires break those apparent boundaries through the footage of Chichikov, so symbolic and oustanding Gogol is conscious of writing more than a comedy for readers, by embedding ironic questions throughout his novel Obviously, Dead Souls is written on two degrees of

attitude at once – the first layer is the terrific sense of hilarity, which makes this novel extremely delightful; the second layer accentuates the implication of distortions and tragedies

As we begin to understand the process of all Gogol’s epic manner: the comedy, the lack of reality, the paradox all increase as we go toward the center of the circles On the outer edge – the great passages dealing with Russia – we find no comedy, only reality, and no paradox … In other words, that is the reality of the inner circle – the lack of reality itself (p 161)

The role of the character St Petersburg in Dead Souls is still a huge question for readers and critics, for the less attention and scrutiny for protagonist Chichikov (Jones, 2002) St Petersburg’s portrayal plays a substantially imporant role in directing the plot of Dead Souls, St Petersburg becomes a boon for satirizing Russian society, in which the irony goes toward the upper class At certain degree, this character conceptualizes the way Gogol intends to draw his own ironic words, as well as an image for greater description

2.3 Realism and its influence on Russian Literature

The term ‘Realism’ appears to have a widespread impact on many literary backgrounds across the globe: American, British, and Russian literature More importantly, the appearance of realism poses a comprehensive drift for Russian literary works – this can bee seen as the golden era, when the trend derives from conventional tracks to the advent of Pushkin’s and Gogol’s ideologies, and modern authors from the Western sphere Poggioli (1951) identifies the influence of realism on numerous facets of civilization: chronological or historical, cultural and psychological, social and political, geographical and regional, not merely the literary aspect It is assumed that modernized Western ideas moderately creep into Russian literature, therefore creating a swift turn to the realistic one

A minority of Victorian public viewpoints on Russian literature are against the idea that Tolstoy, Turgenev, and Dostoevsky are not only the greast Russian authors, but also the most important contemporary realists However, the significance of realism in

shaping Russian literature is unquestionable (Decker, 1937) It is undeniable that the consistency between general opinions and realism grabs the attention of naturalistic literary works, striking an attempt to seek a compromise for the occcurring controversy among readers Tolstoy’s and Dostoevsky’s reputation in advocating realism spreads its influence further and further, to the point the idea of realism supposes to be ubiquitous in Russian literature

Markovich (1977) describes the development of realism in Russian literature as the brige for logical characterization: psychological and sociological analyses The former, which deeply roots into Russian literature, has a tendency of redefining social reality, as well as protagonists or antagonists’ actions or emotions; the latter, cooperates with psychological analysis in order to give a clear-cut picture of the supremecy among the upper class inside Russian hierarchy of society

Finally, Morson (1979) compares the inextricable relationship between Socialist Realism and literary theory in multi-dimensional facets It is highlighted that Western culture and ideology instrincally affect Russian literature in a multitude of aspects Consequently, this is purely the concrete conclusion for the enquiry that how important realism is in Russian literature, how Tolstoy, Gogol, or Dostoevsky wholeheartedly follow the innovative path – which exposes the nakedness of Russian evil society, full of insidiousness and delusions

2.4 Fyodor Dostoevsky – Biography

2.4.1 Life and reputation

Fyodor Dostoevsky, a great Russian writer in the nineteenth century, was born on November 11, 1821 in Moscow, Russia and died on February 9, 1881 in St Petersburg Fyodor Dostoevsky is an infamous Russian novelist whose psychological intervention into the deepest corner of human heart had a widespread influence on twentieth-century literary works Morson (2024) lists certain genres in which he is famous for including modernism, existentialism, psychology, theology and literary criticism, which

configured later works of other writers Dostoevsky’s novels and short stories often contain political viewpoints and reference to Russian revolutions

2.4.2 Renowned literary works

Fyodor Dostoevsky is well-known for his novella Notes from Undergrounds and for four long novels: Crime and Punishment, The Idiot, The Devils, and The Brothers

Karamazov It is not rhetorical to say that Dostoevsky is the greatest writer-psychologist

of all time, since each of his work combines psychological profundity and complicated theories In particular, Morson (2024) describes that his description of psychological unstability can lead to murder, insanity or homicide in accordance with chaotic emotions of humiliation, self-destruction, delirium, tyrannical domination, and murderous rage In fact, these elements can be considered as novel ideas at that time Fyodor Dostoevsky is also best known for this combination of theology into his novel, which created a sense of holiness or contradictions in beliefs of certain characters

2.4.3 “Crime and Punishment”

The influential and phenomenal “Crime and Punishment” by Fyodor Dostoevsky

could be seen as his great success in deeply delving into the darkest sides of human

beings Tucker (2009) refers “Crime and Punishment” to the image of stopping history

clock, which can be explained by looking at the contributions of this novel to the reconstruction of social and moral values in Russia at that time According to Rowe (1972), the antinomy, which is the contradiction between two co-existent ideas is the highlighted point throughout Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment The antinomy here either directly or indirectly affects Rodion Raskolnikov’s decision of murders afterward As can be seen, the repition and emphasis of bilateral streams of ideas are confronted to each other, hence causing the illegal actions of Rodion Raskolnikov Under the narrative of the first-view person, the crime of Rodion Raskolnikov is clearly elucidated as a result of mental turmoil, then emphasizing the success of the narrator’s function (Hart, 1971)

“Crime and Punishment” is a statue of being an amalgam of psychology, theology,

sociology and other structural elements Morson (1999) describes the paradoxical

discrepancies in both Dostoevsky’s and Rodion Raskolnikov’s ideas, provoking another prism of looking at the philosophies the writer delivered in the novel

2.5 Plot Summary of “Crime and Punishment”

The novel begins with the character Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov, a university student, lives in a tiny and dirty garret on the top floor of an apartment building in St Petersburg He is described imporverished, sickly dressed, and often talks to himself, however, he is intellectual, handsome and somewhat confident in his own way He is thinking of committing a terrible crime, but the root is unclear to him in the first place Subsequently, he goes to the house of an old pawnbroker, Alyona Ivanovna to exchange for a watch After that, he comes across to drink at a tavern, where he encounters a young man named Marmeladov, who is drunk and talks to him for a while

In the following day, Raskolnikov gets the letter from his mother, Pulcheria Alexandrovna, he learns that his siter Dounia is going to get married with a government officla named Luzhin and all of them will be moving to St Petesburg Later on, he hears that the old pawnbroker will be alone in her house in the next evening He then finds an axe and creeps into her house and kills her with a sharp blow While he is rummaging, the simpleton sister Lizaveta comes in, and Raskolnikov kills her After conducting the murders, he returns to his apartment and falls into delirium in a short

Rodion Raskolnikov was mentall tortured by his crime, with nightmares about Alyona and obsessions days and nights He pretends to be sinless in front of Porfiry, a murder investigator and starts to be afraid of suspicion by Porfiry After he learns that he is summoned for robbery, he feels delighted Then the story continues with his confession with his sister Dounia, with Sonia and everyone at the end of the novel The account of murdering two old women mentally tortures him and gradually leads him to the confession afterwards The novel is full of sophisticated details, this is just a brief summary of the beginning of this novel, which is the major point of the research

2.6 An overview of theories in psychology

2.6.1 Theory of Imitation by Gabriel Tarde

Born on March 12th, Jean-Gabriel De Tarde (Gabriel Tarde) is a sociologist and criminologist, known as one of the most resourceful figures in the realm of social sciences He works as a magistrate in Dordogne, and director of criminal statistics bureau at the Ministry of Justice, Paris In the late nineteenth century, Tarde develops his fundamental social philosophy – Theory of Imitation

According to Ellwood (1901), Gabriel Tarde is the first scientist who theorizes

this hypothesis, and the “imitation theory” is universally recognized and accepted in

public He approaches his own theory from the sociological sphere via the study of many societal phenomena such as crowds, fashions, crime, etc Theory of imitation is conceptualized based on social and psychological sides: it serves as the indisputable component of system of social philosophy The imitation can be elucidated as the reiteration of one person’s act by another under the influence of the offered suggestions – playing a profound role of the key to the social mystery In addition, Tosti (1897) assumes that a man in society is predisposed to behave analogously in order not to be left behind He mentions the humongous suffocation that a person has to undergo in crowds, that is, his or her tendency is about to be part of humankind

The law of imitation needs discussing in this part comprehensively: the imitation process is generally composed of two interwoven laws (Ellwood, 1901) Considering the first law, he defines process of imitation to be a geometrical progression Specifically, all types of imitation spreads throughout contemporary society, therefore, interventions in the form of competing imitations are absolutely absent The latter is implicated in the conditioning of the former, is that these kinds are invariably refracted by media Tarde’s applications extracted from theory of imitation to examine and analyze the relationship between sociology and natural sciences

Barry and Thrift (2007) highlighted the significance of imitation theory and suggestions in Gabriel Tarde’s economic psychology, from these basic methods,

sociologists and criminologists are incapable of giving explanations and assumptions to criminal psychology, especially in literature The theory of imitation is also pinpointed by King (2016) that Tarde’s hypothesis is aptly recognized in the era of globalization; it is one of main elements affecting individual interaction, physical and mental issues Thus, this theory of Gabriel Tarde is the very significant basis to evaluate characters’ development of behaviors in literature in general

2.6.2 Radical Behaviorism by Skinner

Burrhus Frederic Skinner (1904 – 1990), usually known as B F Skinner, an American psychologist, behaviorist, social philosopher, author and inventor In his early stage of life, he studies and lectures at Harvard University under the name of Professor of Psychology Widely acclaimed as the father of Operant Behaviorism (or Radical Behaviorism), B F Skinner illustrates and develops behaviorial analysis based on his devised theory in a variety of methods

Malone (1975) indicates that the term “behaviorism” should be the position of

phenomena of psychology in which they are thoroughly seen as behaviorial accounts, and the crucialness of behavior as well There are certain arguments on behaviorism of Skinner: his assumption is that psychological phenomena are behaviors, hence, these phenomena could not be replaced by any different forms

According to Moore (2011), compared to previous psychologists who also

conceptualize and theorize the term behaviorism, B F Skinner’s analysis is totally

different, he pointed out some flaws that former analyses have: first, certain responses tend to develop without a characteristic stimulus evoking them; second, is the variability of behavior As a result, Skinner’s completion of behavior conceptualization becomes

well-known Skinner seems to utilize the term radical behaviorism first if considering

historical progress A discrepancy between Watson’s and Skinner’s elucidation of behaviorism which makes Skinner’s superior and be prioritized in public is that Skinner clarifies radical behaviorism in an exhaustive method (Schneider & Morris, 1987)

From those aforementioned pieces of information, behaviorism by B F Skinner is astronomically accepted among critics and people and standardized as the major element of social psychology

2.6.3 Criminal Psychology

About the term ‘psychological profiling’ in idendifying features of criminals, it is applied in order to portray and extract different features of a specific criminal Kocsis (2000) gives detailed information of how criminal psychology is utilized for finding the behavior patterns based on some collected clues and its importance

The significance and application of psychology in criminal investigation is mentioned by Larson (1929) as a key element for deeply digging into behavioral patterns as well as courses of action He poses some enquiries so as to clarify the urgence of applying psychology when there are numerable issues emerging during the investigation procedures; in details, the inclusion of several psychology methods is listed: interpreting the suspect’s statement, objective evaluation of testimony, hypnosis, association tests, drugs and others

In a larger vision, misconceptions and false beliefs in criminal psychology are seen as susceptible, since it shows no empirical basis (Aamodt, 2008) In order to come up with a resolution for all problematic fallacies, certain code of principles are set: more clues, meticulous comparison and investigation, and seek the original source beforehand

2.6.4 Psychoanalysis by Sigmund Freud

Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), a renowned Austrian psychologist, is the author of the term ‘psychoanalysis’ His theorization gains a lot of criticism at that time, for it revolutionalizes remedies and therapies for patients as well as in-depth elucidation for humans’ courses of action

Psychoanalysis, a theoritical framework developed by Sigmund Freud, is a psychological treatment based on the assumption that humans’ thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are substantially influenced by the unconscious processes as well as past

experiences In terms of its purposes, psychoanalysis aims at bringing these unconscious thoughts or memories into the conscious awareness, so that each individual obtains an insight into their intrinsic conflicts, emotions, and motivations Bazan (2018) mentions the interwoven association between psychoanalysis and human sciences as a natural movement in the context of the dramatic increase of global mental health crisis, especially ADHD (Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder) among children

In addition, psychoanalysis is in conjunction with the inevitability of Surrealism emergence, playing a significant role in shaping art and culture in Western civilization; searching for great implications in literature (Esman, 2011)

Finally, Loewald (1970) clinches the psychoanalytic theory and psychoanalytic process in order to seek arising pitfalls during the investigation into human mind:

In reality, the importance of psychoanalysis is unquestionable, and in literature analysis, this type of investigation prompts critics and readers to comprehend the core of protagonists’ motives, actions, and emotions in general

2.7 The importance of psychology in text and discourse analysis

Generally, writers themslves are able to envisage how serious his protagonists’ actions are, but intrinsically, for better access to literature, psychology makes its greatest contributions to text and discourse analysis Hoffman (1957) pinpoints the way psychology affects the nature of accessory metaphors; readers obviously know the transparence of external world, where everything is exposed and naked, however, for the psychic tensions and unconsicousness – those so-called internal – it is extremely essential to have psychological consideration in certain cases Understandably, cognitive psychology is an inevitable constituent for constructing and analyzing literary characters, therefore radicalizing those’s portraits in a reasonable way (Gerrig & Allbritton, 1990)

Likewise, Notcutt (1947) classifies the importance of psychological analysis in different periods of time varied from the Middle Age to Renaissance; in a specific context, the Middle Ages tend to depict a character’s personality based on his action,

then by inner interest, and mostly developing the secularism in romantic sexual affection The Renaissance period marks a profound milestone in conceptualizing the growth of personality in literature, in which feudalism collapses and is replaced by the golden age of individualism

In a whole sense, psychology critically affects how a literary work, or character can be judged cognitively Thanks to the soaring of psychonalysis and cognitive studies, readers are able to unveil the core of character’s development in thoughts, feelings or emotions, clutch the overall idea of motives, constituents, or both internal and external factors prompting his or her trains of actions

CHAPTER THREE: LITERARY ANALYSIS

This chapter aims to deeply investigate Raskolnikov’s motive constituents which led him to the fatal crime, consisting of societal and cultural upheavals, mental dichotomy, and his sense of patriarchism and narcissism By using textual and intertextual analyses, a consise and transparent reason behind his murders will be shed light on

3.1 Societal and Cultural Interpretations

In reality, Russian society at the time Rodion Raskolnikov was living was filled

with hierarchical segregation and injustice Therefore, a strong sense of humiliation in Raskolnikov emerged as a result of that suppresion, which drove him into extremity regardless of efforts he made Subsequently, Raskolnikov nourished a fear of human beings, of crowds, and of the whole Russian society However, the protagonist also earned a paradoxical feeling toward humans; that bittersweet feeling urged him to be social sometimes, but simultaneously kept him in the dark corner of isolation

“Raskolnikov was not used to crowds, and, as we said before, he avoided society of every sort, more specifically of late But now all at once he felt a desire to be with other people Something new seemted to be taking place within him, and with it he felt a sort of thirst for company He was so weary after a whole month of concentrated wretchedness and gloomy excitement that the longed to rest, if only for a moment, in some other world, whatever it might be, and, in spite of the filthiness of the surroundings, he was glad now to stay in the tavern.” (Dostoevsky, 1866, p 10)

and:

“I would have been difficult to sink a lower ebb of disorder, but to Raskolnikov in his present state of mind this was positively agreeable He had completely away from everyone, like a tortoise in its shell, and even the sight of a servant girl who had to wait upon him looked sometimes into his room made him writhe with nervous irritation.”

(Dostovesky, 1866, p 25)

The simile “like a tortoise in its shell” used in the extract that depicted

Raskolnikov’s current state of mind excellently showed his detention to human beings, as his mental stability was inadequately mild, and the given contextual image of his debt repeatedly asserted the psychological turmoil he was facing with

On the other hand, as mentioned before, living in debts is a special component

that prompted him to the murder of Alyona, the old pawnbroker Moreover, Raskolnikov

was unemployed, while being a student, he desired to find something to earn pennies, which helped him escape from the obsession of impoverishment In the private

conversation between Rodion Raskolnikov and the landlady’s servant Nastasya

Petrovna, he somehow exposed his own confusion about the days to come, as well as

the rage he had upon the landlady Praskovya Pavlovna As of he began being against

society, his hatred for the whole human beings dramatically grew to the point he could not control himself

““Praskovya Pavlovna means to complain to the police about you,” she said He scolwed

“To the police? What does she want?”

“You don’t pay her money and you won’t turn out of the room That’s what she wants, to be sure.”

“The devil, that’s the last straw,” he muttered, grinding his teeth; “no, that would not suit me … just now She is a fool,” he added aloud “I’ll go and talk to her today.”

“Fool she is and no mistake, just as I am But why, if you are so clever, do you lie here like a sack and have nothing to show for it? One time you used to go out, you say, to teach children But why is it you do nothing now?”

“I am doing …” Raskolnikov began sullenly and reluctanty “What are you doing?”

“Work …”

“What sort of work?”

“I am thinking,” he answered seriously after a pause.”

(Dostoevsky, 1866, p 26 – 27)

So far Raskolnikov considered Praskovya Pavlovna “a fool”; so the tantrum

accumulation became greater regarding his bitter hatred toward her, by calling her

‘devil’

His sense of loneliness and alienation at university appear a nightmarish experience for him, since he had no friends, in other words, no one actively came to him

and got accquainted as usual Raskolnikov made friend with a comrade Razumihin, for

whom he yielded his faith That was the only close friend he got at university, hence, his sense of isolation and sullenness possessed him days and nights, which made the morbid situation seem insufferable

“He wondered at himself Razumihin was one of his old comrades at the university It was remarkable that Raskolnikov had hardly any friends at the university; he kept aloof from everyone, went to see no one, and did not welcome anyone who came to see him, and indeed everyone soon gave him up He took no part in the students’ gatherings, amusements or conversations He worked with great intensity without sparing himself, and he was respected for this, but no one like him He was very poor, and there was a sort of haughty pride and reserve about him, as though he were superior in development, knowledge and convictions, as thought their beliefs and interest were beneath him.” (Dostoevsky, 1866, p 46)

Now apparently, a stereotypical paradox emerges, between his academic superiority and his avoidance to any kind of attachment As the reason is clear-made, that he was in poverty; thus, the hierarchical discrimination in Russian society was

accentuated through the image of a destitute university student Rodion Raskolnikov: he was socially and mentally segmented by the interpersonal detachment:

“This was not because he was cowardly and abject, quite the contrary: but for some time he had been in an over-strained, irritable condition, verging on hypochondria He had become so completely absorbed in himself and isolated from his fellows that he dreaded meeting not only his landlady but anyone at all He was crushed by poverty, but the anxieties of his position had of late ceased to weigh upon him He had given up attending to matters of practical importance; he had lost all desire to do so Nothing that any landlady could do had a real terror for him But to be stopped on the stairs to be forced to listen her trivial, irrelevant gossip, to pestering demands for payment, threats and complaints, and to rack his brains for excuses, to prevaricate, to lie – no, rather than that, he would creep down and the stairs like a cat and slip out unseen.”

(Dostoevsky, 1866, p 3)

Raskolnikov’s greatest terror was completely sketched at the beginning of “Crime

and Punishment” as a solvent for his later crime; and along with that terror is the constant

conflict between him and two female characters – Alyona, the pawnbroker, and Pavlovna, the landlady In response to his rage upon Alyona, that old pawnbroker intentionally struck his desire to murder The scene of pawning of the two characters created the hooking rising point for the plot – that monetary-related stuff always burns a flame of mutual conflicts

To mention the pawnbroker Alyona, she can be an insidious, montrous woman in Raskolnikov’s eyes, for the exchange she has done with him caused a string of confusions and misunderstandings, which should be deciphered as the mutual verbal quarrel between two different generations, with different ages and personal backgrounds Two of them were living in the same kind of society, both were Russians, however, Raskolnikov was not mature enough to abruptly sense the insidiousness and the corruption of human beings

““What do you want?” the old woman said severely, coming into the room and, as before, standing in front of him and so as to look him straight in the face

“I’ve brought something to pawn here,” and he drew out of his pocket an old-fashioned flat silver watch, on the back of which was engraved a globe, the chain was of steel

“But the time is up for your last pledge The month was up the day before yesterday.”

“I will bring you the interest for another month; wait a little.”

“But that’s for me to do as I please, my good sir, to wait or to sell your pledge at once.”

“How much will you give for the watch, Alyona Ivanovna?”

“You come with such trifles, my good sir, it’s scarcely worth anything I gave you two roubles last time for your ring and one could buy it quite new at a jeweller’s for a rouble and a half.”

“Give me four roubles for it I shall redeem it, it was my father’s I shall be getting some money soon.”

“A rouble and a half, and interest in advance if you like!” “A rouble and a half!” cried the young man

“Please yourself” – and the old woman handed him back the watch The young man took it and was so angry that he was on the point of going away; but checked himself at once, remembering that there was nowhere elese he could go, and that he had had another object also in coming.” (Dostoevsky, 1866, p 7)

Rodion Raskolnikov’s motive became clearer as his internal conflicts tortured him after pawning with Alyona Russian society at first place was totally indifferent, insidious, aggressive and deceptive, that nauseous feeling came to his mind more

apparently; thereby the first motive constituent was logically constructed through the

prism of interpersonal conflicts, with the polarization of social classes, hierarchical segregation and dehumanization By scrutinizing both cultural and societal facets, Fyodor Dostoevsky successfully depicted the massive contradiction among classes of people in Russia, with the central character Rodion Raskolnikov

“But no words, no exclamations, could express his agitation The feeling of intense repulsion, which had begun to oppose and torture his heart while he was on his way to the old woman, had by now reached such a pitch and had taken such a definite form that he did not know what to do with himself to escape from his wretchedness.”

(Dostoevsky, 1866, p 9)

3.2 Superiority Complex and Inferiority Complex

Together with the highest demand of Russian society, Rodion Raskolnikov partially felt humiliated for his own debts, the huge sum of money that he had to reimburse In parallel with his sense of humiliation, the inferiority complex, of those nightmares found him every night urged him to be restrained, that he must refrain from tons of unbearable experiences he encountered Nightmares resemble his own conscience-based reflection, before and after his crime He dreamed of being an eyewitness watching a mare having been killed, a bloodshed image that he never forgot; or the scene of his murdered patient, the pawnbroker looking straight at him then giving a somewhat bizzare smile However, in order to clarify Rodion Raskolnikov’s motive consituents before his crime, just a piece of his nightmares will be analyzed

Additionally, Raskolnikov’s aspiration to have a ‘law trangression’ will also be

elucidated as his superiority complex in accordance with Napoleon symbol that he reiterated many times, the one whom he idolized for his outlandish ideas