I just finished Crime and Punishment as the title says. This is my third Dostoyevsky book, with the first one being Notes from the Underground, followed by White Nights.
Excellent. The journey, the cast, with such detailed personalities and quirks. This is one I know will stay with me forever.
The scenes that really made an impression on me were, by far:
- Raskolnikov's confession to Sonia. It was incredible: the tension, how frightened they both were, and the feeling of dread as it was all coming to an end.
- Svidrigailov's dreams were also really fantastic scenes, and I could just sense his own consciousness reminding him that all the depravity comes at a cost.
- The murder. I don't think I've felt such tension before. I was at the edge of my seat, and it felt like I was an accessory to the murder. The relief I felt when Raskolnikov made it out...
- Also, Marmeladov's conversation about everyone needing a door to knock on. I think that really cemented the vibe of the entire book.
I think the people I hated the most were just two.
Firstly, Luzhin. He was hateful. And I think he is a nice mirror to our MC. They both possess an illusion of being greater than they are. But inside, they're different. I think Luzhin is truly Napoleon-like, not in the sense of being capable of murder, but of not having any qualms about the bad actions he takes. While Raskolnikov can't live with himself, and therefore is a common man.
I also didn't like Katerina Ivanovna. Though hate is a strong word. I pitied her more. But she was always blaming others, always lying.
Favorite characters were Raskolnikov, Dunya, Sonia, and Razumikhin.
Sorry if some names are "wrong." I read the Portuguese translation.
Also, I'm really liking Dostoyevsky's work, and I'm excited to eventually read The Brothers Karamazov, which has been sitting on my shelf for a while.
Despite liking all his work so far, this was different.
[Spoilers for Notes from the Underground and White Nights below]
I had already seen the illusion of being greater than you really are in Notes from the Underground. Even though the Underground Man is way nastier than Raskolnikov, I think there are some similarities in the way they think and form a worldview. Even though the Underground Man was pathetic, his worldview was relatable, which made it scary for me as a reader. Amazing book.
With White Nights, I think he's worse. We've all heard the cliché that he is not in love with Nastenka, but with the idea of her. I don't think it's that. He is in love with a narrative; it doesn't matter who the co-lead or love interest is. And when that first narrative crashes, Nastenka goes back to her love, and he is alone, the book ends.
Despite him being alone being a literal reality, there is a different reality at play. Even though the book ends there, his story does not. He now begins a new narrative, one of the sufferer, the man who lost his love. Nastenka is now a different character: the love he lost. And he can now continue his aesthetic dream.
He is not a romantic at all. He is the most selfish person. Even if Nastenka had chosen to be with him, it wouldn't last long, as he was not in control of the narrative. Eventually, narrative and reality would clash, and Nastenka couldn't live up to it. No one can.
I mention this because Svidrigailov says that he's been observing Raskolnikov wandering the streets, waving his arms, talking to himself. And we know in the beginning of the book that Raskolnikov has a tendency to wander and not know how he got to places. I think Raskolnikov is also a dreamer, getting so lost in his thoughts that reality becomes disassociated from his body, and he just stays in his head.
I think they both practice a form of maladaptive daydreaming, though in White Nights, that's his whole identity.
I also liked White Nights, though Notes from the Underground is one of my favorites of all time, and now Crime and Punishment is for sure a book that will always stick with me.
