Crime and Punishment

Usually, it seems that if a novel deals with philosophical issues, then it is, too often, an excellent nonprescriptive remedy for insomnia. On the other side of the coin, there are those novels that are exciting enough, but end up being devoid of any philosophical significance. Occasionally, though, one does have that heady experience of reading a novel that combines important ideas with an exciting, dramatic story, and it becomes achingly apparent how vast is the yet unmeasured potential of fiction. Such a novel is Crime and Punishment.

Fyodor Dostoyevsky was a novelist who took ideas seriously, so seriously that much of his major work was devoted to exposing the immorality of ideas he considered dangerous. It is such ideas, made manifest through the central character, Raskolnikov, that Dostoyevsky deals with in this great novel. In doing so, he gives us an intense dramatization of the importance of philosophy and ideas and their practical application. Not only does Dostoyevsky make philosophy real and alive for the reader, but philosophy is vitally important—and of personal value—to his characters, as well.

Raskolnikov, a young student, suffers under the grinding burden of poverty and debt. To escape his intolerable condition, he murders a greedy old woman for her money.

Now, murder is hardly a new topic in the annals of literature, nor is it a particularly rare subject today. Any paperback counter shows the con-tinuing popularity of murder stories. But what sets Dostoyevsky—and Crime and Punishment—apart is that he is not satisfied with the surface details of the crime. He plumbs the criminal mind, searching and examin-ing every motive, scrutinizing and illuminating the philosophical basis by which Raskolnikov attempts to justify the taking of another human being's life.

Raskolnikov does indeed compile an impressive list of justifications for the murder, and for each one there is a corresponding philosophical position. Society will be better off—he rationalizes—without the grasping greed of the woman; there is no such thing as morality, neither right nor wrong; this will be his only crime—once he has money he will be benevolent and good and kind and generous; on and on he goes. Just as surely, though, it is Raskolnikov himself who demolishes every excuse he can fabricate, every reason he can find, until at last he must confront the stark, harrowing reality of his crime.

However, to speak only of the ideas in the novel does not do justice to the superlative story in which Dostoyevsky encased his philosophical and moral considerations. Dostoyevsky's forte was plot, and Crime and Punishment shows what a master he was—undoubtedly one of the greatest. There are enough twists and turns and surprises to keep even the most astute reader in suspense. Everything else becomes secondary before the sweep of his narrative skill.

Crime and Punishment is the kind of novel you will not only want to read, but reread again and again.

Reviewed by Jesse F. Knight / Fiction (492 Pages) / BFL Price $1.95