Flashcards for Crime and Punishment

Alyona Ivanovna

Alyona Ivanovna is the elderly pawnbroker whose murder by Raskolnikov sets off the moral and psychological turmoil in Crime and Punishment.

character

Arkady Svidrigailov

Arkady Svidrigailov stands out as one of the most intriguing and morally complex characters in Crime and Punishment—a wealthy, dissolute landowner whose presence looms over the latter part of the novel.

character

Dmitri Razumikhin

Dmitri Razumikhin is Raskolnikov's devoted friend from university and stands out as one of the most morally sound characters in the novel.

character

Dunya Raskolnikova

Avdotya Romanovna Raskolnikova—known as "Dunya"—is Rodion's younger sister and one of the most morally steadfast characters in the novel.

character

Porfiry Petrovich

Porfiry Petrovich is the clever, middle-aged chief investigator assigned to uncover the murders of Alyona Ivanovna and her half-sister Lizaveta.

character

Pulcheria Raskolnikova

Pulcheria Alexandrovna Raskolnikova is Rodion's loving mother, a provincial widow of limited means whose devotion to her son influences nearly all her choices throughout the novel.

character

Pyotr Luzhin

Pyotr Petrovich Luzhin is a self-made lawyer and bureaucrat who arrives in St. Petersburg as Dunya Raskolnikova's fiancé, having arranged the engagement through letters with her struggling family.

character

Rodion Raskolnikov

Rodion Raskolnikov is the deeply troubled main character of Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment.

character

Semyon Marmeladov

Semyon Zakharovich Marmeladov is a fallen titular councillor whose brief yet significant appearance in Part One of Crime and Punishment sets the stage for the novel's moral and social themes.

character

Sonya Marmeladova

Sonya Marmeladova is the moral and spiritual core of Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment.

character

“Love had raised them from the dead, and the heart of each held infinite sources of life for the heart of the other.”

This powerful line comes towards the end of Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment (1866), in the Epilogue, where the narrator reflects on the changed relationship between Raskolnikov and Sonya after Raskolnikov's lengthy spiritual struggle in a Siberian prison camp.

Narrator · Epilogue, Part II

“Pain and suffering are always inevitable for a large intelligence and a deep heart.”

This line is spoken by Raskolnikov, the troubled main character of Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, early in the novel while he grapples with his own pride and moral conflict.

Raskolnikov

“Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others.”

This quote comes from Father Zosima, the wise and deeply spiritual elder monk in Fyodor Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov, though many mistakenly attribute it to Crime and Punishment.

Father Zosima (misattributed; thematically central to Raskolnikov's arc in Crime and Punishment) · Book II

“It wasn't a human being I killed, it was a principle!”

This intense declaration comes from Raskolnikov, the troubled main character in Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment (1866), during one of his desperate, guilt-laden confessions to Sonya Marmeladova.

Raskolnikov · Part V, Chapter IV

“Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most.”

This epigraph-like line is delivered by the narrator, expressing the inner turmoil of Raskolnikov, the troubled main character, early in Crime and Punishment (Part I).

Narrator (reflecting Raskolnikov's thoughts) · Part I, Chapter I

“If he has a conscience he will suffer for his mistake. That will be his punishment—as well as the prison.”

This line is spoken by Porfiry Petrovich, the clever investigating magistrate, during one of his insightful conversations with Raskolnikov.

Porfiry Petrovich · Part VI, Chapter II

“Do you know how much a man can bear? I know now that whoever is strong in mind and spirit will have power over them. Anyone who is greatly daring is right in their eyes.”

This chilling declaration comes from Raskolnikov, the troubled main character of Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, during one of his feverish early reflections — especially evident in his conversations and inner thoughts in Part One.

Raskolnikov · Part One

“I did not bow down to you, I bowed down to all the suffering of humanity.”

This line is spoken by Raskolnikov to Sonya Marmeladova in Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment.

Raskolnikov · Part IV, Chapter 4

“Go at once, this very minute, stand at the crossroads, bow down, first kiss the earth which you have defiled, and then bow down to all the world.”

This command is given by Sonya Marmeladova to Raskolnikov in Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment.

Sonya Marmeladova · Part 5, Chapter 4

“What do you think, would not one tiny crime be wiped out by thousands of good deeds?”

This question is raised by Raskolnikov, the troubled main character of Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, during a conversation with his friend Razumikhin and others.

Raskolnikov · Part 1, Chapter 5 (approximate early chapters)

“She was one of those who are crushed, insulted, oppressed—and yet they endure.”

This line is from Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment (1866) and refers to Sonya Marmeladova, a young woman driven into prostitution to support her impoverished family.

Narrator

“Power is only vouchsafed to the man who dares to stoop and pick it up. There is only one thing, one thing needful: one has only to dare!”

This statement comes from Raskolnikov, the troubled main character of Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, as he struggles with his "extraordinary man" theory — the belief that some rare individuals rise above standard morality and can break ordinary laws for a greater cause.

Raskolnikov · Part 1, Chapter 6

Napoleon as Ideal

In Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoevsky portrays Napoleon Bonaparte as an embodiment of the "extraordinary man" ideal—a person who rises above standard morality and claims the right to break laws for a higher purpose.

Sonya's Cypress Cross

In Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, the cypress cross that Sonya gives to Raskolnikov represents redemptive suffering, Christian humility, and the choice to accept guilt before both God and humanity.

St. Petersburg and Its Slums

In Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, St. Petersburg—especially the stifling Haymarket slums—reflects Raskolnikov's inner turmoil and moral decline.

The Axe

In Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, the axe represents the violent break between thought and action—the chilling moment when abstract ideas crash into harsh reality.

The Dream of the Beaten Mare

In Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, the dream about the beaten mare symbolizes the horrific victimization of the innocent and the psychological toll of violence.

The Raising of Lazarus

In Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, the story of the Raising of Lazarus serves as a powerful symbol of spiritual death and the chance for resurrection through faith and suffering.

Dramatic Monologue

Much of the novel's psychological impact comes from Dostoevsky's deep dive into Raskolnikov's inner voice.

Extended Metaphor

Raskolnikov's 'Napoleon theory'—the idea that history's great figures can break regular moral rules—serves as a key metaphor throughout the novel.

Symbolism

Objects and spaces are rich in symbolism throughout the narrative.

Motif

Thresholds, crossings, and the act of stepping over them are recurring themes throughout the story.

Irony

Dostoevsky uses dramatic irony throughout the novel: the reader knows Raskolnikov feels guilty while other characters remain unaware, which keeps the tension high in every interaction with Porfiry.

Pathetic Fallacy

St. Petersburg's summer heat isn't just about the weather — it reflects Raskolnikov's mental state.

Juxtaposition

Dostoevsky crafts the novel through sharp contrasts in character and ideology.

Allusion

The Lazarus episode stands out as the novel's most prominent allusion: Sonya reads from John 11, where Lazarus is raised from the dead, to Raskolnikov.

Imagery

Yellow takes center stage in the novel’s visual landscape: yellow wallpaper, yellow furniture, and the yellow faces of the impoverished.

Paradox

The novel's main paradox is that Raskolnikov commits murder to free himself, but this act traps him more than any prison ever could.

Narrative Poem

Dostoevsky crafts the narrative like a detective thriller turned on its head: the reader learns the identity of the murderer within the first few pages, shifting the focus from 'who?' to 'how will he be caught — and by what methods, whether internal or external?'

Aporia

Raskolnikov's inner thoughts are filled with real dead ends—moments where he can't reconcile his conflicting beliefs.

garret

A small, cramped room built into the space just under the roof of a building, typically the cheapest and least desirable lodging available.

noun · Chapter 1

plaything

Here, an idea or plan that one entertains as a harmless mental exercise rather than a genuine intention, something not meant to be taken seriously.

noun · Chapter 1

pawnbroker

A person who lends money in exchange for personal belongings left as security; if the borrower cannot repay, the pawnbroker keeps and sells the item.

noun · Chapter 1

pawns

Leaves a personal possession with a pawnbroker as security for a cash loan, with the right to reclaim it on repayment.

verb · Chapter 1

fantasy

An imagined scenario that has no grounding in reality or serious intent; a daydream used to pass the time rather than a real plan.

noun · Chapter 1

feverish

In a state of intense, restless agitation or excitement that resembles the delirium of a high fever, making calm thought or action impossible.

adjective · Chapter 2

delirious

In a confused, disordered mental state — here caused by fever and psychological distress — in which a person loses touch with reality and may hallucinate or ramble.

adjective · Chapter 2

trembling like a leaf

Shaking uncontrollably from fear or nervous tension, the way a leaf quivers in the wind; used to describe extreme physical agitation caused by emotion.

phrase · Chapter 2

convulsive

Marked by sudden, uncontrolled muscular spasms or jerking movements; here used figuratively to describe an emotional state so intense the body cannot stay still.

adjective · Chapter 3

acquaintance

The state of knowing someone, or the early stage of a relationship before deep friendship has formed; a person one has met but does not yet know intimately.

noun · Chapter 3

raising

The act of bringing a dead person back to life; used here specifically in reference to the Biblical miracle in which Lazarus is restored to life by Jesus.

noun · Chapter 4

lunatic

A person regarded as wildly irrational or mentally unhinged; used here contemptuously to suggest that Sonya's faith makes no rational sense to Raskolnikov.

noun · Chapter 4

accursed

Condemned, damned, or under a curse; here used to mean that both speaker and listener are morally ruined or spiritually doomed beyond ordinary redemption.

adjective · Chapter 4

louse

A contemptible, worthless person of no moral account; Raskolnikov uses it as the lowest possible measure of a human being, someone fit only to be crushed.

noun · Chapter 5

reproach

To express blame, disappointment, or criticism toward someone for something they have done wrong; to rebuke or find fault with.

verb · Chapter 5

crossroads

A public place where two roads meet; in Russian Orthodox tradition, bowing and confessing at a crossroads was a ritual act of public humiliation and penitence before God and the community.

noun · Chapter 6

penal servitude

A criminal sentence requiring the convicted person to perform hard physical labor, typically in a remote prison camp; in nineteenth-century Russia this usually meant exile to Siberia.

noun · Chapter 7

striving

Sustained, effortful struggle toward a goal; here it means the painful inner moral and spiritual work required to earn a genuinely new life.

noun · Chapter 7

philosophy

Here, an elaborate intellectual system of ideas used to justify one's actions; contrasted with simply living instinctively and directly without needing theories to explain existence.

noun · Chapter 7

fling

To throw or hurl suddenly and with force; here used to describe an involuntary, overwhelming impulse that drives Raskolnikov to his knees as if an outside power moved him.

verb · Chapter 7