Character Development of Raskolnikov essays

Character Development of Raskolnikov essays Dostoevskys novel, Crime and Punishment, develops the character Rodion Romanych Raskolnikov as a criminal seeking redemption. The Marmelodov family came into his life and Raskolnikov, with goodness still in his heart, helped support them though a time of need. Sonya, the oldest daughter of this family, showed Raskolnikov that Jesus Christ could guide him in the right direction toward atonement for his sins. This journey to redemption brought Sonya and himself to love and care for each other. As Rodion Romanych sat on his couch envisioning his great accomplishments, identifying with Napoleon (Dostoyevsky 309), his financial situation forced him to drop from the University. In his stubbornness, he refused help from family and friends and became ill with monomania. He conjured up a theory that made his homicide a great triumph. At one point he became unpleasant because he was hiding his emotions from his peers so they would not find out about his crime. What is interesting was that his illness highlighted his emotions so much that his sickness was taken as madness. Thankfully he was not mad. He was simply so taken by his own delirium that all of his thoughts consumed his actions. Many months ago when Raskolnikov's theory was created he had been creating the pedestal, which would advance him as an extraordinary person. He slowly executed his plan by making contact with the person to be murdered and the scene of the murder. Sadly, he believed that if he used his intelligence, he would achieve a morally correct right to help mankind with a higher purpose. He used murder as a practical goal to help the needy ones. In this he acted selfish and pompous, thinking he was a Napoleon, a newly created savior. He would soon learn that man could not rely only on his own will, but on the will of God. His fantasy or justification for murdering the pawnbroker would be relinquished as the novel progresses. ...