Crime and Punishment

"Crime and Punishment" by Fyodor Dostoyevsky is a novel written in the mid-19th century. The story delves into the psychological turmoil of its main character, Rodion Raskolnikov, a former student living in extreme poverty in St. Petersburg, as he grapples with morality, guilt, and the nature of crime. Raskolnikov's internal struggles and rationalizations set the stage for a broader exploration of existential questions and the consequences of one's choices. At the start of the novel, readers are introduced to Raskolnikov, who, on a sweltering July evening, leaves his cramped garret, fueled by a mix of fear and dread. He is acutely aware of his troubled finances, particularly his debts to his landlady, which cultivate a sense of isolation and despair. As he wanders through the city's pungent streets, he reflects on his own cowardice and impotence while contemplating a deeply disturbing act he is contemplating. The opening scene captures Raskolnikov's increasingly fraught mental state, portraying him as both an intellectual and a tormented soul. Eventually, he visits an old pawnbroker, Alyona Ivanovna, where an unsettling encounter begins to unfold, hinting at the drastic actions he is considering. (This is an automatically generated summary.)