Plan
1.The theme of “doubleness” in Dostoevsky’s novels
2. The image of Raskolnikov’s doubles in the novel
a) Razumikhin
b) Luzhin
c) Svidrigailov
d) Sonya Marmeladova
3. The significance of doubles for understanding the hero’s inner world
The theme of “doubleness” in Dostoevsky’s novels The theme of dual personality has always occupied a special place in world literature. Its origins can be traced back to representatives of Western romanticism at the end of the eighteenth century. In Russian literature, the theme of dualism was actively developed by A.S. Pushkin, N.V. Gogol and F.M. Dostoevsky. Particular credit for revealing this topic belongs to Dostoevsky.
Even in his early story “The Double,” Dostoevsky depicts the petty official Golyadkin encountering his exact copy. In the novel “Crime and Punishment” the reader meets a poor student Rodion Raskolnikov, who is fired up with the idea of proving the correctness of his theory. Raskolnikov, who believes that “people, according to the law of nature, are generally divided into two categories,” decides to kill the old pawnbroker, who, according to his theory, belongs to the lower people.
A lonely old woman living out the rest of her life has some fortune that would be more useful to a poor student with a future behind him. Raskolnikov is so convinced of the power of his theory that he sets out to implement it. Despite the uniqueness of Raskolnikov as a character, throughout the novel the reader becomes acquainted with doubles of the protagonist.
Sometimes they resemble Raskolnikov in their internal qualities (for example, Sonya and Rodion are united by a tendency to self-sacrifice for the benefit of others). Otherwise, they fully express that negative trait, the shadow of which is barely noticeable in Raskolnikov (Svidrigailov, unlike Raskolnikov, does not repent of his sins, having committed a crime, because for the sake of a good goal, in his opinion, morality can be neglected) .
Student Razumikhin is Raskolnikov's friend. It is he who offers Raskolnikov articles to translate in order to earn a living. In contrast to the main character, Razumikhin is very active. His hope has not yet faded, and he is trying to improve his financial situation in order to continue his studies at the university. However, the desperate Raskolnikov is not looking for a way to return to university. Despite such striking dissimilarity in characters, Raskolnikov and Razumikhin have a common feature - they are both ready to do anything to help their neighbor.
Luzhin, who is the fiancé of Rodion's sister Dunya, also becomes Rodion's double. Raskolnikov and Luzhin are similar in their desire to achieve their intended goal. Luzhin, like Raskolnikov, creates a theory. The theory of the “whole caftan,” according to which each person should be guided only by his own interests, is not similar to Raskolnikov’s theory, which places the good of society as the highest value. Thus, Luzhin is a version of Raskolnikov shown in a negative light.
Both Svidrigailov and Raskolnikov commit crimes. Raskolnikov feels remorse after what he did, but Svidrigailov, on the contrary, does not experience anything. Svidrigailov is a dishonest man, and throughout the entire novel the reader sees only the dark side of the hero. However, at the end of the novel, Svidrigailov commits a noble act, giving Sonya three thousand rubles. Raskolnikov also helps the Marmeladov family by giving them part of his money.
Like Rodion, Sonya is ready to sacrifice herself. Both heroes reach the point of crime in their desire. Raskolnikov kills the old money-lender, since her money is more needed by poor students, and Sonechka decides to commit a “moral crime” - she goes on a yellow ticket to feed her stepmother’s children.
In Dostoevsky's novel, each character plays an important role, important also for understanding the nature of the forces driving the main character. Numerous doubles that the reader encounters throughout the novel are a reflection of the hero’s feelings and thoughts at a certain point in time.
According to M. Bakhtin, Raskolnikov must overcome some kind of weakness in himself (most expressed in the image of his double) in order to be “reborn,” cleansed of his sins and set foot on the righteous path.
14. Rodion Raskolnikov. His theory and his “doubles” in the novel. Every hero has a double. At Rask. - Luzhin, Svidrigailov. Rask.-contra. Divided figure. (“Good-looking,” but poor interior and clothes”). Quixotic selflessness and the ability to empathize (but the example of a drunken girl, the cat “chose her own path” - i.e. did not help). Theory: Am I a trembling creature or do I have the right. Two murders instead of one, with an ax – a schism, a surname, naturalism in the description of the murders. A symbol of aggression, a split in human consciousness, faith, family, fatherland. An attempt to understand the motives for the murders. - self-defense, self-deception. The motive of self-will, self-esteem at any price, the cult of self-will. R. is trying to abolish morality, the established right to universal access. , an attempt by a lower god. Punishment in moral torment, dreams Rask., alienation, solitary. L. and S. – immoral masters, distributing evil. Svid. – artistic discovery D. Personality type, capable of cynically enjoying the fruits of one’s prestige. And look for the ideal of high love. It is characteristic that Svidrigailov finds “some common point” between himself and Raskolnikov; he says to Raskolnikov: “We are birds of a feather.” Svidrigailov embodies one of the possibilities of realizing the main character’s idea. As a moral cynic, he is a mirror image of the ideological cynic Raskolnikov. Svidrigailov's permissiveness eventually becomes scary to Raskolnikov. Svidrigailov is terrible even to himself. He takes his own life. Luzhin has a very high opinion of himself. Vanity and narcissism are developed in him to the point of painfulness. The main value in life for Luzhin is money obtained “by any means,” since thanks to money he can become equal to people occupying a higher position in society. Morally, he was guided by the theory of the “whole caftan.” According to this theory, Christian morality leads to the fact that a person, fulfilling the commandment to love his neighbor, tears his caftan, shares it with his neighbor, and as a result, both people remain “half naked.” Luzhin’s opinion is that you must love yourself first, “for everything in the world is based on personal interest.” All of Luzhin’s actions are a direct consequence of his theory. According to Raskolnikov, it follows from Luzhin’s theory that “people can be cut” for their own benefit. The image of Pyotr Petrovich Luzhin serves as a living example of what Raskolnikov could have achieved, gradually realizing his principle of omnipotence and power, “Bonapartism.” The difference between Raskolnikov and Luzhin is that Raskolnikov’s views were formed as a result of solving humanistic problems, and the views of his double serve as a justification for extreme selfishness, based on calculation and benefit.
Raskolnikov's doubles in the novel 8220 Crime and Punishment 8221
The culmination of the novel “Crime and Punishment,” the thought that evokes the most thought in the reader, is Raskolnikov’s theory of permissiveness, the theory of dividing people into “trembling creatures” and “those with the right.” The essence of this theory, in a nutshell, can be expressed as follows: the end justifies the means. That is, the more value an idea has, the less one should care about how to achieve it.
It would seem that Raskolnikov is the only one in the novel who puts forward this idea and tries to follow it. However, this is not true. The fact that the author used the technique of antithesis is no secret to anyone; but parallels are also drawn between Raskolnikov and other characters, creating a unique system of doubles. These are those who, to one degree or another, share the idea of permissiveness, the possibility of allowing one’s conscience to bypass the Christian commandments “thou shalt not kill,” “thou shalt not steal,” etc.
Luzhin and Svidrigailov - and it is they who are the hero's doubles - differ from him even in origin, but, nevertheless, there is an amazing similarity in their worldviews.
Svidrigailov comes from the nobility, served in the cavalry and is now about fifty years old. This, in fact, is all we know about his, so to speak, biographical data. Svidrigailov is a very mysterious character, and one has to draw conclusions about him only by the impression he makes on the other heroes of the novel. His gaze is “somehow too heavy and motionless,” his actions are non-standard and unpredictable, the author deliberately does not quote his thoughts verbatim in the novel, emphasizing that it would be wrong to see him as a typical scoundrel.
Using the example of Svidrigailov, it seems that Raskolnikov saw himself in one of the options for the further development and progression of his theory. Svidrigailov is a moral cynic, for him the concept of morality does not exist, he is not tormented by pangs of conscience (note that Raskolnikov has them). He also believes that you can use any means to achieve your goal. But his goals are “smaller” in the general understanding of life than Raskolnikov’s goals. Svidrigailov lives to have fun - as already mentioned, at any cost. It is interesting to note that all the rumors about him that are found on the pages of the novel are not actually confirmed; they remain at the level of rumors. For example, they talked about Svidrigailov’s involvement in a number of crimes: a deaf-mute girl “cruelly insulted” by him committed suicide, and footman Philip hanged himself. That is why Raskolnikov so vehemently denies the similarity of their natures, which he points out. But it really is, they are “birds of a feather.” Only Raskolnikov is ideologically cynical; the practical implementation of his theory, as we know, failed. To some extent, he can be called a dreamer. For Svidrigailov, cynicism is a lifestyle; it replaces morality.
Dostoevsky very subtly resolves both situations, debunking the theories of both. By the end of the novel, Raskolnikov repents and abandons such a worldview. It was immediately noticeable that Svidrigailov was extremely unpleasant and even scary to him. And, obviously, later he still realized the similarities between them; it was as if he saw himself from the outside. Arkady Arkadyevich himself takes his own life. There is no clear explanation for this in the novel; we can only guess that he, most likely, was also horrified at himself and considered further existence unnecessary and impossible.
The other side of Raskolnikov is shown in an enlarged form in the image of Pyotr Petrovich Luzhin. This character has the same vanity, painful pride and narcissism as Raskolnikov. His theory of the “whole caftan” very noticeably echoes some of the statements and thoughts of Rodion Romanovich. For example, when he persuaded a peace officer to escort home a drunken girl who had been attacked by a “fat dandy”; there was a moment when, lost in thought, he tried to shout: “Why do you need all this?!” That is, his theory assumed indifference to others.
What is the “whole caftan” theory? It boils down to the following: Christian morality presupposes the fulfillment of the commandment of love for one’s neighbor, that is, you need to tear your caftan, give half to your neighbor, and as a result both will find themselves “half naked.” According to Luzhin, you need to love yourself first of all, “for everything in the world is based on personal interest” (as he himself said). Raskolnikov, having understood Pyotr Petrovich’s thinking style, decides that according to Luzhin’s theory, “people can be cut” for personal gain - the interesting thing is that Raskolnikov himself is outraged by this fact. This begs the question: what about Raskolnikov himself? Doesn't he think the same way? No, there is still a difference. He saw in the practical implementation of his theory help to all humanity, a kind of humanism, albeit a very strange one. In this way, he wanted to give freedom of action to geniuses, which they so lack in order to create and reveal their potential. Luzhin’s actions are based solely on personal gain and calculation.
Again, Pyotr Petrovich Luzhin is a clear example of a probable future for Raskolnikov if his theory were further developed.
Naturally, the presence of these heroes is due to the fact that the similarity of their worldviews reveals Raskolnikov’s personality more deeply, the reasons for the collapse of his theory for himself become more understandable (it is clear that it has not yet become so firmly entrenched in his soul, has not distorted his consciousness as irrevocably as in Svidrigailov and Luzhin). It seems that there is another goal in this comparison - Dostoevsky wanted to to some extent justify Raskolnikov’s actions, to show that in fact, if not for the circumstances, his theory most likely would not have reached practice.
In all the works of F. M. Dostoevsky, the moral essence of man is explored. The writer always covered the most tragic aspects of life, encouraging the reader to understand global problems such as good and evil, cruelty and mercy, compassion and callousness. We see human tragedy, moral and physical death of people on the pages of the novel “Crime and Punishment.”
In an attempt to understand the facets of good and evil, Dostoevsky creates a system of images that includes both like-minded people and those whose views completely contradict each other. The main character of the novel, Rodion Raskolnikov, is one of the most striking images of the work, which is revealed with amazing depth and psychologism. Kind by nature, the young man loves his mother and sister very much, takes pity on the Marmeladovs, and provides them with all possible help. And at the same time, it was he who conceived an unnatural, anti-human theory about the division of people into two groups, into those who are “trembling creatures”, doomed to obedience and suffering, and those who “have the right” - the right to kill for higher goals, for the sake of ridiculous principles.
What outcome awaits Raskolnikov, who considers himself one of those who “have the right”, who has taken upon himself the responsibility to kill worthless and unnecessary people for the dubious benefit of the “humiliated and insulted”? Painful repentance, moral suffering, and loneliness make him think about the correctness of his assumption, about the viability and legitimacy of the terrible theory. The hero had to go through a lot in order to gain an understanding of the basic values of life, to cleanse his soul, and to repent.
On his “path of the cross,” Raskolnikov meets people who have different influences on him. Among them there are those who put his theory into practice without suffering any remorse. One of these characters is Svidrigailov, a man who has long been following the path on which Raskolnikov took the first step. Not tormented by doubts, he turns his life into continuous voluptuousness, sacrificing those who cannot give him a worthy rebuff. “...Single villainy is permissible if the main goal is good,” he says. He has many sins - the rape of a deaf-mute orphan, the murder of a servant, card cheating, the death of his wife. He treats Raskolnikov’s crime completely calmly, believing that he and him, Svidrigailov, are “of the same feather,” despising Rodion for his moral torment: “... I understand what questions you have: moral, or what? questions of a citizen and a person? And you are at their side; why do you need them now? ...Then what is still a citizen and a person? And if so, there was no need to interfere; There’s no point in minding your own business.” Convinced of complete impunity, he does not obey any prohibitions, thereby confirming the injustice reigning in society.
It seems that there is nothing sacred left in Svidrigailov’s soul. But at the same time, he does not consider himself a villain and is still capable of doing good deeds. The love that awakens in him awakens his conscience, and he helps Sonya and the children of Katerina Ivanovna. But his life, which has become meaningless, leads him to suicide.
Yes, between him and Raskolnikov there really is “some point in common,” but the difference between them is that Raskolnikov, having committed a crime, did not “cross the line,” “remained on this side,” but Svidrigailov crossed the line and is not tormented by any remorse .
The ideas of Raskolnikov are also close to Pyotr Petrovich Luzhin, who lives by the principle “love yourself first, first of all, for everything in the world is based on personal interest.” Without any doubt, he controls the destinies of other people for his own benefit. Of course, the thought of murder will not enter his head, but, in Raskolnikov’s apt expression, “...bring to the consequences what you preached just now, and it will turn out that people can be slaughtered...”. To destroy a person or to assert himself through someone else's misfortune, Luzhin does not neglect any means, therefore he is no less cruel and immoral than an ordinary killer.
Having revealed the images of Raskolnikov’s “doubles” in the novel, Dostoevsky at the same time contrasted them with the main character, in whose soul good prevailed. Even if not immediately, having gone through a long path of suffering, he finds a way out of the impasse into which false ideas about the permissibility of the superiority of the “strong” over the weak have led him.
It is considered quite complex. At the center of the novel is the image of Rodion Raskolnikov and his theory. As the story progresses, other characters appear. Of particular importance in the work “Crime and Punishment” are Raskolnikov’s doubles. Why does Dostoevsky introduce them into the plot? How are Raskolnikov and his doubles similar? What is the difference? What are their ideas? What are Raskolnikov's doubles - Luzhin and Svidrigailov? More on this later in the article.
Pyotr Petrovich Luzhin - Raskolnikov's double
The author characterizes him quite negatively. Luzhin is rich and a brilliant businessman. He came to St. Petersburg to establish his career. “Having become one of the people,” Peter highly valued his own mind, his abilities, and was accustomed to admiring himself and enjoying it. His main dream was to get married. Peter sought to benefit some girl, elevating her to himself. She certainly had to be educated and beautiful. He knew that in St. Petersburg one could “win a lot with women.” His painful narcissism, all his dreams speak of a certain imbalance in his character, of the presence of cynicism in him. With the help of money, “having broken through from insignificance,” he remained low inside. Next, we will find out what indicates that Luzhin and Raskolnikov are doubles.
Petr Petrovich's theory
Luzhin is presented as a business man, who values money more than anything else, which is obtained “by all means and labor.” He considers himself smart, working for the benefit of people, progressive and has great respect for himself. Pyotr Petrovich has his own theory, which he develops with great pleasure in front of Rodion Raskolnikov. His idea of “reasonable egoism” presupposes love, first of all, for oneself, since everything that happens in the world is based, in his opinion, on one’s own interest. If all people acted according to his theory, society would have many more prosperous citizens. Thus, a person, acquiring everything exclusively for himself, works for the benefit of the whole society and in the name of economic progress. In life, Luzhin is guided by this theory. The dream of marrying Avdotya pleases his vanity. In addition, this marriage can contribute to his future career. Raskolnikov, meanwhile, is against this marriage. But Pyotr Petrovich quickly finds a way to correct the situation. In order to denigrate Rodion in front of his family and regain Dunya’s favor, he plants a banknote on Sonya and accuses her of theft.
Why is Luzhin Raskolnikov's double?
When analyzing the theory of Pyotr Petrovich, one can find many analogies with Rodion’s idea. In both the first and second, one’s own, personal interest remains a priority. Raskolnikov claims that “Napoleons are allowed everything.” According to Pyotr Petrovich, Rodion’s idea is also designed to save humanity from evil and is aimed at achieving progress in development. Only people who are capable of destroying the present for the benefit of the future can move the world and lead it to its goal.
Similarity of opinions is the cause of hatred
It should be said, however, that Raskolnikov really did not like Luzhin’s idea. Probably, on an intuitive level, Rodion felt similarities with his ideas and thoughts. He points out to Pyotr Petrovich that according to his “Luzhinsky” theory, it is allowed to “cut people.” Apparently, the similarity in thoughts and vision of the situation in the world determines Rodion’s unaccountable hatred of Pyotr Petrovich. As a result, a certain “vulgarity” of Raskolnikov’s theory appears. Pyotr Petrovich offers an “economic” version of it, one that, in his opinion, is applicable in life and is aimed at achieving goals mainly by material means. Thus, we can conclude that Luzhin is Raskolnikov’s double in everyday life.
Another character with a similar theory
As the story progresses, another hero appears - Arkady Ivanovich Svidrigailov. This rather complex character expresses a certain “non-uniformity” with his entire being. He is “not single-line anywhere,” but in his image one can trace the philosophical context of the expression of Rodion’s idea. Thanks to the actions of Svidrigailov (it was he who revealed the true state of affairs to Marfa Petrovna), the good name of Raskolnikov’s sister is restored. Arkady Ivanovich also provides assistance to the Marmeladov family, organizing the funeral of the deceased Katerina Ivanovna and placing orphaned young children in an orphanage. He also helps Sonya, providing her with funds for her trip to Siberia.
Brief description of Arkady Ivanovich
This person is smart, insightful, he has his own special “subtlety”. He has the ability to understand people very well. Thanks to this skill, he was immediately able to determine what Luzhin was like. Arkady Ivanovich decides to prevent Pyotr Petrovich from marrying Avdotya. According to some authors, Svidrigailov potentially appears to be a man of great strength and conscience. However, all these inclinations of his are ruined by Russian social foundations and way of life. The hero does not have any ideals, there is no clear moral guideline. Among other things, Arkady Ivanovich by nature has a vice, which he not only cannot fight, but also does not want to fight. In this case we are talking about his penchant for debauchery. The hero's life proceeds in submission to his own passions.
What are the similarities between Rodion and Arkady Ivanovich?
Svidrigailov, when meeting with Raskolnikov, notes some “common point” between them, saying that they are “berries of the same breed.” Dostoevsky himself, to a certain extent, brings these characters closer together, portraying them, developing one motive - childish innocence, purity. The image of Raskolnikov contains the features of a child - he has a “childish smile”, and in his first dream he appears as a seven-year-old boy. In Sonya, with whom Rodion is becoming increasingly close, traits of innocence and purity can also be traced. She reminds Raskolnikov of a child. There was also a childish expression on Lizaveta’s face at the moment when Rodion attacked her. For Arkady Ivanovich, meanwhile, children are a reminder of the atrocities he committed, coming to him in nightmares. It is this common motive, the very fact of his presence that allows us to say that Svidrigailov and Raskolnikov are doubles.
Differences in the images of Arkady Ivanovich and Rodion
As the story progresses, the differences between the characters become more and more obvious. The crime that Raskolnikov committed was a kind of symbol of protest against the cruelty and injustice of the world around him, the unbearable living conditions. The secondary motive is the plight of the family and himself. In addition, he sought to test his theory. However, after the crime, Rodion is no longer able to live differently, as if he had “cut himself off from everyone with scissors.” Now he has nothing to talk about with those around him, and he is overcome by a feeling of painful alienation from all people. Despite this, before and after the crime, ideals are preserved in the image of Raskolnikov - the concepts of evil and good are very significant for him. So, after the crime, he helps the Marmeladovs, giving the last 20 rubles to organize the funeral of Semyon Zakharovich. Nothing of the kind appears in the image of Svidrigailov. Arkady Ivanovich appears as a completely devastated and spiritually dead man. In him, unbelief and cynicism coexist with a subtle mind, self-sufficiency, and life experience. He is so “dead” that even feelings for Dunya are unable to revive him.
Love for her awakened noble impulses and manifestations of true humanity in Arkady Ivanovich only for a short moment. Svidrigailov is bored with life, he doesn’t believe in anything, nothing occupies his heart and mind. At the same time, he indulges his desires: both good and bad. Arkady Ivanovich does not feel remorse for killing a very young girl. And only once does her image appear to him in a nightmare - on the night before his death. At the same time, the idea is created that this crime of his is not the only atrocity of the hero: there are many rumors and gossip about him. However, the character himself is very indifferent to them and, in fact, does not consider his actions to be anything out of the ordinary.
The embodiment of Rodion's theory in the image of Arkady Ivanovich
Speaking about the fact that Svidrigailov is Raskolnikov’s double, we should pay attention to their personal relationship. At first, it seems to Rodion that Arkady Ivanovich has some kind of power over him. Raskolnikov is drawn to Svidrigailov. But subsequently Rodion feels some kind of “heaviness”; he becomes “stifling” from this closeness. Gradually, Raskolnikov begins to believe that Svidrigailov is the most insignificant and emptiest villain on earth. Arkady Ivanovich, meanwhile, goes much further than Rodion along the path of evil. In this regard, there is even some symbolism of the name Arkady. It is of Greek origin and literally translates as "shepherd". In Orthodox culture, this word was used in the meaning of “shepherd” - a leader, mentor, teacher in spiritual life. In a way, Svidrigailov is like that for Raskolnikov: in his lack of faith and cynicism, he surpasses Rodion in many ways. Arkady Ivanovich constantly demonstrates his “masterful”, to a certain extent “higher” mastery of Rodion’s theory, practically embodying it.
The meaning of the characters in the work
Raskolnikov's doubles are close to him in spirit, but have different purposes. Each of them embodies Rodion's theory in their own way. With their own inner appearance, Raskolnikov's doubles in the novel discredit his ideas. The image of Pyotr Petrovich seems to be a primitive embodiment of the theory at the everyday level. Arkady Ivanovich is a deeper character. Svidrigailov's application of Raskolnikov's theory is more profound. He embodies it on a philosophical level. When you analyze the image and actions of Arkady Ivanovich, in some way the bottom of the abyss is revealed, where the “individualistic” idea of the protagonist leads.
Sonya Marmeladova
If the characters described above are Raskolnikov’s spiritual doubles, then this heroine is similar to Rodion solely in terms of her “life situation.” In any case, this is what the main character of the work thought. She, like the other characters, was able to cross the line beyond which morality ends. Being an active and active person, Sofya Semyonovna tries to save her family from death. In her actions, she is primarily guided by faith, kindness, and meekness. Sonya attracts Rodion, he begins to identify her with himself. However, like Raskolnikov’s other doubles, Marmeladova soon becomes completely different from him. Rodion notices that he ceases to understand her, she even seems “foolish” and strange to him. Subsequently, the differences between them become more pronounced.
"Atrocity" by Sonya Marmeladova
It should be said that her “crime” differs from Raskolnikov’s actions. By turning into a prostitute, saving children from starvation, she harms herself. While the rest of the heroes also inflict it on others, ruining other people’s lives. Rodion can freely choose between evil and good. Sonya is initially deprived of this choice. Her act is unequal, but justified in some way by motive. Unlike other characters, Sonya's soul is filled with love, faith, mercy, she is “alive” and feels unity with those around her.
Conclusion
On the pages of the work, quite a lot of personalities appear before the reader. All of them, to one degree or another, are similar to the main character - Raskolnikov. Of course, this similarity is not accidental. Rodion's theory is so nightmarish that a simple description of his life was not enough. Otherwise, the depiction of his fate and the collapse of his ideas would have been reduced to a simple description of a crime story about a half-crazed student. In his work, Dostoevsky tried to show that this theory is not so new and is quite implementable. Its development and refraction permeates human destinies, people's lives. As a result, an understanding arises that it is necessary to fight against this evil. To counter immorality, everyone has their own means. At the same time, we should not forget that fighting the enemy with the help of his own weapons becomes meaningless, since it returns again to the same path of immorality.