Book 1
Pg 1-“He had become so completely absorbed in himself, and isolated from his fellows that he dreaded meeting, not only his landlady, but any one at all.” This quote, having been said so early on, really displays how isolated Raskolnikov is from everyone else in his life. He seems to live in some kind of “dread” of human interaction and appears to only really need himself.
Pg 4- “He was positively going now for a “rehearsal” of his project, and at every step his excitement grew more and more violent.” This quote really shows the beginning of the criminal in Raskolnikov. He is actually “rehearsing” his crime and becoming excited about as if he ready to do it. The fact that Dostoevsky uses the word “violent” in describing his excitement makes the whole scene and inner character of Raskolnikov more criminal-like.
Pg 4 – Raskolnikov, despite, his sins, really is not a bad person. In fact, in order for him to get through the murder, he must ask himself “what would it be if it somehow came to pass that I were really going to do it?” In this passage, we see that he really has no desire to commit the crime, but does so in an out of body experience.
Pg 8 – On his way to commit the old woman’s murder, Raskolnikov turns to alcohol to steady himself. This is part of the developing theme that alcohol chases away all problems. It is also interesting due to the common Russian drinking stereotype.
Pg 14- “Do you suppose I don’t feel it? And the more I drink the more I feel it. That’s why I drink too. I try to find sympathy and feeling in drink…I drink so that I may suffer twice as much!” This quote shows a lot of Marmeladov’s character. He may turn out not to be that important of a person in the book, it’s too early on to tell, but it is apparent that he is a drunk. He seems to be caught in a vicious cycle of drinking because he’s suffering and suffering because he is drinking. It appears as though him drinking does