Crime And Punishment Theme Essay

The theme of alienation is majorly seen in Crime and Punishment by Raskolnikov but it can also be seen in the setting as well. The setting of St. Petersburg is the first way that we can see alienation quite literally. The city of St. Petersburg is a city in Russia that is in a sort of nook that is by itself and surrounded by water on three sides. In the 1860’s the streets of Russia were not safe for anyone. Women, children and even men were even at risk when out on the streets at night in St. Petersburg in 1860 according to Raskolnikov. So if the whole city is in poverty and can not even support itself, how is it supposed to support families? The answer is that it can’t and it didn’t. Another setting that was described in the book that could
This bedroom is actually blamed for the depression that is brought upon him and also the thoughts and ideas that come upon him as well. I can see how a depressing place can bring about depressing thoughts and actions, but I don’t know if that would excuse all of the wrongs that Raskolnikov committed. He alienated himself and the places that he went really went along with the things that he did and that may say a lot about his character. But one very interesting thing that comes from what Raskolnikov has done is what he thinks of his punishments. When he goes to prison in Siberia, he does not exactly think of it as a punishment, he thinks of it as a treatment center for criminals or a hospital for them, for lack of better words. I think it is quite odd that he can find such comfort in a place that is to offer the exact opposite of comfort in prison. But, when he is home, where you should feel a great feeling of comfort, safeness and happiness he essentially feels like he is in prison. He feels the opposite of what he should feel in these places and I think it has to do with the extreme amount of alienation that he has done to himself over the