Raskolnikov And Raskolnikov

Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov, the protagonist in Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s novel Crime and Punishment is a penniless Russian ex-student who undergoes a psychological breakdown which lead to him committing the murder of his landlord Alyona Ivanovna and her sister Lizaveta Ivanovna. In the novel the numbers two, four and eight represent Raskolnikov’s attempt to achieve redemption. While the ages of Raskolnikov and Sonya, Raskolnikov’s love interest, reveal the current mental state and relationship between the characters. Also, the small amount of pension which Raskolnikov’s mother, Pulkheria receives indirectly affects Raskolnikov. The use of specific numbers in relation to age, details, and financial status correlate with the different psychological
states of Raskolnikov throughout the novel Crime and Punishment.
Before committing the murders of the two sisters Raskolnikov had an eye for immaculate details, which suggest his obsessive mental state from the start of the novel.
He counted the “seven hundred and thirty [steps] exactly” (8) which take him from his home to Alyona’s, this precise number conveys that Raskolnikov had already planned the murder much time before it actually took place. To execute his plan Raskolnikov visited Alyona to pawn a watch, as he walked in he “took... everything in the room” (10) in detail and examined the location of his future murders. After making a deal with Alyona, Raskolnikov observes that she keeps her keys in her “right-hand pocket” (11) and one of the keys is “three times the size” (12). With these details Raskolnikov concluded the bigger key must belong to a “box or chest” (12) These observations were made minutes upon entering Alyona’s house, this illustrates Raskolnikov’s obsessive state of mind as he also thought “it’s the details that matter more than anything else” (8) suggesting he had every detail planned before Alyona’s murder. But, his plan did not consider Lizaveta, the unexpected guest which was killed minutes upon arriving and spotting her dead sister. After murdering Lizaveta “Raskolnikov began to lose his nerve completely” (98). Raskolnikov’s eye for details helped him construct a plan to murder Alyona but when his plan did not end as he expected he committed a crime by unjustifiably killing Lizaveta. Contrarily, in part three
Raskolnikov limits his usage of precise numbers. Raskolnikov says that “[he] doesn’t insist on precise figures” (109) but does believe there are two types of people in the world extraordinary and ordinary (109). He justifies the murder of Alyona by killing her it was “one death to a hundred lives” (80) and believing that he is extraordinary.
The numbers two, four, and eight are used in the novel represent Raskolnikov’s attempt to achieve redemption. In the novel when “Sonya produced two crucifixes” (623) he puts one around his neck. The shape of the number reflects powerlessness, as it has a bent knee and bowed head (Decoz). The number appears at the end of the novel when Raskolnikov wants to comply and look towards religion for redemption. He is bowing down accepting his sins to have a better future with Sonya. Raskolnikov’s choice to accept the crucifix from Sonya implies his willingness for redemption and starting his life anew. Raskolnikov is sentenced to eight years in Siberia, this number represents a new beginning or recreation (The Bible Study Site). Dostoyevsky’s choice of an eight year sentence is implying that after fulfilling the sentence Raskolnikov will become a new person by redeeming himself from his psychological downfall. In addition, the number eight represents balance (Decoz). The eight years, which Raskolnikov will spend in Siberia will help him balance his internal struggles. On page 390 the number four is given great importance. The number four symbolizes creation in the bible (The Bible Study Site). While being sick Sonya is telling the story of Martha, Jesus’ sister who had been discovered four days after she died (390). Sonya telling Raskolnikov this story is significant because on the inside he feels as though he is empty, dead but because Sonya “stressed the word ‘four’”(390) it relates to the fact that she believes Raskolnikov can improve his psychological state and redeem himself. The stressing of the number four also represents Sonya’s wish for Raskolnikov to become normal. The number four consists of three straight lines, these lines represents a disciplined and loyal (Decoz) person which Sonya wishes Raskolnikov to become.
In part two chapter four Dostoyevsky briefly mentions Raskolnikov’s age to be “twenty-two” (167). Dostoyevsky’s choice to make his protagonist twenty two is representative of disorganization as in the bible the number twenty two describes disorganization (The Bible Study Site). Raskolnikov’s brain is disorganized at this age, he does not know what he is doing he has killed many innocent people and has even gotten arrested. He himself does not know how to organize his life. As previously mentioned the number two represents someone on their knees and bowing their heads. The two figures in his age represent the lack of power which Raskolnikov possesses. Another age which Raskolnikov is associated with is thirty two (648) which is when he can “resume his life again” (648). The number thirty two is a symbol of justice and totality of men (The Bible Study Site). Although Raskolnikov committed many crimes, he will receive justice with himself after finishing his eight years sentence in Siberia. Also, the number three which represents somewhat of a balance much like the number eight being in front of the number two also symbolizes how Raskolnikov has started gaining some power within himself which is why he can resume his life.
Sonya’s age is of importance too. Sonia is eighteen years old (283), and the number eighteen in the bible represents bondage (The Bible Study Site). Sonia is bonded to Raskolnikov, she has put the duty onto herself to help Raskolnikov escape his own mind and wants to lead him down the path of religion. Dostoyevsky’s choice to make her eighteen shows the important Christianity played in his life, as an author he believes that the only way Raskolnikov could escape his punishment is though God. Sonia helps Raskolnikov became more religious by offering him crosses in Siberia. Becoming bonded to Sonya will help Raskolnikov recover from the mental downfall he experienced, by the ending of the novel Raskolnikov seems more open for a chance at a new life which can be greatly thanks to Sonya’s love. The number eight in her age represents the balance which she has in her life, which helps her bring balance to Raskolnikov’s life.
The financial status of Raskolnikov has also been given a number in Crime and Punishment. As Raskolnikov reads that his mother, Pulkheria Aleksandrovna’s pension is one hundred and twenty roubles (38). In the bible, this number represents a period of waiting (The Bible Study Site), it also relates to the idea of captivity. Which we can interpret as the captivity of Pulcheria and Dunya, Raskolnikov’s sister. The one hundred twenty rouble pension symbolizes the captivity the two women are facing back home. Indirectly this affects Raskolnikov’s mental state. His mother’s low pension is the reason why Dunya is forced to make Luzhin, by which Raskolnikov is angered by. Before reading his mother’s letter Raskolnikov trapped himself in “a tiny little cell’ (35) which he calls his room but after finishing it he decides to break free to his mental barrier and “went out, this time without fear of running into anyone on the stairs” (49), which makes the number one hundred twenty relate to Raskolnikov’s self-imprisonment. His mother’s pension also represents the helplessness that the whole family is facing. Raskolnikov’s mother and sister face a financial crisis due to their low financial status which is why they have to resort to getting Dunya married. While Raskolnikov is alone is St. Petersburg with no one to turn to other than himself. He is scared to go outside after committing his crime, afraid to receive punishment. Dostoyevsky's use of precise numbers in Crime and Punishment correlate with the psychological state of Raskolnikov throughout the novel.
He uses the age of characters to depict their current mental state and relationship with each other with the example of Raskolnikov and Sonya. The many numerical details in the novel display the obsessive psychological state of Raskolnikov and its changes over time. While Pulkheria’s pension money depicts the captivity which Raskolnikov’s family has to bear with. At the end Raskolnikov accepts the crucifix from Sonya representing his willingness to start fresh after his eight years in
Siberia.