Raskolnikov's Dreams

Eli Jackson
European Literature
4/23/12

Dreams are used In Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novel Crime and Punishment as a tool that adds depth and insight. In the novel, symbolism in the dreams is used to develop Raskolnikov’s character, and to establish recurring themes. The dreams also add a window into the subconscious of Raskolnikov, so that he might better be understood by the reader. Without the two most important dreams, Raskolnikov’s character would not have been nearly as well understood. The complex dreams greatly added to the novel and to the development of Raskolnikov as a character.

Raskolnikov’s first dream in the novel shows his split personality through two different characters. Mikolka is an aspect of Raskolnikov, and represents
his cruelty, while the child represents his goodness and innocence. Mikolka wants an old mare to pull a cart full of people, even though he knows she will not be able to. He starts beating her savagely to try to get her to move the cart and obviously doesn’t care a bit for the mare. He even says “I feel as if I could kill her. She’s just eating her head off (59).” Mikolka thinks that killing her isn’t a bad thing, and rationalizes it in the same way that Raskolnikov rationalizes the murder of Alyona Ivanovna. He doesn’t see the horse as a living creature, but just something that the world would be fine without. While Mikolka is beating this mare, an old man shouts at him “Are you a Christian, you devil? (60)” Raskolnikov’s fears about losing his faith and being a sinner are manifested through this old man. Throughout the rest of the novel, Raskolnikov finds it hard to face God, and to think of himself as a Christian. He feels that he has sinned too greatly and cannot be forgiven. This dream is where these fears of losing his faith are first established as a recurring theme. After Mikolka finally kills the mare, people in the crowd shout out “You butchered her... No mistake about it, you are not a Christian (61).” The people in the crowd could represent his conscience and his guilt over contemplating and planning a murder. Mikolka and the reactions of the crowd gives insight into different parts of Raskolnikov’s personality and thinking patterns.

In the same dream, Raskolnikov is a child again, walking with his father.
The young Raskolnikov represents his goodness and innocence. When Mikolka is beating the horse, the child cannot understand why. He asks his father “What are they doing? Father, they are beating the poor horse! (59)” The child in him sees that Mikolka’s reasons for beating the horse are silly and cruel. This part of Raskolnikov doesn’t understand the reasoning for the murder, and knows it is wrong. Even though the child knows this, he is only a child and is helpless to stop the grown men from beating the mare to death. After the mare dies, the child feels that Mikolka must be punished. The child “Jumped up and flew into a frenzy with his little fists out at Mikolka (61-62).” This part of Raskolnikov is seeking punishment for the murder, and foreshadows how Raskolnikov will punish himself through his guilt and paranoia. The good part of Raskolnikov knows that the murder is an injustice, but is too weak to stop it. Raskolnikov has an inner conflict, but his cruel side can easily overpower the child in him that calls for
justice.

Raskolnikov has a second dream after he has already killed Alyona Ivanovna and Lizaveta.
In this dream, he finds the old woman sitting under a cloak silently laughing. He tries to kill her again, but he cannot kill her because he can’t kill what she stood for. After first meeting the pawnbroker, he overheard a student saying “....She is wearing out the lives of others...(68). After hearing this conversation he thinks to himself that he “was just conceiving the very same idea (69).” To Raskolnikov, the pawn broker represents the poor being taken advantage of, and all that is bad in the world. He thinks that by killing her, he might also be able to help the poor and be extraordinary. He has already killed her body, but when he tried to kill her in his dream, its like he was hitting wood. After the first few blows, he tries to peep under the cloak that the old woman is covered up with. He sees “the old woman was sitting and laughing, shaking with noiseless laughter (277-278).” The old lady is laughing at his foolishness for thinking he might kill the ideal. As he starts bashing her in a frenzy, he hears whispers and runs out of the room. He is met with “rows of heads, all looking, but huddled together in silence and expectation (278).” These silent people could represent his paranoia at being caught, which would mean he isn’t extraordinary. Raskolnikov is absolutely terrified at the thought he might just be ordinary, and plain. This further develops his character as someone
who is proud and a little vain.

Dostoevsky uses dreams extremely well to develop Raskolnikov’s character and give better understanding to what Raskolnikov is feeling. Raskolnikov is someone who is at conflict with himself, and has different personalities that come out in his dreams. The first two dreams that Raskolnikov has are arguably the most important for the development of his character and recurring themes. Dreams are important, sometimes confusing, windows into the subconscious of people. Dreams sometimes express the innermost secret feelings and emotions of people. Not only can they be a powerful tool in character development, but they can also help people figure out certain things for themselves.