Svidrigailov Dreams
Dreaming Becomes a Little More Important
In the novel Crime and Punishment Dostoevsky uses the dreams of Svidrigailov to be as important to the storyline as the dreams of Raskolnikov.
In Crime and Punishment many of the minor characters also have major dream symbolism throughout the novel as compared to Raskolnikov’s dreams. For example, in Part 6 chapter 6-8, Svidrigailov kidnapping Dunya and her pulling out a revolver and then attempting to shoot him twice. The reader then finds out that because of this attempted murder he then understands that his love for her will not be the same as her feelings towards him.The reader has then learned that in the following chapters Svidrigailov has become depressed and starts having dreams that night. One of Svidrigailov dreams is about a girl he has found and starts taking care of her. In the dream Svidrigailov looks at the girl and states “…there was something infinitely monstrous and outrageous in that laughter, in those eyes, in all this fifth in the countenance of a child. ‘What? A five-year-old?’ Svidrigailov whispered in genuine horror. ‘What … what on this earth is this?’ But there she was , turning her scarlet-burning gaze full on him now, stretching her arms …show more content…
out... ‘Hah! Cursed one!’Svidrigailov exclaimed in horror, raising his hands above her... But at this very moment he woke up”(607).
The reader has seen that he has more of a sensitive and caring side to him then before when the reader sees the way he reacts when he attacks Dunya.
But then at the end of this dream when the child is mocking him he builds back his fortress of anger and goes back to being a child abuser. Since Svidrigailov is introduced to us at the middle of the novel and being known as the employer of Dunya, the readers don’t take that much consideration of him but then while the storyline progresses we start seeing the more desperate side of Svidrigailov and start seeing that like Raskolnikov, he too can be identified as needing attention. In this dream he symbolizes his need for the warmth of a loving human and then this later triggers for his need of committing
suicide.
In Crime and Punishment many of the minor characters also have major dream symbolism throughout the novel as compared to Raskolnikov’s dreams. Svidrigailov’s dream is foreshadowing his death and it also helped him decide to early release Sonya for his keeping. Then this leads to the reader figuring out that Svidrigailov has a darker conscious within him that is then represented in his dream with willing to abuse the child.
In the novel Crime and Punishment Dostoevsky uses the dreams of Svidrigailov to be as important to the storyline as the dreams of Raskolnikov.
In Crime and Punishment many of the minor characters also have major dream symbolism throughout the novel as compared to Raskolnikov’s dreams. For example, in Part 6 chapter 6-8, Svidrigailov kidnapping Dunya and her pulling out a revolver and then attempting to shoot him twice. The reader then finds out that because of this attempted murder he then understands that his love for her will not be the same as her feelings towards him.The reader has then learned that in the following chapters Svidrigailov has become depressed and starts having dreams that night. One of Svidrigailov dreams is about a girl he has found and starts taking care of her. In the dream Svidrigailov looks at the girl and states “…there was something infinitely monstrous and outrageous in that laughter, in those eyes, in all this fifth in the countenance of a child. ‘What? A five-year-old?’ Svidrigailov whispered in genuine horror. ‘What … what on this earth is this?’ But there she was , turning her scarlet-burning gaze full on him now, stretching her arms …show more content…
out... ‘Hah! Cursed one!’Svidrigailov exclaimed in horror, raising his hands above her... But at this very moment he woke up”(607).
The reader has seen that he has more of a sensitive and caring side to him then before when the reader sees the way he reacts when he attacks Dunya.
But then at the end of this dream when the child is mocking him he builds back his fortress of anger and goes back to being a child abuser. Since Svidrigailov is introduced to us at the middle of the novel and being known as the employer of Dunya, the readers don’t take that much consideration of him but then while the storyline progresses we start seeing the more desperate side of Svidrigailov and start seeing that like Raskolnikov, he too can be identified as needing attention. In this dream he symbolizes his need for the warmth of a loving human and then this later triggers for his need of committing
suicide.
In Crime and Punishment many of the minor characters also have major dream symbolism throughout the novel as compared to Raskolnikov’s dreams. Svidrigailov’s dream is foreshadowing his death and it also helped him decide to early release Sonya for his keeping. Then this leads to the reader figuring out that Svidrigailov has a darker conscious within him that is then represented in his dream with willing to abuse the child.