Analysing the Topic of Guilt and Mistakes in 'Crime and Punishment'

Attempting to avoid punishment is futile. Whether in the form of physical punishment or through guilt, every person will eventually come to face the consequences of their actions. Avoiding suffering only causes guilt to intensify. Throughout Crime and Punishment, a central question can be drawn, ”How much more can I take?” This question is constantly being asked by the characters of themselves. They run from their mistakes while their guilt grows more and more burdensome. This is mainly demonstrated through Svidrigailov and Raskolnikov in Crime and Punishment. Both men had been eluding their various torments when they realize that they cannot take it anymore and come to accept their judgement to relieve themselves from their haunting guilt. 

Raskolnikov’s inability to hide his guilt shows through in many instances. When trying to argue for his innocence against Porfiry he gives weak and immature responses. His guilt consumes him and “he ran out of breath, nearly choking” as the conversation became more intense. This is showing the connection made between suffering and air. Raskolnikov suffers when avoiding consequences by lack of air. He gasps and mutters words. This demonstration reveals how Raskolnikov’s inner guilt manifests into physical problems. His refusal of this opportunity to take his punishment clearly demonstrates how Raskolnikov runs from his problems.

Another occurrence of Raskolnikov attempting to avoid what he has done is seen when he is battling with his conscience over the murder he committed. He contemplates on whether he wants to assassinate his old land lady, Alyona Ivanovna, because he believes she was the cause for his debt. He finally slaughters her, and ends up killing her sister when she walked in on the murder. Afterwards, the crime he committed began to weigh on his conscience. Raskolnikov exclaims, “I didn’t kill a human being, but a principle!”. He is trying to put away his guilt through rationalization. This line of thought can be seen in his article he wrote as well. In the article he explains that ordinary men cannot murder, but extraordinary men can be pardoned by law to murder.

Another instance of Raskolnikov avoiding his mistakes can be seen in his conversation with Porifry. Preceding his last conversation with Porfiry, Raskolnikov seems to be lost and disoriented. Terrified of accepting his consequences, he doesn't know what to do.Accepting his consequence seems too difficult while his guilt seems too burdensome to bear. Svidrigailov offers him key advice claiming, “All human beings need air, air, air. That above all else”. Porfiry later echoes this statement. This advice clearly and effectively establishes the link between suffering and air. Svidrigailov is telling Raskolnikov that he needs more air and to breathe, but not in the physical sense. What Raskolnikov needs is to accept his suffering and since air and suffering are correlated, Raskolnikov will finally get the air he wants if he accepts his consequences. What he needs “is to live and to be in a clearly defined situation with its own clearly defined air”. This advice is handed down from Svidrigailov. He is saying that Raskolnikov must receive a clear and direct form of punishment for his crime in order to breathe, live fully, and have the air he so desperately needs. His mental adversity is not sufficient to sharpen his character.

Accepting suffering is an intense journey for a person to go through. Svidrigailov feels he cannot bear his burdensome guilt any longer. His guilt overwhelms him to the point that he has nothing to live for. Going to a hotel for his final night rather than his lodgings displays his desire to leave his old life behind. His “stuffy and narrow” hotel room is another representation of the lack of air and the feeling of constraint that comes with guilt. He feels is space is “airless”, much like his final day before his punishment. After some reflection Svidrigailov realizes that he cannot live with what he has done and the only way for him to end his suffering from his guilt is through killing himself. His final words before he puts a bullet in his head are “I said I was going to America. These final words give a bit of insight to his character and his views. “America” is used here as a representation of freedom. He is saying that through death, he is finally freed from his burdensome guilt and is able to relax knowing he has received his just punishment. Raskolnikov is becoming overwhelmed by his grief as well. He cannot bring himself to commit suicide because ,“he’s far too fond of life”. Although he says that he wants to “end it all”, he has no real intention of killing himself. Death appears better than his regular life as he still he suffers from “the notion that while he was able to construct a theory, he wasn’t able to do the stepping across without reflection, and so consequently is not a man of genius”. He follows in Svidrigailov’s footsteps and tells his mother he “is going to make a journey” as well. This journey however does not involve killing himself. He intends on going to the police he once feared and confessing his crime. Although he begins to feel the same constraint and lack of air he is finally able to recount the details in entirety of the gruesome murder he commited and his self-inflicted suffering ends with normal punishment by law. Coming to terms with past mistakes and accepting their consequences is an agonizing process for these people. 

Overall, claiming responsibility for their former mistakes can seem insane or impossible to come to especially for prideful people like Svidrigailov and Raskolnikov. In the end, the decision to choose to accept their just consequences becomes necessary if they want peace and separation from their haunting guilt. Raskolnikov and Svidrigailov eventually realize that their time has come to accept the consequences of their actions and receive their fateful judgement.