DostoyevskyDostoyevskyLiterary Devices- Literary Devices- Crime and PunishmentCrime and Punishment and and

The IdiotThe Idiot

Ben HornerBen Horner

Tone – Crime and PunishmentTone – Crime and Punishment

Book often shifts tone: Book often shifts tone: frantic and confusing frantic and confusing

(prior to and directly after (prior to and directly after murders)murders)

Intimate (during Intimate (during Raskolnikov’s Raskolnikov’s conversations with his conversations with his mothermother

Hopeful (Raskolnikovs Hopeful (Raskolnikovs confession and rebirth) confession and rebirth)

Tone - Tone - The IdiotThe Idiot

Straight-forwardStraight-forward Hopeful, with some Hopeful, with some

pessimistic views-pessimistic views-people can be people can be inherently evilinherently evil

Shows eventual failureShows eventual failure

Imagery- Crime and PunishmentImagery- Crime and Punishment

The Neva serves to reflect Raskolnikovs life: The Neva serves to reflect Raskolnikovs life: he must cross it to find freedomhe must cross it to find freedom it is calm-as his life may one day be it is calm-as his life may one day be Raskolnikov often relies on water to cleanse him Raskolnikov often relies on water to cleanse him

and as he falls further into delirium the less effect and as he falls further into delirium the less effect the water hasthe water has

Stagnant water during Raskolnikov’s fourth dream Stagnant water during Raskolnikov’s fourth dream represents his inability to escape his insanityrepresents his inability to escape his insanity

Final delirium shows Raskolnikov sitting along Final delirium shows Raskolnikov sitting along the Neva- finally at peacethe Neva- finally at peace

Imagery-the IdiotImagery-the Idiot

Uses imagery to Uses imagery to describe characters:describe characters:

““their complexions their complexions generally appeared to generally appeared to have taken on the have taken on the colour of the fog colour of the fog outside.”, outside.”,

““grey, fiery eyes”grey, fiery eyes”

Voice – Crime and PunishmentVoice – Crime and Punishment Raskolnikov is primary Raskolnikov is primary

focalizer- focalizer- His point of view is adopted His point of view is adopted

by third person narrator by third person narrator Much of the book can be Much of the book can be

seen as Raskolnikov’s seen as Raskolnikov’s monologuemonologue

Dialogue also plays a key Dialogue also plays a key role in moving events along role in moving events along and revealing motivesand revealing motives

Dostoyevsky also gave the Dostoyevsky also gave the reader insight into reader insight into Raskolnikovs dreamsRaskolnikovs dreams

Voice - The IdiotVoice - The Idiot

Communicates much of the book through Communicates much of the book through conversationconversation

Lacks any major plot-narrator plays Lacks any major plot-narrator plays diminished role as a resultdiminished role as a result

Irony - Crime and PunishmentIrony - Crime and Punishment

Sonia is a prostitute but Sonia is a prostitute but also helps Raskolnikov also helps Raskolnikov find salvationfind salvation

Raskolnikov only finds Raskolnikov only finds freedom once he has been freedom once he has been sentencedsentenced

Raskolnikov thought he Raskolnikov thought he was making the world a was making the world a better place by killing better place by killing Alyona IvanovnaAlyona Ivanovna

Irony – The IdiotIrony – The Idiot

Only irony was found Only irony was found in fact that Prince in fact that Prince Myshkin, the only Myshkin, the only truly positive truly positive character, eventually character, eventually failsfails