I have a soft spot for classic literature. Even so I felt nervous before tackling “Crime and Punishment”. Its reputation preceded it. Thankfully, it isn’t as difficult a read as I expected. The only trouble I had, as I have had with other Russian novels, is the quantity and variety of names each character possesses. In Russian society, at the time it was written, and maybe it is still true, depending on your relationship with another the name they use with you will vary. So characters in this novel have two or three different names, used regularly throughout the text and it was difficult to follow. I’ve had complaints that in Starblood my two main characters have two names each Star/Sarah and Satori/Steve. I can only say that if you found that confusing you had better keep a spreadsheet handy when reading this one.
“Crime and Punishment” is the story of Raskolnikov, also known as Rodion Romanovich and Rodya, and is told in the third person by an omnipotent narrator. At the start Raskolnikov is an impoverished ex student who is troubled by lack of food, decent lodgings and the fear that his sister is selling herself into marriage to improve his lot. This theme of women selling themselves for the sake of their families weaves itself through the narrative. He has dealings with an elderly woman who he uses as a pawn broker and who, he decides, doesn’t deserve to live. He decides this coldly and intellectually and yet even before he commits the crime the idea begins to warp his psyche. One life to save his family from ruin, well it becomes two lives and no one is saved by it, but for some reason the second is ignored in all his guilty suffering after the crime.
The story follows Raskolnikov’s emotional collapse and psychological disorder. He is plagued with paranoia and fear of discovery. Everyone around him becomes a potential threat and by the time a man eventually confronts him with belief of his culpability Raskolnikov has already suffered one thousand accusations in his own mind. The net closes but very slowly. His class seems to protect him more than he deserves. He pushes everyone away and yet feels constantly surrounded, hounded even.
It’s an intense and claustrophobic read. It doesn’t move forward as much as spiral inwards. The characters are left sketchily drawn as Raskolnikov avoids them when possible and we rarely get to see below their surfaces. Raskolnikov's own journey is not one of growth. If you are expecting a character arc you will be disappointed, but what you get instead is powerful in its own right.
I can’t say I love it. Certainly not in the way I loved Tolstoy. But it is obviously accomplished and it has taught me one thing that I plan to carry on to my future novels. That a closely followed main character is stronger than a group of characters who share the action.
Is it worth the hype? I thought so.
Is it a difficult read? Only in the confusing name switching.
Does it tell us anything about life in pre-revolutionary Russia? Possibly more than we are comfortable witnessing. The grime and poverty and personal sacrifices are harrowing. Madness is everywhere, but it is the madness that desperation brings.