The image of Svidrigailov in the novel "Crime and Punishment"

Consider the image of Arkady Ivanovich Svidrigailov. This hero is one of the main characters of the psychological novel "Crime and Punishment" by FM Dostoyevsky (the author's portrait is presented in the article). Fedor Mikhailovich published this work in 1866. It was printed in the journal Russky Vestnik. And this work was created in the period from 1865 to 1866.

The image of Luzhin and Svidrigailov unites the fact that both these heroes are Raskolnikov's moral counterparts. Arkady Ivanovich personifies the decline of personality and spiritual degradation, to which the realization of the philosophy of Rodion, his view of the world, leads.

External characteristic of Svidrigailov

Considering the image of Svidrigailov, let us first describe its external features. In the work of Arkady Ivanovich already more than 50 years, but he looks much younger than his years. This broad-shouldered man of average height, who dressed dandily and looked like a "sanguine master." Arkady has a fresh, pleasant face, his beard and hair are still very thick, and his blue eyes look with a stern, cold gaze. However, after some time Raskolnikov found something terrible and unpleasant in this seemingly pretty face. Svidrigailov - a nobleman with connections, who is used to set a goal and by any means to achieve it. This is the image of Svidrigailov at the first acquaintance with this hero. However, it is actually much more complicated, as you will be sure, after reading this article to the end.

The Inner World of Arkady Ivanovich

Continuing to describe the image of Svidrigailov, let us turn to his inner world. A lot of gossip surrounds this hero, one is worse than another. In the death of his wife Marfa accuses his society. His wife, he allegedly poisoned, and also tortured and, ultimately, brought to suicide Philip, his servant, beat the girl.

The danger that comes from this person is felt by Dunya, the sister of Rodion, in which this nobleman is in love. Svidrigailov speaks about himself, that he is a person deprived of norms and principles, who acts according to his will and his own will. He does not build exculpatory theories to hide his actions, like Luzhin. Arkady Ivanovich directly says that he is a "dissolute and idle" person.

Comparative characteristics of the two heroes - Svidrigailov and Raskolnikov

The image of Svidrigailov, briefly described above, is largely explained by his comparison with Rodion Raskolnikov. Thanks to his abilities, experience, money, Arkady Ivanovich already has what Rodion can dream of - "independence from people and absolute freedom." This hero could have long ago stepped over murder, debauchery, deception. Raskolnikov could have envied the cold prudence and self-control of Svidrigailov during the crime, since Arkady Ivanovich never makes foolish mistakes, he does not give in to sentimentality. And the student suffers from all this. Rodion suffers in the soul, collects all his moral strengths in order to silence the conscience. Arkady Ivanovich for a long time already did not feel even hints of guilt and guilt. He is not worried about past sins, as well as the dirty deeds he committed recently. All this complements his image. Svidrigailov Arkady Ivanovich has got used to live various crimes, to enjoy own meanness.

Arkady Ivanovich has crossed the moral limits for a long time, the abyss of the spiritual fall of this hero is truly great. Its only life principle is to rip mercilessly "flowers of pleasure," and then throw them "into a roadside ditch." Arkady is the first to notice that he has much in common with Rodion. However, there is one important difference - Svidrigailov borders between sin and morality erased, and Rodion - no. The student is panic-stricken by the fact that evil and good are the same. And for Svidrigailov this is the life truth.

Positive aspects of Svidrigailov

While depicting his immoral image, Dostoevsky at the same time attaches great importance to his good deeds. Their Svidrigailov commits even more than all the positive characters combined. After all, Arkady provided the future not only to his children, but also to the orphans of Marmalade. He yearns to arrange the fate of Sonya, to get her out of this "whirlpool". Svidrigailov offers Raskolnikov money in order that he fled to America. He also promises to pay off the debts of Katerina Ivanovna. The bright side of this hero in relations with Dunya also prevails. After Arkady Ivanovich, after the girl had firmly refused him, no longer sought her with her, did not harm Sonya. The "broad" nature of Svidrigailov is endowed with a strange ability to be noble and vile at the same time. In his soul there is no clear boundary between evil and good.

The tragic duality of the inner world of Arkady Ivanovich

Arkady Ivanovich's life position is explained in the work, to some extent, by the tragic bifurcation of his personality. He, as well as Rodion, perceives the painful imperfection of this world, its order, based on injustice and falsehood. But Svidrigailov's revolt, on the other hand, has no positive charge.

He does good deeds only "out of boredom", since he does not require any infringements in his desires, nor sufferings, material assistance to people. Only to emptiness, and not to self-realization, the hero brings his theory of "strong personality".

Aversion to life and suicide

Arkady Ivanovich, despite the complete absence of moral principles in him, feels disgust for life. This hero wants to escape from this, he risks, kills, then sits in prison, then agrees to escape to America or fly in a balloon. However, the weight of existence, meaningless, presses on the shoulders, oppresses. It is everywhere plagued by vulgarity, "a bath with spiders" scary eternity. It is not surprising, therefore, that Svidrigailov, jaded with life, decides to commit suicide. His soul is almost dead, so a shot from the revolver was logical.

What does the fate of Svidrigailov teach?

An important role in the work is played by Svidrigailov's image. "Crime and Punishment" is a novel that teaches us that permissiveness, absolute freedom does not lead to emancipation, as Rodion secretly hoped, but, on the contrary, to the devastation, the sense of narrowing of the living space. A warning to Raskolnikov is the fate of Arkady Ivanovich. The characteristic of Svidrigailov's image shows that the path chosen by him is false. It leads only to spiritual emptiness. The fate of this hero teaches a negative example of the truth that Sonya adheres to: one must accept Christ and be purified in order to become truly free.