Why did Raskolnikov commit a crime? The causes of the crime Raskolnikov

According to many critics, Dostoevsky is a master of the description of "sick souls". One of the most interesting heroes of the writer is Rodion Raskolnikov. "Crime and Punishment" is a novel whose character he has become, full of conflicting feelings, human torment and eternal search for oneself.

Philosophy of the hero of the work of Dostoevsky

What crime did Raskolnikov commit? In the course of the story, the protagonist becomes more and more embittered because of his powerlessness to help people close to him. Depressed by his poverty, he decides to kill an old woman-interest woman who benefits from the plight of people. The reasons that prompted Raskolnikov to commit a crime lie not only in his poverty and helplessness. The protagonist desires revenge for all the disadvantaged and desecrated, for the suffering and humiliation of Marmeladova, for every person who has been brought to the brink of moral torment and poverty. Passionately believing in his theory, Rodion is outraged by the philosophy of a successful entrepreneur Luzhin, who aspired to marry Raskolnikov's sister. Luzhin stands on the side of "reasonable egoism." Petr Petrovich believes that, first of all, everyone needs to take care of themselves and their own well-being. And the more rich people become in society, the more society will become richer. According to Luzhin's philosophy, one should take care of oneself only without thinking about others. Talking about why Raskolnikov committed a crime, it should be said that Rodion, unlike Peter, "cared" about all people, striving for the world's good. And in this case, he considered the murder he committed as a way to confirm his theory.

The meaning of the murder of usurer

Analyzing why Raskolnikov committed a crime, it should be said that he is not an ordinary criminal. The murder of the interest-bearer he does under the influence of his own philosophy. That is, hunger and poverty are not the main causes of Raskolnikov's crime. After the murder, he himself confirms this conclusion in his own words, saying that if he had slaughtered only because of a feeling of hunger, he would have been happy about it. However, the main character reflects on the causes of the existing injustice and inequality. He comes to the conclusion that there is a sharp enough difference between the two categories of people. And while some obediently and silently obey everything that life presents them to them, others - a few - "extraordinary" - are the true engine of human history. The latter, at the same time, may boldly and freely break the moral principles, generally accepted norms, without stopping before the law, to show humanity another way. Contemporaries hate such people, but descendants are mistaken for heroes. Raskolnikov very carefully considered this whole idea and even outlined his idea a year before the murder in a newspaper article.

Crime as a challenge to society

Talking about why Raskolnikov committed a crime, it should be noted his constant desire to oppose himself to "ordinary" people, whom, in his opinion, the majority in society. Through his actions, Rodion challenges the conditions in which the human personality is suppressed and social inequality is clearly felt . But with this, after the atrocity, the hero realizes that his philosophy only contributes to the strengthening of inhumanity. His protest is contradictory - speaking out against inequality and subordination, Raskolnikov in his idea suggests, again, the right of some people to dictate their will to others. And again here it turns out that the majority becomes a "passive object". It is this contradiction that constitutes the tragic mistake that underlies the hero's behavior. In the course of the development of events, the character is convinced on his own experience that his revolt, directed against inhumanity, is of a very inhuman character, leading to the moral death of the individual.

The relationship of the hero to life after the atrocity

Raskolnikov manages to commit a crime. But murder leads to a result different from that which he expected. Arguing about why Raskolnikov committed a crime, we should remember that he was led primarily by the desire to realize his idea. But the morality of the "unusual" people for Rodion was incomprehensible. And after the murder of the interest-bearer, the main character begins to see true morality and beauty not in those who stand above, but in people like Sonechka Marmeladova, who are capable of maintaining morality in intolerable conditions. Such people, bearing humiliation and hunger, still leave in themselves the faith in life and love.

The causes of the crime Raskolnikov

First, Rodion is calm about the murder that he succeeded in. He believed that he acts in the only true way. The hero is confident of his exclusiveness and originality. He believes that there is nothing "like that" in the murder of usury. After all, in his opinion, he managed to destroy only one "louse of all, the most useless". But gradually, analyzing his actions, he gives various explanations. For example, he says that he "wanted to become Napoleon", was embittered, insane, sought to help his mother, longed to establish his own personality, rebelled against everything and everyone. As a result, the hero suffers remorse. He understands that he violated the moral law. Raskolnikov sees the cause of evil in human nature itself. At the same time, the law, which allows "strong peace" to commit inhuman acts, considers eternal.

Conclusion

Dostoevsky himself spoke out against violence. With his work the author argues with the revolutionaries, who are inclined towards the only way to achieve happiness for the Russian people, a violation of moral principles. The main character seems that he is responsible for his actions only to himself, and the court of others is indifferent to him. In the course of the narrative, the author brings the character to an understanding of the most important truths. They are that pride is evil, the laws of life should not be subordinated to the idea of one person, but people should not be judged and, moreover, one must not take life from them.