One of the most influential novels of the nineteenth century, Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment tells the tragic story of Raskolnikov—a talented former student whose warped philosophical outlook drives him to commit murder. Surprised by his sense of guilt and terrified of the consequences of his actions, Raskolnikov wanders through the slums of pre-revolutionary St. Petersburg trying to escape the ever-suspicious Porfiry, the official investigating the crime. Through the moral guidance of Sonia, a destitute but pious woman driven to prostitution to support her family, Raskolnikov works through his conflicted sense of what is both moral and just, enabling him to face the depravity of his actions. Imbued with suspense, intrigue, and a dark pathos, Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novel remains a deeply compelling consideration of the human psyche.
