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While reading Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky, religious redemption is found within the narrative. This begins when Raskolnikov begins to consider himself superior like a god. He then commits murder because he believes he is not judged by anyone except only by himself. Afterwards, Raskolnikov’s then begins to make decisions, like a god would. He determines who shall live and who shall die. Raskolnikov then thinks he is exceptional; for he went beyond the limits of man and committed a deed, that is to him, exceptional, because it exceeds what normal men would be able to accomplish, without the punishment. This theory of him being exceptional, stimulates his acts against the law because he thinks its okay for him to do so.

Regardless of how Raskolnikov see’s himself, he grows with shame and guilt for the crime he commits and begins to lose his ability to confide in his own theory or also known as the Ubermensch theory. Raskolnikov’s opposite personalities are shown in the book by two different characters; One of the characters, Sonya Marmeladova represents the peaceful, compassionate and tolerant side of him. The other side of Raskolnikov is shown through Svidrigailov, who shows the cruel, inhuman and callous persona. As Raskolnikov goes beyond the limits of personas through the entire novel, both characters try to grapple his recognition which is the cause for his culpability.

Through the duration of the book, Raskolnikov tries to hide his issue between evil and good by passing in between characters. He begins to hate his “exceptional man theory” the more he communicates with Svidrigailov because Raskolnikov does not like how Svidrigailov relates to the Ubermensch and the traits that tend to correlate with this the...

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...der, if religion affected Raskolnikov.
Nihilism is the rejection of all religious and moral principles.

Nihilism influences in Russia were very present at the construction of this novel and is illustrated through Raskolnokiv’s extermination of the pawnbroker, well and his character for the most part. "My life hasn't died with the old crone! May the Lord remember her in His kingdom… Enough! Now is the kingdom of light and reason… Now we shall cross swords!" (Dostoevsky 188). Raskolnikov silences God throughout the novel with science, or better known as reasoning. Reasoning is his weapon that ends up only hurting himself because he overwhelmed with guilt. Self destructive fits Raskolnikov very well because he cannot permanently hide his moral conscious which leads to his confession, psychological instability, and the murder of his extraordinary versus ordinary idea.

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