The use of doubles is prevalent in the writing of Fyodor Dostoyevsky. He uses this device to force comparison and discernment between characters and modes of behavior. In Crime and Punishment, the character Svidrigaylov serves as a dark double to Raskolnikov. While both are tainted by the sin of their crimes, the latter finds redemption, while the former find only despair and suicide. This pair of criminals closely parallels another famous set of doubles: the apostles Peter and Judas. Although each member of these two pairs commits the same crime as his double, only one finds redemption. Dostoyevsky's text and the gospel accounts indicate that humility and self-effacement are the key elements of salvation.
The first pair for this discussion is Peter and Judas, about whom is written have the least information and who are therefore the easier pair to analyze. First, it is important to note that the gospels were written by authors sympathetic to Peter and not to Judas, so Judas should be given the benefit of the doubt in some cases. Peter and Judas were both given positions of authority among the apostles. Peter was called to be the spokesman and Judas carried the purse. Judas chose to betray Jesus. We are unsure what his reason was, although Luke tells us that "Satan entered into Judas." 1 Judas may have been acting out of self-preservation if he suspected that the end was near for Jesus anyway. Quite possibly, Judas agreed with Caiaphas and felt that it was better "that one man should die for all the people." 2 It is ironic, and a good example of Johannine humor, how right Caiaphas was ? one man died, Christ "by whom we are set free." 3 Judas received 30 silver coins from the chief priests in payment for his ...
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Works Cited
Dostoevsky, Fyodor. Crime and Punishment. New York: W W Norton and Company, 1989.
The Holy Bible, Authorized King James Version 1611, The World Publishing Co., Cleveland.
Notes:
1. Luke 22:3
2. John 18:14
3. Colossians 1:14
4. Mark 14:21
5. Matthew 26:25
6. Matthew 27:3-5
7. Hebrews 7:26
8. Hebrews 7:27
9. Hebrews 7:28
10. Luke 22:31-32
11. Luke 22:33
12. Matthew 26:38
13. Matthew 26:41
14. Mark 14:71
15. Luke 22:61-62
16. John 21:7
17. John 21:15-17
18. Romans 5:12
19. Romans 5:18
20. Crime and Punishment p. 238
21. ibid. 238
22. ibid. 237
23. Philippians 2:8
24. Philippians 2:9
25. Luke 24:26
26. Crime and Punishment p.432
27. Crime and Punishment p. 348
28. ibid. 348
29. ibid. 354
Jared Diamond author of “The Ends of the World as We Know Them” highlights the reasons for the disappearance of early civilizations. Civilizations like the Mayans, Incas and Aztecs once inhabited the earth for hundreds of years, However; when these advanced civilizations reached the pinnacle of their capability, they faced tragedies such as war, unusual weather, environmental deprivation, terminated trade markets and unscrupulous leaders who contributed to the destruction of their civilization. One significant idea portrayed from Diamond’s article is that there are many factors that threaten American civilization.
Often times in literature, we are presented with quintessential characters that are all placed into the conventional categories of either good or bad. In these pieces, we are usually able to differentiate the characters and discover their true intentions from reading only a few chapters. However, in some remarkable pieces of work, authors create characters that are so realistic and so complex that we are unable to distinguish them as purely good or evil. In the novel Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoevsky develops the morally ambiguous characters of Raskolnikov and Svidrigailov to provide us with an interesting read and to give us a chance to evaluate each character.
... himself in the service of others. Though Raskolnikov initially holds the belief that he is a higher being among others, his sense of regret and internal conflict after the murder shows otherwise. If Raskolnikov truly embodied the ubermensch as he envisioned himself to, he would show no sign of sorrow for bringing “happiness” to the rest of society, as well as providing justice for all the people Alyona Ivanovna has scammed. In Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov’s sense of emotional and physiological regret works against him, and helps portray to readers his false sense of justice and self image. By using murder as a key event, Dostoevsky gives readers an opportunity to understand the protagonists’ logic and justification for killing, how the character would react in such extreme situations, and how those reactions reflect his view toward society and his own beliefs.
Mankind is plagued by pride. Humans constantly compare themselves to one another and adjust their pride according to their observation of themselves in the world around them. Those who believe in an afterlife often incorporate their view of themselves and their morality into their perception of how they will be judged in the afterlife. Fyodor Dostoevsky and Flannery O’Connor, as writers and believers in the Christian religion, portray two characters that envision how they will be judged on judgment day. In “Dostoevskian Vision in Flannery O’Connor’s ‘Revelation,’” Norman McMillan effectively argues that O’Connor’s “Revelation” and the chapter about Marmeladov’s vision in Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment share striking similarities in their themes and the experiences of their characters.
Who is Judas? Judas is known for many things. Although, Judas is best known for betraying Jesus. This is the main act that Judas is connected with. The Bible does not really touch on the history of Judas. Judas’ background is not well known to many and those who do have an idea of his background gained from interpreting.
In Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, Raskalnikov undergoes a period of extreme psychological upheaval. By comparing this death and rebirth of Raskalnikov's psyche to the story of the resurrection of Lazarus, Dostoevsky emphasizes not only the gravity of his crimes, but also the importance of acceptance of guilt.
In Crime and Punishment, Dostoevsky gives the reader an inside look to the value system that he holds for himself, as well as the type of characteristics that he abhors in people as well as the characteristics that he admires in people. He uses characters in the novel to express his beliefs of what a person should be like in life to be a “good'; person. Specifically he uses Raskolnokv to show both good and bad characteristics that he likes in people. Also he uses Svidriglaiov and Luzin to demonstrate the characteristics that people should shun and his personal dislikes in people.
The animals in the book “Animal Farm” hoped to achieve unity, equality. trust/truth, prosperity, better quality of life, freedom and individuality, in terms of the revolution. This was achieved at the beginning of the revolution, which made it a success, but in the end the revolution was a failure.
God is always watching. This is what the first couple of scenes in Woody Allen’s movie Crimes and Misdemeanors would seem to imply but as the movie continues its message about god and a just universe flips back and forth as events go unpunished or the good go unrewarded. God and who god is are the main themes of this movie and as the movie progresses each character shapes his beliefs of god on what happens as they live their life. A main character, Judah, an ophthalmologist
To fully understand this poem, the reader would find it helpful to know what led Coleridge to write it. Coleridge grew up with English essayist Charles Lamb in school and the two were close friends (Merriman.) In their later years, however, the two rarely saw each other as Coleridge lived in the country side and Lamb lived in the city, where he cared for his mentally ill sister (Merriman.) On one of the rare days Lamb went to visit him, Coleridge planed to go on a walk through the scenic area surrounding his house with Lamb and some other friends, but before they left, Coleridge’s wife accidentally dropped boiling milk on his foot and he was unable to participate in the walk (Benzon.) While the others gallivanted across the countryside, Coleridge sat in his garden and wrote this poem.
In Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov's initial crime, failure, and acceptance of mistakes are his road to overcoming his ego, as well as self discovery.
Dostoevsky’s novels, Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov Raskolnikov and Dmitri undergo mental agony that can be seen as a means of redemption, but without faith, they wouldn’t have been able to find that redemption. Both Raskolnikov and Dmitri lives changed after a murder, whether they committed it or not. Their lives took a turn for the worst as though they were having a bad dream that they couldn’t wake
By the end of Dostoyesky’s Crime and Punishment, the reader is no longer under the illusion of the possible existence of “extraordinary” men. For an open-minded reader, and even perhaps the closed-minded ones too, the book is a journey through Raskolnikov’s proposed theory on crime. It is a theory based on the ideas that had “been printed and read a thousand times”(313) by both Hegel and Nietzsche. Hegel, a German philosopher, influenced Dostoyesky with his utilitarian emphasis on the ends rather than the means whereby a superman existed as one that stood above the ordinary man, but worked for the benefit of all mankind. Nietsche’s more selfish philosophy focused on the rights to power which allowed one to act in a Hegelian manner. In committing his crime, Raskolnikov experienced the ultimate punishment as he realized that his existence was not that of the “extraordinary” man presented in his theory. In chapter five of part three in Crime and Punishment, this theory is outlined by its creator, Raskolnikov. Such an innovative theory would clearly have placed him in the “extraordinary” category, but when he fails to meet its standards, by submitting to the common law through his confession, the theory crumbles right before the reader’s eyes.
Although this definition can vaguely describe the overall fall of most civilizations, the actual details are more finite. One such event would be an environmental change. Archaeologists use this as a reason for the decline of civilizations often because it fits so well into any situation. A terrifying earthquake, a change in flow of a vital river, and a volcanic eruption are examples of what could have happened to abruptly end a civilization. Another reason might be over use of natural resources. As civilizations grew, the need for more resources increased. They could not grow enough food to support the growing population, and as a result trade networks fell apart, people began to starve, and large epidemics spread. Also many of these civilizations based everything on ideology. They believe that their rulers were gods on earth, so when these devastating things started happening, they lost faith in their ruler. Building temples, making statues of their kings, redistributing their goods, and the following of rulers all ceased. The accumulation of all these factors resulted in decline.
...ous allegory represents Christian ideals such as sin, forgiveness, and prayer. In addition, Coleridge’s use of language and form contribute to the message conveyed in the text. The form fluctuates throughout the text by use of different rhyme schemes, loose meter, and stanzas in length varying four to nine lines. The variety of form could be representative the array of interpretations of this text. Coleridge conveys profound religious meaning by using symbolic language with interpretive representations. Although his use of elevated language possibly narrowed the audience, that could have been his intentions due to the complexities of this philosophical poem. In the end, Coleridge’s depiction of the Mariner’s journey ultimately conveys the Christian ideal, which is to love and appreciate all creatures created by God, whether Albatross or snake.