Crime and Punishment
(Fyodor Dostoevsky)

Yellow

One of the novel’s central motifs, the color yellow reappears throughout the novel in a variety of places. It represents madness, sickliness, and other morbid conditions, and it shows up in the color of different characters’ features, the river, the furnishings and decor of various rooms, certain outdoor surroundings, and people’s clothing. In fact, its presence is so pervasive and disproportionate to the mention of any other color that it suggests a widespread cultural madness that has seized much of the society and thinking of that time. The term “yellow house” is a Russian expression for “insane asylum.”

Forgiveness Versus Judgment

The theme of spirituality versus materialism is one of the larger themes that runs throughout the novel and is related to the changing times in Russia, in which a more self-oriented, material way of thinking was seeking to replace the openhearted generosity of Christianity. Among its lesser related themes is that of forgiveness versus judgment. The theme is first voiced by Marmeladov, who speaks of a heavenly way of compassion and non-judgment, so different from the standard mode of judging people by externals and condemning them according to these shallow judgments. Marmeladov’s daughter Sonya is the clearest embodiment of this generous spiritual mode of being, and it is largely through her that Raskolnikov is finally able to find peace and happiness.

Practical Self-Interest Versus Caring for Your Neighbor

Closely related to the forgiveness-versus-judgment theme is the notion that practical self-interest, which teaches taking care of yourself first, is superior to the Christian concept of loving your neighbor as yourself. As voiced by Luzhin, practical self-interest means providing for your own needs first and only then taking care of your neighbor’s. But Raskolnikov, who tends to think in extremes, argues that when taken to its final conclusion, the concept justifies killing another person when necessary or beneficial. Raskolnikov himself has strong impulses in both directions: he often gives away his last penny and then regrets it; yet he feels justified in killing another person for what he considers a good cause.

Good and Evil

Another theme that’s closely linked to the struggle between the spiritual and material views is the redefining of good and evil beyond conventional concepts. To Raskolnikov, Sonya represents this most closely. Out of compassion for her family and in response to her stepmother, she begins working as a prostitute to support her family, even though it goes completely against her instincts. She had worked before but could bring in only a little money and therefore resorts to the new profession out of necessity. Sonya, who is deeply Christian, does not judge others, regardless of their background and station in life. Because of that, she gains the love and trust of otherwise hardened criminals and is finally able to liberate Raskolnikov from the limitations of his own thinking.

Originality as a Mark of Greatness

This theme makes its appearance at various intervals throughout the novel, most clearly through Raskolnikov and Razumikhin, who have no patience with platitudes, but also through Pulkheria Alexandrovna, who recognizes the spark of something special—if not genius—in her son. The idea is that great men do not merely parrot other people’s ideas (the main example of that being Luzhin) but that they envision something new. The greatest among them also possess the strength and daring to create something original from their vision, often breaking the rules of convention and even sacrificing lives in the process.

The Hero vs. the Ordinary Masses

Closely tied to the notion of originality as a mark of greatness is the idea that certain actions, such as killing, take on different values depending on their context. The powerful person who kills massive numbers of people and establishes new rules is dubbed a hero and worshipped by the masses. The ordinary killer, especially if he performs the act in a blundering manner and without a justifiable motive, does not earn the same titles and privileges. However, the great mass of people lacks the courage and power to even contemplate such an act, and Raskolnikov is disappointed that he, too, lacked what it took to rise above the ordinary.

Man As More Than a Physical and Economic Animal

The Socialist thinking was that if people were given the right physical and economic circumstances, they would have no need to resort to crime. This was corroborated by Luzhin’s comment earlier in the novel about the rise of crime in the higher social classes, a notion that went hand in hand with changing economic circumstances and a habitual need for instant gratification that could now no longer be filled as quickly. But such a shallow view of mankind could not hold. Razumikhin believed that life was too unpredictable and that you also had consider such factors as nature, history, and the “living soul.” The same idea occurs earlier in a different form when Raskolnikov becomes perturbed that a bit of bread and beer could make such a rapid difference in his mood, as though he were nothing more than a conglomeration of cells.

The Hollowness of Social Status and Power

Just as economic and physical structures cannot define a human being, neither can social class or worldly power limit or fulfill the human spirit. This is clearly seen in Dunya’s confrontations with Luzhin and Svidrigaylov, who both try to lord their power over her at some point. But no matter how seemingly weak her position, Dunya does not take her cues from need or greed but from honor, respect, and love. Those who, like Katerina Ivanovna, place too much importance on such things, create unnecessary difficulties for themselves and others and ultimately wear themselves out. For Raskolnikov, the struggle is more complex, but in the end, love breaks through, taking the place of a false sense of power and giving life fresh meaning and hope.

The Power and Truth of Love

The missing element in the cold, mechanical philosophies of the time was love—not a superficial self-indulgent, romantic, or limited personal love, but the love that is at the root of creation and is therefore synonymous with life. That love, which often appears as compassion, does not ask for anything in return and does not judge. Raskolnikov’s initial mistake was that he was trying to reconcile life’s large issues through the intellect alone. At the same time, he had an instinctive compassion and gravitated towards simple, genuine expressions of love. In the end, it is this pure, simple, genuine sense of life and love that resurrect him from his apathy and provide the missing key that gives his life meaning.

Accepting the Cross of Atonement Through Suffering

Given his reluctance to admit that the murder was a crime, it’s no wonder that Raskolnikov had difficulty with the idea of atonement. To Sonya, things were clearer: murder was wrong, no matter what the circumstances, and the remedy was for Raskolnikov to confess and accept the cross of suffering that followed from his actions. Only in this way could he find his soul again: otherwise, he would become less than human. Later, in jail in Siberia, a change does indeed take place as Raskolnikov takes a new view of ordinary men and begins to see the value and beauty of life.