Fyodor Dostoevsky once stated: "Nothing is more seductive to man than his freedom of conscience. But nothing is more the cause of suffering" (Eiermann). Existentialism insists that human life is understood in terms of one's unique experience. Therefore, being nothing or accomplishing nothing in life suggests failure and is a source of suffering. A particular example is Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, in which a young Russian student, Raskolnikov, kills an old pawnbroker to demonstrate his theory of the extraordinary man, which suggests that the extraordinary can transgress the law of ordinary or inferior men. Immediately following his crime, Rodya experiences severe illness and emotional conflicts as he faces problems with his family, the Marmeladov family, and the police during his gradual steps towards confession. The motif of the need for suffering is used throughout the novel to produce the theme of the book: great suffering leads to salvation and atonement for man's sins. In Crime and Punishment, several characters suffer a lot of pain and personal anguish, tying the apparent reason for suffering into the theme and providing a strong unifying element throughout the story. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Although many readers often conceive of Raskolnikov's suffering as having a direct relationship to his guilt for his crime, the idea of control behind his punishment is an indirect result of his dual personality and his obsession with proving his theory. He is best portrayed as cold, intellectual, and isolated from society, or as loving and compassionate. The murder is the result of his intellectual side's need to determine whether or not he fits his Extraordinary Man theory. It was this aspect of his personality that developed the crime and executed his plan, thus forcing the human side to suffer for his actions. It is important to note that Raskolnikov becomes ill and loses consciousness immediately after the murder, signifying his capacity to suffer greatly since "The belief that all his faculties, including memory, and the simplest power of reflection were failing him, It began to be an unbearable torture." " (Dostoevsky 81). This scene is also important for the development of Dostoevsky's theme since Raskolnikov's theory requires the extraordinary man to suffer greatly. Previously, Rodya had written an article about the crime in which he expressed his belief that " pain and suffering are inevitable for a great intelligence and a deep heart. The truly great man must have sadness on earth" (230). However, Raskolnikov's suffering is also due to the recognition of his failure to satisfy his theory as he ultimately confesses and also comes close to confessing when his theory or the his intellect are insulted or questioned by Porfiry and Zamitov. This view is best described by Svidrigailov when he tells Dounia that Raskolnikov "suffered a lot and still suffers from the idea that he could formulate a theory, but he was unable to to boldly overstep the law, and therefore is not a genius". . And this is humiliating for a young man of any pride" (403). Although Rodya has grown to suffer a lot and recognize his mistakes in his theory, his intellect still prevents him from admitting to committing a crime as he believes he made a mistake in killing the old pawnbroker who he still sees as a louse . , this internal conflict between his two opposing personalities is a constant source of confusion and frustration for the main character. In everything,.
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