“Death be not Proud”: The correlation between sin and death as depicted in Crime and Punishment.

In his discussion on Extreme Unction, Thomas Aquinas states that sin can be often manifested through the body as well as the soul. This fact is often overlooked, allowing evil to be underrated as a purely spiritual thing that does not really affect the sinner until after death. But in Crime and Punishment, Dostoevsky abolishes the notion that sin only affects the soul. On the contrary, sin destroys the soul, mind, and body. According to him, death is the inevitable and final consequence of sin. After sin is imposed upon the soul, it begins to spread, where it often becomes visible throughout the body, as the Psalmist writes: “I am afflicted and humbled exceedingly: I roared with the groaning of my heart.”[1] In this case, the body will eventually succumb to sin and death. This can come either from pure bodily exhaustion or an act of suicide by the despairing human. The alternative is contrition, which restores the order within the soul which can eradicate the evil within. As the reader becomes immersed in a world of poverty, scandal, and violence, Dostoevsky introduces his morbid characters, who vividly demonstrate the various ways sin is physically manifested and destroys the human person. Each character upon examination displays his sin in a different way. The reader will note that the effects of each sin continue to grow more in severity, and more obvious, until some kind of resolution becomes necessary. Death, of course, is the ultimate projection of evil inclinations within the human heart. Consequently, the theme of death noticeably occupies the mind of every character throughout Crime and Punishment. There are three characters in particular who exemplify the physical effects of sin: Raskolinkov, Marmeladov, and Svidrigailov. Each of them harbors the thought of death, in his own way. Sonya is the redemptive character of the work, who demonstrates the way man is able to cast off sin, and ultimately preserve his body, mind, and soul from the inevitable death that sin incurs. We will discuss this further as we give closer attention to each of these characters.

Raskolinkov’s demeanor in the opening chapter is indicative of the morbid intentions unfolding inside his head. The reader does not know exactly what kind of person he was before now, but the fact that he was a student at the university suggests that was a distinguished and intelligent young man. In any case, he was not the timid, apprehensive madman as he is depicted in Book One. His planning of the pawn woman’s murder has unknowingly alienated himself from his community, causing him to feel alone, judged, and despised by all:

It was not that he was so cowardly and downtrodden, even quite the contrary; but for some time he had been in an irritable and intense state, resembling hypochondria. He was so immersed in himself and had isolated himself so much from everyone that he was afraid not only of meeting his landlady but of meeting anyone at all.[2]

The crime has not yet been committed, but already Raskolinkov is experiencing the effects of the hatred that is lurking within his heart. In this stage, only his mind is affected. Evil has begun to take hold of him by isolating him and leaving him without any chance of hope. Obviously, the community he lives in could not have changed in a couple days. And yet he feels utterly alone. This feeling of loneliness is the step of evil in disposing the sinner to despair and death. We will see it in the other two characters as well.

His condition only worsens after the two murders have been committed. The next day, Raskolinkov appears very ill, a condition that lingers throughout the novel. In fact, his illness is so noticeable, it eventually places him under the suspicion of the authorities. In a vicious paradoxical motion, the protagonist seems to lay aside his rationality the more it is engaged for evil purposes:

However, it was not that he was totally unconscious during the whole time of his illness; it was a feverish condition, with moments of delirium and semi-awareness. Afterwards he remembered a good deal. Once it seemed to him that many people were gathered around him and wanted to take him and carry him away somewhere, and there was much arguing and quarreling around him. Then suddenly he was alone in the room, everyone was gone, they were afraid of him, and only opened the door a crack from time to time to look at him, threaten him, arrange something among themselves, laugh and tease him.[3]

Raskolinkov’s condition is an accusation. His body rebels against him, racked with fever and periods of comatose oblivion. This can only be interpreted as a visceral response to the crime committed, a physical manifestation of the turmoil that is taking place within his soul. Is Dostoevsky stretching his pen to far in providing this vivid depiction of the man’s internal tempest? The assumption that Raskolinkov’s sickness is an exaggerated phenomenon is anything but a prudent one. Fear of being discovered, the feeling of guilt, and the violent memories that incessantly come to mind, can create a stress on the body that ultimately leaves it prone to weakness and illness. In fact, the protagonist can find very little comfort in the aftermath of the crime. There is no treasure of monetary value that can distract him from his guilt, nor is there any consolation in the moral good that arises from the killing of the women. Instead, Raskolinkov is faced with his sin, committed for its very own sake. And this sin relentlessly turns within his head and becomes manifest in the sudden illness that has overtaken him.

Raskolinkov’s mind and body can only be released from the anguish by eradicating the fear and resentment that originated within his soul. There are three possible ways to do this. He could confess to his sins and ultimately restore the harmony of his mind, body, and soul. Although this will mean a sentence to Siberia, his conscience will be restored and he can start over again. Another way would be to end his life—bringing a seemingly immediate relief to his misery. Rather than submit to the humiliation and then suffering for years in a prison, this seems like a feasible alternative. The last option would be to do nothing but continue on the track he is on. His body will become so worn and sick, that it has the potential of just shutting down, as we see happen to another character. Contrition, then, seems to be the only feasible option, because death will come any other way. His body will become sick and die from the stress that has been imposed on it, or Raskolinkov will commit suicide because mentally he will not be able to stand it. Porfiry knows this, and this is why he asks Raskolinkov:

It’s a bit ticklish, but important: if—I mean, just in case (which by the way, I don’t believe; I consider you quite incapable of it), if, I say—just so, in any such case—you should have the wish, during these forty or fifty hours, to end this matter somehow differently, in some fantastic way—such as by raising your hand against yourself ( an absurd suggestion, but perhaps you’ll forgive me for it)—then leave a brief but explicit note. A couple lines, just two little lines, and mention the stone; it will be more noble, sir.[4]

Porfiry, an expert in his field, knows how the mind of a murderer works, and he is able to use this knowledge on the suspect throughout the book in order to make Raskolinkov confess. He knows that it is only a matter of time before either contrition or death will “end this matter.” And yet Porfiry sees in the suspect something else that convinces him that Raskolinkov will not commit suicide. And so he starts putting pressure on the murderer in order to speed up this process. The only other person who displays knowledge of the fugitive’s situation is Sonya, which we will address momentarily. While Raskolinkov struggles between contrition, suicide and death, let us look at the other men who choose the other roads.

The progression of spiritual and physical decay within Svidrigailov is not as obvious as Raskolinkov’s struggle. The only real indication of his sin of sensuality is the fact that he periodically experiences nightmares, which the reader picks up on at the character’s introduction. However, this fact does not prepare the reader for his sudden unexpected breakdown in Book Six. After the dream of the sensuous girl, we realize the degree of inner turmoil Svidrigailov was experiencing:

‘Nightmares all night long!’ He raised himself angrily, feeling all broken; his bones ached. There was a completely dense fog outside, and nothing could be distinguished. It was nearly five o’clock; he had overslept! He got up and put on his still damp jacket and overcoat. Having felt for the revolver in his pocket, he took it out and adjusted the cap; then he sat down, took a notebook from his pocket, and wrote a few lines in large script on the front and most conspicuous page.[5]

Although his suffering was not as dramatic as that of Raskolinkov in his “feverish condition,” it was nevertheless slowly building up to a climax. Dostoevsky uses Svidrigailov to show how sin works when it is not eliminated from the heart. In this case, sin ultimately infects the mind in such a subtle way, the finite mind of man cannot possibly endure it any longer, thus the feeling of “all broken.” Having no other outlet, Svidrigailov in desperation ends his own life, leaving the reader mortified at how quickly the man has succumbed. The author uses this character to build up the tension for Raskolinkov, and what his own choice will be.

Marmeladov meets his fate by another agent. From our first encounter with him at the bar, it became obvious that the man was distracting himself from the life he was neglecting, namely, his wife and children. Not bothering to look for a job, he prefers to drink the family earnings away, while his daughter sells herself as a prostitute. But it is not laziness that inclines him to drink. He has already given up on life, considering himself a worthless swine. As he says to Raskolinkov in the tavern: “And the more I drink, the more I feel it. It is for this I drink; that in drinking I might seek compassion . . . It is not joy I seek but sorrow only . . . I drink, for I wish doubly to suffer!”[6] Marmeladov is in a situation unique to both Raskolinkov and Svidrigailov. He is not harboring a past sin, but is sinning in the moment, by not fulfilling his duties as a father or a spouse. His sin can be eradicated quickly by ending his drunken ways and strive to support his family. But as he continues to indulge himself, his body grows weaker and weaker ultimately giving into the effects of sin. Marmeladov is used as an example of the one who dies naturally as a result of a sinful life. Having no dignity for himself as a human person, he says: “I am the first to insult myself!”[7] Like him, Raskolinkov is growing weaker and weaker from the weight of his own sins. This provides even more tension for the story. Will the murderer die defeated like the other two characters, or will he restore the peace in his soul through embracing truth?

Dostoevsky is not suggesting that death or a public confession is the only means to refresh the whole human person from the violent clutches and accusations of sin. He is trying to emphasize that it is truth and the rejection of evil that allow man to regain the dignity that he loses in sin. This is exemplified in Sonya. She is by no means a saint. And yet, her life is very different from that of the three men previously mentioned. Unlike the others, the evil in Sonya’s life is driven by an innocent love and faithfulness, rather than ambition or selfish gratification. It is for this reason she appears so innocent and peaceful, and the pillar to the murderer in the novel. In fact, she reveals the key to Raskolinkov when she encourages him to turn himself in:

“What are you to do?” she cried, jumping up, and her eyes that had been full of tears suddenly began to shine. “Stand up!” (She seized him by the shoulder; he got up, looking at her almost bewildered.) “Go at once, this very minute, stand at the cross-roads, bow down, first kiss the earth which you have defiled and then bow down to all the world and say to all men aloud, ‘I am a murderer!’ Then God will send you life again. Will you go, will you go?” [8]

Sonya immediately recognizes the evil that is rotting inside of Raskolinkov, and how it is slowly constricting the life out of him. She understands the urgency that “God to send him life again.” Fear and frustration will eventually force him to turn himself in, or take his own life. Sonya understands that it is only in confessing that Raskolinkov will be disposed to make his peace with God. In her own life as a prostitute, we see a striking contrast with that of the fugitive. While his sin becomes more and more of a burden, tearing him from the inside out, the opposite is happening to Sonya. Although she allows her body to be indignantly abused, her heart remains intact. There is a mysterious serenity surrounding Sonya, and this is why Raskolinkov is drawn to her. She somehow provides the peace that prevents him from taking more drastic measures and keeps him on the fence. There is also a romantic tension between them that is beyond the scope of this essay. However, it is important to note that Sonya is his link that unites him back to society and prevents him from being completely isolated and falling into despair.

Dostoevsky makes important comparisons in the novel which truly depict man in his entirety: body, mind, and soul. As a rational being, man is capable of choosing right or wrong and executing it as far as his faculties allow. And yet, there is a myth that evil only affects the soul, and it will not be until after death that we will really experience the havoc that we have weaved for ourselves through sin. The author dispels this myth through his cast of characters. Man’s composition of mind, body, and soul does not exist as three separate entities. It is through all three that a man exists. Therefore, whatever affects one, must necessarily affect the other two. Although Raskolinov’s sin begins deep within him, it quickly infected his mind and his body. But through his contrition at the very end of the novel, he is able to heal his soul and eventually heal his mind and body. The other two men were not as fortunate. Sonya plays an important role because she provides the answer to the problem that all three men are searching for: Is there way to separate yourself from the horrible evils you have committed in life, to prevent them from enveloping you? In ordering the soul, the mind and body follow. It is by ordering the soul that suffering can be endured. It is through the soul that man as a whole experiences peace.

[1] Psalm 37:9 (RSV).

[2] Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment, trans. Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky (New York: Vintage Books Press, 1993), 3.

[3] Ibid., 117.

[4] Ibid., 462.

[5] Ibid., 510.

[6] Ibid., 17.

[7] Ibid., 13.