Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky

Crime and Punishment illustrated Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky

Crime and Punishment focuses on the pain and moral dilemmas of Rodin Raskolnikov, an impoverished ex-student in Saint Petersburg who formulates an idea to kill an unscrupulous pawnbroker for her money. Before the killing, Raskolnikov believes that with the cash he could liberate himself from poverty and continue to perform great deeds. However, once it's done he finds himself racked with confusion, paranoia, and disgust for what he has done. His justifications disintegrate completely as he struggles with guilt and horror and confronts the real-world consequences of his deed.