Raskolnikovs Split Personality - 1677 Words

In 1957, C.H. Thigpen and H.M. Checkley wrote The Three Faces of Eve, loosely based on one of their patients, and popularized the term Split Personality. This condition, more formally known as Dissociative Identity Disorder, continues to capture the imagination of many people through movies such as Me, Myself, and Irene, but it was much earlier that the idea of multiple personalities in one body entered popular culture. Robert Louis Stevenson wrote The Strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in the nineteenth century, and in a couple of decades earlier Dostoevsky was writing Crime and Punishment which, while it does not portray a classic case of Dissociative Identity Disorder (formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder), does†¦show more content†¦Raskolnikov also lacks a full and clear understanding of his position and can only long hopelessly for freedom from his impossible predicament. Mikolka assigned the mare her impossible burden, urging his friends into the cart by saying, Get in, all get in [Â…] she will draw you all. Ill beat her to death (55). In the same way, Raskolnikovs logical side assigned him the task of murdering the old woman, thinking that he wanted to become a Napoleon (383-384). Bearing the guilt and pressure from the law that comes from this crime is too heavy for his emotional side in the same way that bearing the cart full of people and the stunning blow[s] (56) is too much for the old horse. Over the course of Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikovs frequent inconsistency reveals the conflict between his logical persona and his emotional persona. Razumihin attempts to describe the personality of Raskolnikov to Dounia and Pulcheria Alexandrovna and says, Its as though he were alternating between two characters (200). This statement is very typical to Razumihin in that he is exactlyShow MoreRelatedCharacter Analysis Of Dostoevsky1469 Words   |  6 Pages(Dostoevsky 1) and emotionally detached from everyone else in soc iety. Unfortunately for Raskolnikov, he is plagued with a dual personality, impelling him to favour one side or the other in the midst of adversity. Acknowledging this ostensible fault within his psyche, Raskolnikov isolates himself from society in an attempt to mitigate the demands of his split personality, thereby suppressing both facets rather than confronting them openly. By opening himself to the world and revealing the inner workingsRead MoreThe Irregular Plot Pace of Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsk1502 Words   |  6 Pagesaround five to ten minutes. The reasoning behind this is to show the frivolous nature of women in Russian society, rambling on and on. It does not seem to have much purpose in the plot, however it demonstrates the establishment of the origin of Raskolnikov’s ÃÅ"bermensch-like state of mind and self-absorption. Such discoveries were only possible through the investigation of irregular plot pacing, a key element to my understanding of the no vel. Effect of Irregular Plot Pacing In Crime and PunishmentRead More Heart of Darkness vs Crime and Punishment Essay773 Words   |  4 PagesCongo and its comparison to his homeland of imperialist Europe. Dostoevsky discusses it through the development of the main character, Raskolnikov, after his murder and his â€Å"split† personality. There are clear distinctions in the novels between good and evil, the Congo representing evil and Europe representing good; and Raskolnikov’s thinking and beliefs in which one wants to do good, and the other bad. These distinctions can also be related to people’s views of illusion and reality. When MarlowRead MoreDostoevsky s Crime And Punishment1676 Words   |  7 Pagesmore than others. Dostoevsky exposes these different levels between characters like Sonya and Svidrigailov. The novel starts of with Raskolnikov entering into collusion with evil. He is taken over by it and lets evil enter his soul. Nevertheless, Raskolnikov’s ultimate responsibility is never denied by Dostoevsky. In fact, he shows that Raskolnikov must reclaim his soul for salvation by accepting that responsibility. But his soul is taken over by evil, almost unknowingly. The former scholarly and practicalRead MoreCrime and Punishment vs. The Stranger1438 Words   |  6 Pagesbut hold a particular implication that some readers are able to disregard. Whereas The Stranger’s BLANK concerning the sun and its incredible heat can be tied to Meursault’s impaired judgment, the sun in Crime and Punishment can be connected to Raskolnikov’s gradual downfall into insanity, weakening his judgment and reducing his patience. Because the sun plays a crucial and symbolic role in both Crime and Punishment and The Stranger, the significance and relationship within each of the protagonistsRead MoreEssay on Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment1017 Words   |  5 Pageshis desperate situation. His second murder involved the pawnbroker’s sister – Lizaveta. Just as violent and gore-filled as his first murder, his second murder delivered death in a single blow; â€Å"The axe fell with the sharp edge just on the skull and split at one blow all the top of the head†.(77) These two gruesome murders will play to the main theme: the guilt of the crime. Raskolnikov also feels as if he is a superhuman or better than everyone else. His act of murder is due in part to his belief thatRead MoreBook Report of the Novel Crime and Punishment2095 Words   |  9 PagesRaskolnikov helps Marmeladov home, and he is touched by the pitiful scene of poverty he sees there. After leaving the family some money, he returns to his cramped room. The  next  day,   Raskolnikov receives a letter from his mother. She informs him that Raskolnikovs sister Dunya is set to marry a bachelor named Luzhin. Raskolnikov realizes that his mother and sister are counting on Luzhin to give him financial assistance after the wedding. As he sees it, Dunya is sacrificing herself for him, a sacrifice thatRead MoreBook Report of the Novel Crime and Punishment2105 Words   |  9 PagesRaskolnikov helps Marmeladov home, and he is touched by the pitiful scene of poverty he sees there. After leaving the family some money, he returns to his cramped room. The  next  day,   Raskolnikov receives a letter from his mother. She informs him that Raskolnikovs sister Dunya is set to marry a bachelor named Luzhin. Raskolnikov realizes that his mother and sister are counting on Luzhin to give him financial assistance after the wedding. As he sees it, Dunya is sacrificing herself for him, a sacrifice that