“Crime and Punishment” epilogue composition
The structure of the novel by F. M. Dostoevsky “Crime and Punishment” is different in that there is an epilogue in the work. He is not directly connected with the main action of the novel, but plays a very important role in the ideological design of the work. Epilogue consists of two parts. In the first part of the epilogue, we learn about how the future fate of the protagonists has developed. In the second part, Raskolnikov’s inner world appears before us, when the hero is imprisoned.
The first part of the epilogue begins with a description of the trial in the case of Rodion Raskolnikov. The process is very smooth, thanks to the fact that Raskolnikov honestly admits everything, does not hide from the court what was actually. The judge comes to the conclusion that at the time of the murder, Raskolnikov was in a state of insanity and did not understand what he was doing, especially at that time “the newest fashionable theory of temporary insanity” arrived.
Mother of the hero – Pulcheria Alexandrovna – dies. Before her death, she is in a half-crazy state for a long time. Probably, the woman guessed that with her son, whom she was so proud of, something unfortunate happened. From it they try to hide what actually happens with Raskolnikov. But, as we know, the mother’s heart can not be fooled, so, of course, she feels that something is going wrong with her son. For a long time Pulcheria Alexandrovna is delirious, her thoughts about her son do not leave her for a minute. Just before she dies, she waits for him, cleans up the room, allegedly cooking for her son, but the next day dies.
We also learn that Dunya and Razumihin were married. They dream of a wonderful future, they are thinking about how in five years they will leave for the North, and they will happily live next to Rodion.
Sonia in the North with Raskolnikov. And in the first part of the epilogue, it
In the second part of the epilogue the inner world of Rodion Raskolnikov appears before us. About his condition, the following lines very well say: “… his pride was strongly wounded, and he fell ill with wounded pride.” Raskolnikov was very worried about the fact that he himself had stupidly ruined his life by trying to kill someone with something to prove. Immediately after the commission of the crime, he realized the meaninglessness of his action. Later, the hero will understand that it is necessary to change the surrounding life for the better in a completely different way.
At the beginning of the confinement, Raskolnikov does not develop relations with other prisoners because he is constantly immersed in his thoughts, communicates with no one, everyone is alienated. This behavior Rodion sets everyone against himself and this leads to the fact that once in the service in the church he was even nearly killed.
After leaving the hospital with Raskolnikov there are changes. In one of the meetings with Sonya, “something seemed to catch him and as if threw at her feet.” In the soul of the hero there have been great changes, he has a completely different attitude to life. Raskolnikov now thinks that seven years will fly by very quickly and he has a beautiful future ahead of his beloved woman. His condition is very well characterized by the following epithets: “infinite happiness,” “endless sources of life,” “infinitely loves,” “with infinite love he will now redeem all her sufferings.”
A special role in the epilogue is played by landscape. From the gloomy, stuffy, oppressive Petersburg, action is transferred to the shores of a wide and deserted river: “A wide neighborhood opened up from the high bank…
In harmony with the world and with himself Raskolnikov is depicted in the epilogue, “he was resurrected, and he knew this, he felt completely all the renewed being of his…”.
Here we should pay attention to the Christian theme. On the epilogue for the third time the novel mentions the Gospel and the resurrection of Lazarus. This brings the reader back to Dostoevsky’s main, deepest thought – to his hope of “restoring a fallen man” through accession to the Christian ideal of “great, common harmony, fraternal final agreement of all… according to Christ’s Gospel law.”
The significance of the epilogue in the novel is great. Epilogue sums up the whole work, and most importantly, shows us what global changes take place in the soul of the protagonist. And this is understandable, since Raskolnikov, even at the time of the crime design, does not cause disgust, he feels a kind and honest soul, which is simply confused.
Much is said about Raskolnikov and his actions: he helped a sick fellow student, after his death, he took care of his father and buried him with his money, saved the children from the fire, wanted out of pity to marry the poor daughter of the landlady. Raskolnikov’s crime was pushed by the surrounding situation: poverty, squalor, humiliated and insulted people.
In the epilogue, we see how, after a moral fall, the protagonist gradually returns to life, to which he comes by faith in God, thereby he sees the goal of his future life. Raskolnikov gradually passes from one world to another, he gradually gets acquainted with a new, hitherto completely unknown reality.
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