Guilt in Crime and Punishment Essay

If he has a conscience he will suffer for his mistake. That will be punishment-as tumesce as the prison. (Dostoyevsky 336). Guilt is commonly understood to be an emotion that results as an out bring of an evil act. However, is it always this simple? No human being with each sense has the ability to commit an atrocious crime without some feeling of guilt or remorse afterwards. Gradually, this guilt festers and eats away at one(a)s conscience until the point of escape, reached by confession, thus leading to salvation.Throughout Dostoyevskys Crime and Punishment the main character, Raskolnikov is stricken with guilt and suffering that last leads to his confession and redemption. In todays modern America, and Raskolnikovs 18th century Russia, guilt plays a pivotal role in transforming an individuals moral compass and influences ones actions. In the opening of the novel, Raskolnikov intellectualizes the crime by convincing himself that there are people in his world who are extraordin ary, and that he is above the law by being one.He believes he is one of the elite, who will be able to commit the murder and escape both physical and unrestrained punishment. Rodia believes that the murder can be justified because of the fact that Allionia is wicked, and purposeless. Raskolnikov does not feel guilt in the crime until he realizes that no good had come from the murder, and Lizoveta who was an innocent person, had died as well as Allionia, making Rodia feel dreadful for his actions. Guilt has had, and always will have a variety of influences on people, and in Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov physically shows remorse in different situations.Raskolnikov is constantly paranoid and anxious which demonstrates his extreme shame, without him having to actually confess his guilt. For example, Raskolnikov was aware of a terrible throw out of kilter within himself. He was afraid he could not keep himself under control. (Dostoyevsky 91). As readers, we see his shame progress from before the murder, to when he bottles it all up to the point of explosion. Some would say that Sonia, not guilt, is the main contributor to Raskolnikovs confession, but she is actually the instrument that cured his guilt.Sonia was the main vehicle of good in society, so her influence upon Raskolnikov was what society would have preferred Rodia to do to confess. Sonia did urge Raskolnikov to come clean, for instance, at the end of the book Sonia told Rodia Go to the crossroads, bow down to the people, pamper the earth because you have sinned against it, too, and say aloud to the whole world I am a murderer Then God will send you flavor again. (Dostoyevsky 500). Although Sonia did advise him to profess his sins, Raskolnikovs confession comes from his inner yearning to get rid of the shame he is feeling inside.