Raskolnikov’s Guilt from the Beginning
A principle part of Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky is the evolution of Raskolnikov’s conscience that slowly drives him to confess. Crime and punishment is primarily about Raskolnikov’s inner conflict, whether or not to commit the murder of Alyona Ivanovna, and whether or not to confess. Raskolnikov’s primary incentive to kill was backed up; she was a louse that scammed people. He truly believed that good would come from her death. Raskolnikov felt that he had the right to kill because he was “extraordinary”, and the extraordinary are allowed to shed blood for the sake of a greater achievement. He uses this as a primary way to clear his conscience to get through the murder. Raskolnikov is reassured of the fact that Alyona Ivanovna deserves to die when he comes across two men talking about the “louse” in a nearby tavern. They talk of how they would “kill and murder the cursed women … without any remorse” (64). As Raskolnikov leaves the tavern the narrator talks of how “this negligible tavern conversation had an extreme influence on him in the further development of the affair” (64). Raskolnikov knew deep down that the murder was wrong, but through these excuses Raskolnikov went into the murder with a clear conscience, even committing the murder “mechanically” (76). After the murdered of the pawn broker his character is in disarray. At first Raskolnikov is burdened by constant paranoia, seen when he frenziedly searches for any traces of blood on his clothes, and again when fainting after being called into the police station for an unrelated matter. As he leaves the police station he is convinced that “The villains! They suspect me!” (106). Raskolnikov’s period orf paranoia only lasts for a short time and soon transitions into guilt. Raskolnikov was so guilty he wanted to be caught from the very beginning; he just didn’t have the courage to confess. He considers confessing as early as page 84 when he states "A strange idea suddenly occurred to him, to get up at once, to go up to Nikodim Fomitch, and tell him everything that had happened yesterday." Raskolnikov’s carelessness about the murder also shows his lack of worry for being caught. He even goes so far as to say "And what if it was I who murdered the old woman and Lizaveta?'" to the clerk at the police station. His carelessness is also seen when he