What's the real problem? Raskolnikov's Rent is Too Damn High.

Is He Really Mentally Ill?

It is hard to keep track of what is real and what is a hallucination in Raskolnikov’s head. I think its ironic that Razumihin is accusing the painters as being guilty because they are acting very bizarrely, when Raskolnikov is acting very peculiar himself. No one else seems to think that something mentally is wrong with Raskolnikov which makes me wonder why we think so strongly that something is wrong with his psyche. The only thing they think is wrong with him is that he is physically ill, not mentally. Razumihin still wants to take him out on walks and to his housewarming party which may suggests no one thinks he’s acting very unordinary. Perhaps because we can hear his thoughts and the reasons behind them so we believe he is going insane. Yet, we can imagine that after killing someone for the first time, anyone would be extremely nervous and paranoid. Even with more trivial things regular people over-think and when you say  thoughts out loud, it may sound crazy. Yet, its possible that the only reason Razumihin is looking out so much for Raskolnikov is that Raskolnikov does not appear to be able to take care of himself, which could reflect what others think of his mental state as well. 

I predict that Dostoevsky is trying to add more and more pressure onto Raskolnikov until he will finally burst. He could barley handle the solitary guilt, and now the guilt is going to be extreme when his inner thoughts tell him that now someone is going to be punished for his actions, and being surrounded by people giving him constant reminders of what he did. I still believe that there may be a deeper reason for him committing the murder and that reason is a significant indicator of his mental state.  

Comment on Davis' reaction

Davis brings up the point that Razumikhin serves as  Rahkolnikov's foil. As I reading the chapters, I noticed that as well. While Raskolnikov reacts to poverty in an ill-hearted manner, Razumikhin does not seem to be bothered by it. He has accepted the way he lives and continues to find a way to make money, unlike Raskolnikov. At the same time, they both tend to think of themselves as higher than anyone else. When the money messenger appears in Raskolnikov's apartment, Razumikhin introduces himself as Vrazumikhin, which has a nicer ring than plain Razumikhin. Davis' interpretation of the burial of the stolen items is interesting. After he buried the items, Raskolnikov loses his consciousness and starts to wander aimlessly until he ends up back home, not remembering how he had gotten there. This seems to be a recurring incident. He does something out of the ordinary and then forgets how he ended up at home or at Razumikhin's.

Comment on Jessicas post

     Jessica made several valid points regarding Raskolnikov and the money he was being handed. During the first couple of pages of the novel, we all realized that Raskolnikov was a very prideful person and he thought of himself very highly compared to the rest of the people living in his town. It did not shock me to see that Raskolnikov rejected all the money that he was being offered, despite how badly he needed it. His pride pride might be the only thing that remains in Raskolnikov ever since the murder occurred. Raskolnikov seems to be going mad from guilt, but he is still the prideful young man that he was at the beginning of the novel. Despite how badly we know that he needs the money, he will continue to reject the offers because he believes that he doesn't need money or pity from others and he can solve his own problems, when in reality due to his current state of mind I don't think he has any chances of fending for himself.

Raskolnikov's illness

            It was no surprise to see Rashkolnikov still delirious after the murder in chapters 2-4 of part 2. His “illness” seems to get worse in each chapter. He starts to hallucinate and “travel” without making any sense. At this point it is hard to keep up with his thought process. One moment he is filled with joy and the next minute he is paranoid. The guilt from murdering Alyona and Lizaveta eats away at him. He constantly falls in and out of consciousness and never remembers what happened.

            In previous chapters, Rashkolnikov complains about his lack of money and his shame of dropping out of school. I found it strange when Razumihkin offers him three rubbles to translate a page in German, Rashkolnikov rejects the offer and runs away. That same day, a couple handed him twenty-copecks but he threw it into the river. If he did not want to burden his mother or sister for money, why did he refuse the money people were giving him? As he becomes weaker over time, he refuses the money his mother had requested he received. Is this due to his deliria or is he ashamed to take money from anyone?

            Even though no one suspects Rashkolnikov to be the murderer, he still lives in constant fear of someone finding out what he had done. The painter, who was seen in Alyona’s building the night of the murder, is targeted. He does not try to defend himself and his nervousness about the subject makes him seem guilty of a crime he did not do. The painter was found with the jewelry that Rashkolnikov had already gotten rid of. Despite these facts, Rashkolnikov still believes they suspect him for the murder. His guilt, fear, and deliria is the punishment he receives for committing the murder.

Comment on Sofia

Following Sofia’s comment, I found it interesting that the author decided to have two friends come and stay with Raskolnikov. In my opinion, this almost seems to have been included to show the abnormalities present in the young murderer’s behavior. As most would be welcoming of two friends looking to take care of another obviously in a state of mental anguish, Raskolnikov is quite the opposite, as Sofia states. Raskolnikov “hates their presence at his house” showing that he is clearly spiraling down into a dark psychological disorder. As Sofia noted, I noticed how guilty the poor artist seems to appear. I am wondering if perhaps he committed some other petty crime against the old landlady that is creating this sense of guilt as he is obviously not the one to blame for the murder of the woman. I, like Sofia, wonder why nobody has yet to question Raskolnikov as the murderer. I am beginning to think that mostly everybody is not familiar with the Raskolnikov that readers meet in the book. It is insinuated in preliminary parts of the novel that Raskolnikov was not always this individual. He was, at one point, a dedicated and intelligent student. I think that it is likely that people that know Raskolnikov still associate him with this stable college student, but may just fall under the notion that he has been going through a difficult time, a far leap from murder. 

1-5 Part II

As the book progresses further and further, the true “punishment” following the crime ensues. Rather than a physical punishment as I had been expecting, Raskolnikov’s punishment has single-handedly been his own mental anguish brought own by his one sense of culpability. Almost appearing schizophrenic at many points with bizarre hallucinations and thoughts, Raskolnikov seems to be plunging further and further into a  irreparable state of mental anguish. You can tell, however, that he is still fully capable of feeling normal human emotions after he tries to hide his guilt by burying the goods under a heavy stone. This literal burial is resemblant of a burial of Raskolnikov’s conscience as he seems almost unbelieving that he actually committed the murder of the old pawnbroker and her sister. The character of Razumikhin is turning out to be a foil character of sorts as he exaggerates Raskolnikov’s oddities by his pleasant personality and disposition. Razumikhin, thus far, seems basically to be the perfect citizen. Far different from Raskolnik, Razumikhin is notably willing to help and taking pleasure in living his life. Raskolnikov, on the other hand, alienates himself from the rest of the world more and more as each day passes. Razumikhin’s upbeat personality in such terrible conditions also brought to my mind the fact that it does not seem to have been the circumstances that pushed Raskolnikov to commit the murder. Both poor students, Razumikhin is the mirror image or Rakolnikov reflected onto the side of the path that most people take, that is the path that does not involve the crimes that Raskolnikov has committed thus far in the novel.