Mochulsky argues that "Crime and Punishment" is a tragedy that can be divided into a prologue, 5 acts, and an epilogue. In the prologue, when the murder is committed, the idea of murder has already "penetrated into his subconscious" and it becomes his "driving force, his destiny." In the first act, Raskolnikov develops a new consciousness: "a strong personality, fiendishly proud and solitary... his faint-heartedness [and] sickness have passed." In the second act, Raskolnikov’s “second character” is revealed: someone who is shamefully weak with misgivings about himself. The third act compares Raskolnikov and Svidrigaylov, who Mochulsky sees as “more free and bold” than Raskolnikov (though the two “follow along the same path.” In this act, Raskolnikov begins to lose his sense of reality and lives in a “state of delirium.” The fourth act shows Raskolnikov finally rejecting humanistic motivations for murder and accepting that he was merely “resolving the enigma of his own personality.” The fifth and final act again compares the parallel ruin of Svidrigaylov and Raskolnikov. Raskolnikov, however, does not have the strength of will to commit suicide, so he gives himself up to the authorities. The epilogue shows an unchanged Raskolnikov. He is still “solitary, morose, and proud.” Mochulsky believes that Raskolnikov’s love with Sonya is hurried and careless, and that “we know Raskolnikov too well to believe this pious lie.”
In this essay, Mochulsky argues that the novel is essentially a tragedy in five acts with a prologue and an epilogue. With each act, our "hero", Raskolnikov, reaches a new level of consciousness. In the prologue, we see the division in his character between the "distorted dream" of thinking of murder and "nature" or his romantic/humanistic side, which is the beginning of his "self-knowledge". With the first act, we see the "crime's immediate effects upon the criminal's soul". When Raskolnikov awakes from his fever, the "friend of humanity" in him has already died, and in its place is born a solitude and new level of consciousness of the "strong personality, fiendishly proud and solitary". In the second act, the strong individual tests his strength; seeing himself as one of the "exceptional people", the hero nevertheless struggles with self-doubt, thinking himself to be an "aesthetic louse". In the third act, with the appearance of Svidrigaylov as a dark double, we see the "strong individual" attempt to free himself from the humanist and principles, a process Svidrigaylov has already succeeded in completing. The fourth act is where the "strong individual" comes to "the final stage of his self-knowledge"; in talking to Sonya, the hero rejects the idea that the crime was committed out of humanistic motivations and confirms that he committed murder simply for his own sake. In the fifth act, the strong personality is defeated and exposed, culminating in the confession. Ultimately, Mochulsky was unconvinced by the "pious lie" of Raskolnikov's rebirth at the end of the epilogue. Rather, Mochulsky sees the fact that the hero remains solitary, morose and proud, does not repent his crime, and even feels that his conscience is at peace as proof of a final truth about Raskolnikov: that "he is in fact a superman. He has not been defeated; it is he who has conquered... He wanted to 'step beyond' and he stepped beyond". Raskolnikov is a tragic hero, destroyed in the course of his struggle with fate.
Mochulsky argues that Crime and Punishment is a five act tragedy with a prologue and epilogue, in the form of a modern novel. The prologue consists of everything leading up to the crime and the crime itself. The first act is when Roskolnikov begins his punishment of isolation and physical illness,"the crime's immediate effects upon the criminal's soul" (503) to when he goes back to the old woman's house and finds strength and life again. The second act shows Roskolnikov mostly through the lens of other characters; it is also where the theory of exceptional people is introduced. The third act introduces Roskolnikov's "dark and somber double", Svidrigaylov. (507) and ends with Porfiry trying to pin him on the murder. The fourth act contains important scenes such as the funeral dinner, and Roskolnikov giving Sonya reasons for the murder. The fifth act, builds up to, and ends with his confession. The epilogue, the author believes, is unnecessary because Roskolnikov remains unchanged.
Mochulsky argues that "Crime and Punishment" is a tragedy that can be divided into a prologue, 5 acts, and an epilogue. In the prologue, when the murder is committed, the idea of murder has already "penetrated into his subconscious" and it becomes his "driving force, his destiny." In the first act, Raskolnikov develops a new consciousness: "a strong personality, fiendishly proud and solitary... his faint-heartedness [and] sickness have passed." In the second act, Raskolnikov’s “second character” is revealed: someone who is shamefully weak with misgivings about himself. The third act compares Raskolnikov and Svidrigaylov, who Mochulsky sees as “more free and bold” than Raskolnikov (though the two “follow along the same path.” In this act, Raskolnikov begins to lose his sense of reality and lives in a “state of delirium.” The fourth act shows Raskolnikov finally rejecting humanistic motivations for murder and accepting that he was merely “resolving the enigma of his own personality.” The fifth and final act again compares the parallel ruin of Svidrigaylov and Raskolnikov. Raskolnikov, however, does not have the strength of will to commit suicide, so he gives himself up to the authorities. The epilogue shows an unchanged Raskolnikov. He is still “solitary, morose, and proud.” Mochulsky believes that Raskolnikov’s love with Sonya is hurried and careless, and that “we know Raskolnikov too well to believe this pious lie.”
ReplyDeleteIn this essay, Mochulsky argues that the novel is essentially a tragedy in five acts with a prologue and an epilogue. With each act, our "hero", Raskolnikov, reaches a new level of consciousness. In the prologue, we see the division in his character between the "distorted dream" of thinking of murder and "nature" or his romantic/humanistic side, which is the beginning of his "self-knowledge". With the first act, we see the "crime's immediate effects upon the criminal's soul". When Raskolnikov awakes from his fever, the "friend of humanity" in him has already died, and in its place is born a solitude and new level of consciousness of the "strong personality, fiendishly proud and solitary". In the second act, the strong individual tests his strength; seeing himself as one of the "exceptional people", the hero nevertheless struggles with self-doubt, thinking himself to be an "aesthetic louse". In the third act, with the appearance of Svidrigaylov as a dark double, we see the "strong individual" attempt to free himself from the humanist and principles, a process Svidrigaylov has already succeeded in completing. The fourth act is where the "strong individual" comes to "the final stage of his self-knowledge"; in talking to Sonya, the hero rejects the idea that the crime was committed out of humanistic motivations and confirms that he committed murder simply for his own sake. In the fifth act, the strong personality is defeated and exposed, culminating in the confession. Ultimately, Mochulsky was unconvinced by the "pious lie" of Raskolnikov's rebirth at the end of the epilogue. Rather, Mochulsky sees the fact that the hero remains solitary, morose and proud, does not repent his crime, and even feels that his conscience is at peace as proof of a final truth about Raskolnikov: that "he is in fact a superman. He has not been defeated; it is he who has conquered... He wanted to 'step beyond' and he stepped beyond". Raskolnikov is a tragic hero, destroyed in the course of his struggle with fate.
ReplyDeleteMochulsky argues that Crime and Punishment is a five act tragedy with a prologue and epilogue, in the form of a modern novel. The prologue consists of everything leading up to the crime and the crime itself. The first act is when Roskolnikov begins his punishment of isolation and physical illness,"the crime's immediate effects upon the criminal's soul" (503) to when he goes back to the old woman's house and finds strength and life again. The second act shows Roskolnikov mostly through the lens of other characters; it is also where the theory of exceptional people is introduced. The third act introduces Roskolnikov's "dark and somber double", Svidrigaylov. (507) and ends with Porfiry trying to pin him on the murder. The fourth act contains important scenes such as the funeral dinner, and Roskolnikov giving Sonya reasons for the murder. The fifth act, builds up to, and ends with his confession. The epilogue, the author believes, is unnecessary because Roskolnikov remains unchanged.
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