Crime and Punishment: Chapter Five
Where are all of the READERS? Why have they not responded or at least POSTED?
In this chapter, which provides the reader with an insight with regard to Raskolnokov's compassion, he dreams of an incident (that may or may not have actually occured) whereas he witnesses a number of peasants as they systematically beat a mare to death, after someone (the owner of the mare) piled a bunch of people on the cart, which was attached to the mare. According to the text, the owner continued to tell others to pile onto the cart, and that the mare will soon "gallop" in spite of the heavy weight placed upon the cart. The owner, in fact, cries out with delight for the cruelty that is administered towards the mare, which is eventually put to death by the constant blow from at least two people holding long iron (or steel) rods, striking the mare upon the head and the back.
In this dream, a young boy apparently cries out against the cruelty that is inflicted upon the mare, as his father tries to carry him away from the scene so that the child does not continue to see the incident. No one around the scene is capable or willing to stop the beating, in spite of continued protests from within the crowd (those who do not wish to get onto the cart along with the others).
Raskolnikov then wakes up from his dream (which was brought upon him after consuming some brandy), and is stricken with grief and horror over the episode that he dreamed about. After waking up, he walks home, via the Haymarket, where he over-hears someone saying that Lizaveta (the pawnbroker's sister) will not be in her sister's house at seven the next morning, and this seems to give Roskolnikov and extra "boost" of incentive to go ahead and carry out the planned murder (Alyona).
During this chapter, the author, Dostoevsky, incorporates and effective use of some literary techniques, namely, suspense, forshadowing and coincidence, as well as flashback. In fact, the author actually "delays" the actual commission of the crime with the dream sequence, that is mentioned above.
Although the reader has an idea as to the motivation for the pending crime, as well as some insight to the main character's "mind," much of what we "know" of him remains very, very ambiguous, indeed. While we have an idea, we do not know the real motivation for the crime, if there is one. And, it is interesting to note that "nothing in the world is actually forcing him to commit such a senseless crime." But, he continues with his plan.
Question: What does the dream signify? Does it offer anything else than a glimpse as to the main character's sense of humanity and compassion? Does he have any compassion for humanity?
Question: Does the main character exhibit any remorse for his pending actions? Does he have or bear any responsibility for his pending actions?
Question: In the latter part of this chapter, the author explains that the main character is thinking about such an experiment, that is, just before he hears that the pawnbroker's sister will not be in the "abode" at seven the next morning. What is that experiment? and what purpose does it have? Does it have an effect on the upcoming assault?
Question: Based on what you know at this point, could there be a motivation for the crime that is about to the committed?
NOTE: It is encouraged that those who are also reading this novel make their own comments by using the reply mechanism. In this way, we can all share our own experiences with the book as we read it. It is quite true that I, along with others, I imagine, have read this book more than once; each time reading it offers more of an insight -- indeed.
Please: for the other readers
I encourage other readers to leave their own comments in this same thread; this way, as we continue to read the novel, we can share our own experiences with oithers who might be interested.
If you think that the book is good now, wait until you get to Part III, Chapter 5! You will find out why (or if) the crime had any motivation! As I said, each time the book is read, the more one understands the novel; it is indeed a classic and a great novel!
One of the other problems in Understanding
One of the other problems noted in the novel, "Crime and Punishment," aside from the fact that there are too many "misplaced pronouns" is the use of the long sentence structure. There are too many examples to note here, however.
