"Crime and Punishment": a summary of the epilogue. "Crime and Punishment": the Importance of the Epilogue

"Crime and Punishment" is a work written by Dostoyevsky in 1866. In this article, we will describe the summary of the epilogue. "Crime and Punishment" is a novel in which the most important questions of faith are touched upon. In full they are revealed in two small final chapters of the work. They are the epilogue of the novel "Crime and Punishment". This writing was written by Dostoevsky in many ways for him. You will be convinced of this by reading the analysis of the epilogue presented in this article.

Time and place of action epilogue

The epilogue takes place in Siberia. One of the administrative centers of our country is on the shore of a deserted, wide river. In this city there is a fortress, and in it there is a prison, in which Rodion Raskolnikov, exile-convict, is already imprisoned for 9 months. Almost 1.5 years have passed since the crime of this hero.

The verdict handed down to the protagonist

We continue to describe the summary of the epilogue "Crime and Punishment". It tells briefly about the events that preceded katorga Rodion. Raskolnikov did not hide anything at the trial. The judges and the investigator was struck by the fact that he did not use the things and the purse, hiding them under the stone, and did not even know how much money there is. This allowed us to conclude that Rodion's crime was committed with "temporary insanity". This circumstance, as well as frank confession, somewhat softened the verdict.

Other points were also taken into account, favorable for the defendant. He kept, during his studies at the university, the last funds of a comrade suffering from tuberculosis, and after he died, he looked after the sick father. Raskolnikov arranged this man to the hospital and buried him when he passed away. At the trial, the landlady Rodion reported that he had once saved two young children from a fire, while receiving burns. All the circumstances were taken into account by the judges, on their basis the criminal was sentenced only to 8 years of hard labor.

What happened to Pulcheria Alexandrovna, Razumikhin and Dunya?

Everyone assured Pulcheria Alexandrovna that her son had gone abroad. However, she felt with her soul that something terrible had happened to him, and she lived only by waiting for a letter from Raskolnikov. Her condition was getting worse every day, and soon this woman died. Razumikhin married Dunya. Zosimov and Porfiry Petrovich were among the guests invited to their modest wedding. Razumihin resumed his studies at the university, a few days later he was going to move closer to Rodion, to Siberia. This was supported by Dunya.

Sonya's Act

In many respects the epilogue of the novel "Crime and Punishment" is based on the image of this girl. It is difficult to imagine Dostoevsky's writing without this heroine.

Sonya, with Svidrigailov's money left to her before her death, went to Siberia and regularly wrote letters to Razumikhin and Dunya in letters. Quite often she visited Raskolnikov, who was not interested in anything, she said, and was always in a gloomy mood, was uncommunicative and sullen. He understood his position clearly, did not expect anything good from the future, did not cherish any hopes and was not surprised by anything that he observed around. He did not shirk work, but he did not ask for it, he was indifferent to food, he lived in a common cell.

As Sonia wrote, Raskolnikov was not particularly interested in her visits at first, but after a while she suddenly felt a need for them and even missed them sometimes when she could not come to him. This girl informed herself that she had got acquainted with influential people during this time, earned her living by sewing, and even achieved great success in this business, since there was no milliner in the city. However, Sonya did not mention in letters that, with the help of her acquaintances, the authorities began to treat Rodion better, facilitating his work. The girl reported in her last letter that Raskolnikov was seriously ill and was placed in a hospital.

Raskolnikov's life in the prison

This hero lived in a prison, without noticing much. Over time, he began to wonder at some things, for example, the abyss that lay between him and the rest of the people who were here. The exiles tried to avoid Rodion, they did not like him, and after a while they began to hate what Dostoevsky mentions in the finale of the work. This can be seen if you open the epilogue ("Crime and Punishment").

Son of Raskolnikov

Raskolnikov during illness was a long time delirious. This hero always imagined that because of an unprecedented ailment the world must perish, and only the elite can survive. People infected with a microbe, went crazy, the ultimate truth considering any one's thought, any conviction. No one knew what was good or bad, everyone was convinced that the truth was only in him.

We continue to describe the work "Crime and Punishment" (a summary of the epilogue). Raskolnikov's dream in his structure is important, as it symbolizes the transformation of the protagonist. We will discuss this in more detail in this article. Sonia, during the illness of Rodion, was on duty under his windows, and he accidentally once saw this girl. Sonya did not come for two days after that. Rodion, returning to prison, found out that the girl was ill, and therefore she lay at home. Sonya, having learned that she was worried about Raskolnikov, sent him a note, in which she wrote that she was already recovering and would soon come to see him.

Explanation with Sonya

When the next day Rodion worked at the river on kiln burning, the girl approached him and held out her hand timidly. This time Raskolnikov, who usually took her as if with disgust, and Sonya himself met with vexation, sometimes silently persisted during the visit, took the girl's hand and did not let go of her, and then suddenly fell at her feet, hugging her knees and crying. Lovers decided to endure and wait. Seven years remained.

The beginning of a new life

That same night, Rodion took the Gospel, which lay under the pillow, and opened it. This book belonged to Sonia, was the one from which the girl read Raskolnikov about the resurrection of Lazarus. Rodion thought at the beginning of hard labor that she would torture him with religion, would impose books and talk about faith.

However, she never did this, did not even offer the Gospel. Shortly before the illness he himself asked her for it, but did not disclose until now. However, now the main character decided to do it.

The girl was also in agitation all this day, and at night she fell ill again. But she was so happy that she was almost frightened of her sudden happiness. Only seven years!

This completes Dostoevsky's work. Accordingly, the summary of the epilogue "Crime and Punishment" also ends. On the future fate of Sonya and Rodion, it does not say, but we can conclude that they are waiting for a new life.

The structure of the novel, the role of epilogue

A six-part structure is Dostoevsky's novel entitled "Crime and Punishment." A brief summary of the epilogue was presented to you. Epilogue, as is known, is the final chapter of the work, which introduces readers to the fate of the heroes. This part of the novel is one of the strongest in the work. It would seem that the culmination has long since passed, the main events have already occurred (the crime is committed, the confession is made, the punishment is carried out), but only in the epilogue does the novel really reach a true, spiritual peak.

Structure of the epilogue

The summary of the epilogue "Crime and Punishment" by chapters breaks up into two parts. It consists of two heads, small in volume. If the first is more formal, illuminating mostly the "outer life" of the characters, the second is devoted to the inner life of Sonya and Rodion.

This part (a summary of the epilogue "Crime and Punishment" above) highlights a very significant stage, which marked the spiritual development of the protagonist. We learn at first that he, having confessed everything in court and having spent a lot of time in penal servitude, did not repent of his crime, he did not reconsider his attitude to him.

The only thing that Rodion complained about, that he was frustrated, was disappointment in himself for not being able to endure his act and was guilty. About the sharp turn in the hero's inner world tells us the author only at the end of the work (the epilogue of the novel "Crime and Punishment"). And its value can not be overestimated.

What did Raskolnikov feel after committing a crime?

As we see, his action is assessed only from a mundane point of view, the protagonist of the work "Crime and Punishment". A brief summary of the epilogue shows how his inner world has changed. At first Raskolnikov cares only what people think or say about him.

Rodion, reasoning from such positions, is perplexed. He can not understand what his crime is so terrible, if all the others admit the same, and the law is only the result of the desire or whim of individual people. From this he concludes that his fault consists only in weakness, in that he failed to overcome moral torments.

The hero does not think about the very essence of the matter, does not consider that murder is a terrible act, which is contrary to human nature. It was for this reason that the torments began. But while the hero is still very far from this discovery.

Spiritual crisis in hard labor

Raskolnikov in katorga is a spiritual breakthrough, which marked the beginning of a new life. His harbinger is the disease of the protagonist. Strange visions come to him in delirium. The soul of Rodion once again makes him a hint, strives to direct the true path.

The role of Raskolnikov's sleep, which he saw during his illness

In a dream that Raskolnikov sees, through a fantastic plot Dostoevsky conveys his own point of view about the spreading around godless, nihilistic ideas like the one Rodion had. This dream is not accidentally described in the work (the epilogue of the novel "Crime and Punishment").

Analysis of it can be done next. Theories like those of Raskolnikov make people demoniac, insane, infect them. But, worst of all, this is not noticed by the infected, who think of themselves as missions elected. The human race is degenerating with such ideas. Only a few fragile souls who have preserved moral purity, are able to save people from destruction.

It was the dream that changed something in Raskolnikov's mind. He helped him understand what Rodion had felt for a long time. He finally realized that he loves Sonya, that she is his support, support and salvation. When the main character wakes up, he does not realize that a change has taken place in him, but he feels in his soul what the other prisoners unconsciously disliked in him: that he is sick with this very infection. Her name is contempt for people, pride, dislike, disbelief!

The true culmination of the novel

When Rodion sees Sonya again, his soul finally awakens, and his eyes re-opened, filled with tears. Strong pain, but already giving light, and not gloomy, throws him at Sonya's feet in sobs. This cleanses the rebellious heart of the protagonist.

Raskolnikov, having opened his love for one man, gradually began to love everyone. It is not without reason that other convicts changed their attitude to him, which Dostoyevsky mentions (the epilogue of the novel "Crime and Punishment"). Analysis of the composition allows you to judge that it is in the epilogue - the real culmination of the novel! This is the triumph of faith and love. Raskolnikov finally opened the Gospel for the first time, than the epilogue ends.

"Crime and Punishment," the summary of which we examined, without this finale would lose a significant part of the ideas that Dostoevsky wanted to convey to us. It is in him that we understand that in Raskolnikov's life a new moment comes - the moment of rebirth. And although the writer does not tell us about Rodion's future fate, it becomes clear that this life will be completely different. Between the lines in the epilge there are life-affirming, light chords that mark the spiritual revival of Raskolnikov. In full measure, Dostoevsky's deep conviction is that every person has a divine spark in his heart.

In many ways the work "Crime and Punishment" was written just for the sake of this epilogue. Dostoevsky maintains in him that revival and forgiveness are possible for any person, even if he is a terrible criminal. The epilogue of the novel "Crime and Punishment", the brief content of which you just read, gives everyone hope for a spiritual rebirth. It is necessary for this only repentance and "turn" to people, to love, to peace, towards God. It was for this that the epilogue was needed. "Crime and Punishment," the summary of which, of course, does not convey the greatness of this work, is a novel about spiritual revival, in which the writer never ceases to believe.