This Casebook is a collection of interpretations of Crime and Punishment. The selection not only reflects earlier work by major critics in the field, but also more recent studies. At the same time the choice of critical approaches has been made on the basis of covering the novel's various aspects: Dostoevsky's debt to other novelists in the European tradition; his roots as a writer in the so-called "Natural School" of the 1840s with its emphasis on the theme of the city; the thematic and symbolic structure of the novel itself; the psychology of the hero; the philosophical content of the novel and its relationship to contemporary thought; the novel's religious dimension. This latter approach has long been established in western criticism, but the two essays with which the Casebook concludes are by modern Russian scholars, who examine the novel in the light of their own Orthodox tradition.

Welcome to the gripping world of "Crime and Punishment" by Fyodor Dostoevsky, a timeless masterpiece of Russian literature that delves deep into the complexities of human psychology, morality, and redemption. Prepare to be enthralled by the riveting tale of a young man's descent into darkness and his journey towards spiritual awakening and redemption. Follow the compelling story of Rodion Raskolnikov, a troubled former student who wrestles with his own inner demons as he navigates the harsh realities of life in 19th-century St. Petersburg. As Raskolnikov grapples with poverty, despair, and moral ambiguity, you'll find yourself drawn into a world of moral ambiguity and psychological intrigue. Explore the rich tapestry of characters that populate Dostoevsky's world, from the enigmatic Raskolnikov himself to the colorful cast of friends, family, and acquaintances who shape his destiny. Through their interactions and experiences, you'll gain insight into the complexities of human relationships and the eternal struggle between good and evil. Themes of guilt, redemption, and the nature of justice permeate the narrative, inviting readers to confront their own moral beliefs and wrestle with the consequences of their actions. As Raskolnikov grapples with the consequences of his crime and seeks absolution for his sins, you'll find yourself pondering the nature of forgiveness and the possibility of redemption. The overall tone and mood of "Crime and Punishment" are imbued with a sense of darkness and despair, as Dostoevsky's evocative prose and vivid descriptions transport you to the gritty streets and dimly lit alleys of St. Petersburg. From the bustling markets to the squalid tenements, you'll experience the full spectrum of human emotion and experience. Critically acclaimed for its psychological depth, philosophical insight, and masterful storytelling, "Crime and Punishment" has earned its place as a classic of world literature. Its enduring relevance and universal themes continue to resonate with readers of all ages, inspiring them to confront their own inner demons and seek redemption in the face of adversity. Whether you're a fan of classic literature, a student of human nature, or simply someone looking for a compelling story that will stay with you long after you've turned the final page, "Crime and Punishment" promises to captivate and inspire. Its timeless exploration of guilt, morality, and the human condition will leave you pondering the mysteries of existence and the nature of redemption. Don't miss your chance to experience the power of "Crime and Punishment" by Fyodor Dostoevsky. Secure your copy now and discover why this timeless masterpiece continues to captivate readers around the world.

A celebrated new translation of Dostoevsky’s masterpiece reveals the “social problems facing our own society” (Nation). Published to great acclaim and fierce controversy in 1866, Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment has left an indelible mark on global literature and on our modern world. Declared a PBS “Great American Read,” Michael Katz’s sparkling new translation gives new life to the story of Raskolnikov, an impoverished student who sees himself as extraordinary and therefore free to commit crimes—even murder—in a work that best embodies the existential dilemmas of man’s instinctual will to power. Embracing the complex linguistic blend inherent in modern literary Russian, Katz “revives the intensity Dostoevsky’s first readers experienced, and proves that Crime and Punishment still has the power to surprise and enthrall us” (Susan Reynolds). With its searing and unique portrayal of the labyrinthine universe of nineteenth-century St. Petersburg, this “rare Dostoevsky translation” (William Mills Todd III, Harvard) will captivate lovers of world literature for years to come.

Crime and Punishment is the story of a murder committed on principle, of a killer who wishes to set himself outside and above society. It is marked by Dostoevsky's own harrowing experience, and yet there are moments of wild humour. This authoritative translation comes with a challenging new introduction and helpful annotation.

*A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice * One of The East Hampton Star's 10 Best Books of the Year* From the New York Times bestselling author of The Most Dangerous Book, the true story behind the creation of another masterpiece of world literature, Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment. The Sinner and the Saint is the deeply researched and immersive tale of how Dostoevsky came to write this great murder story—and why it changed the world. As a young man, Dostoevsky was a celebrated writer, but his involvement with the radical politics of his day condemned him to a long Siberian exile. There, he spent years studying the criminals that were his companions. Upon his return to St. Petersburg in the 1860s, he fought his way through gambling addiction, debilitating debt, epilepsy, the deaths of those closest to him, and literary banishment to craft an enduring classic. The germ of Crime and Punishment came from the sensational story of Pierre François Lacenaire, a notorious murderer who charmed and outraged Paris in the 1830s. Lacenaire was a glamorous egoist who embodied the instincts that lie beneath nihilism, a western-influenced philosophy inspiring a new generation of Russian revolutionaries. Dostoevsky began creating a Russian incarnation of Lacenaire, a character who could demonstrate the errors of radical politics and ideas. His name would be Raskolnikov. Lacenaire shaped Raskolnikov in profound ways, but the deeper insight, as Birmingham shows, is that Raskolnikov began to merge with Dostoevsky. Dostoevsky was determined to tell a murder story from the murderer's perspective, but his character couldn't be a monster. No. The murderer would be chilling because he wants so desperately to be good. The writing consumed Dostoevsky. As his debts and the predatory terms of his contract caught up with him, he hired a stenographer to dictate the final chapters in time. Anna Grigorievna became Dostoevsky's first reader and chief critic and changed the way he wrote forever. By the time Dostoevsky finished his great novel, he had fallen in love. Dostoevsky's great subject was self-consciousness. Crime and Punishment advanced a revolution in artistic thinking and began the greatest phase of Dostoevsky's career. The Sinner and the Saint now gives us the thrilling and definitive story of that triumph.

A celebrated new translation of Dostoevsky’s masterpiece reveals the “social problems facing our own society” (Nation). Published to great acclaim and fierce controversy in 1866, Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment has left an indelible mark on global literature and on our modern world. Declared a PBS “Great American Read,” Michael Katz’s sparkling new translation gives new life to the story of Raskolnikov, an impoverished student who sees himself as extraordinary and therefore free to commit crimes—even murder—in a work that best embodies the existential dilemmas of man’s instinctual will to power. Embracing the complex linguistic blend inherent in modern literary Russian, Katz “revives the intensity Dostoevsky’s first readers experienced, and proves that Crime and Punishment still has the power to surprise and enthrall us” (Susan Reynolds). With its searing and unique portrayal of the labyrinthine universe of nineteenth-century St. Petersburg, this “rare Dostoevsky translation” (William Mills Todd III, Harvard) will captivate lovers of world literature for years to come.

Hailed by Washington Post Book World as “the best [translation] currently available" when it was first published, this second edition of Crime and Punishment has been updated in honor of the 200th anniversary of Dostoevsky’s birth. With the same suppleness, energy, and range of voices that won their translation of The Brothers Karamazov the PEN/Book-of-the-Month Club Prize, Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky offer a brilliant translation of Crime and Punishment, Dostoevsky's astounding pyschological thriller, newly revised for his bicentenniel. In Crime and Punishment, when Raskolnikov, an impoverished student living in the St. Petersburg of the tsars, commits an act of murder and theft, he sets into motion a story that is almost unequalled in world literature for its excruciating suspense, its atmospheric vividness, and its depth of characterization and vision. Dostoevsky’s drama of sin, guilt, and redemption transforms the sordid story of an old woman’s murder into the nineteenth century’s profoundest and most compelling philosophical novel.

‘Novel in Nine Letters’ is an incredibly inventive short story by Dostoevsky about a comical miscommunication between two friends. The story unfolds through letters as we learn that Ivan is unsuccessfully trying to collect money that he loaned to Pyotr. A comedy of errors ensues as neither man understands the other and Ivan becomes paranoid that Pyotr is avoiding him. Their world becomes a labyrinth as they attempt to connect but consistently fail due to unfortunate mishaps until a shocking final letter reveals what their previous correspondence could not. This story, which is one of Dostoevsky’s earliest, shows why he would become one of the most celebrated Russian writers of all time. It creatively blends farce and social commentary and has two compelling characters that readers can root for and against. ‘Novel in Nine Letters’ is as relevant in the social media age as when it was written, and its satirical nature makes it a perfect read for fans of ‘A Confederacy of Dunces’. Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821-1881) was a famous Russian writer of novels, short stories, and essays. A connoisseur of the troubled human psyche and the relationships between the individuals, Dostoevsky’s oeuvre covers a large area of subjects: politics, religion, social issues, philosophy, and the uncharted realms of the psychological. He is most famous for the novels ‘Crime and Punishment’, ‘The Idiot’, and ‘The Brothers Karamazov’. James Joyce described Dostoevsky as the creator of ‘modern prose’ and his literary legacy is influential to this day as Dostoevsky’s work has been adapted for many movies including ‘The Double’ starring Jesse Eisenberg.

Recounting the murder of an elderly woman by a student expelled from university, Crime and Punishment is a psychological and political novel that portrays the strains on Russian society in the middle of the nineteenth century. Its protagonist, Raskolnikov, moves in a world of dire poverty, disillusionment, radicalism, and nihilism interwoven with religious faith and utopianism. In Dostoevsky's innovative style, which he called fantastic realism, the narrator frequently reports from within the protagonist's mind. The depiction of the desperate lives of tradespeople, students, alcoholics, prostitutes, and criminals gives readers insight into the urban society of St. Petersburg at the time. The first part of this book offers instructors guidance on editions and translations, a map of St. Petersburg showing locations mentioned in the novel, a list of characters and an explanation of the Russian naming system, and recommendations for further reading. In the second part, essays analyze key scenes, address many of Dostoevsky's themes, and consider the roles of ethics, gender, money, Orthodox Christianity, and social justice in the narrative. The volume concludes with essays on digital media, film adaptations, and questions of translation.

The gruesome double-murder upon which the novel Crime and Punishment hinges leads its culprit, Raskolnikov, into emotional trauma and obsessive, destructive self-reflection. But Raskolnikov's famous philosophical musings are just part of the full philosophical thought manifest in one of Dostoevsky's most famous novels. This volume, uniquely, brings together prominent philosophers and literary scholars to deepen our understanding of the novel's full range of philosophical thought. The seven essays treat a diversity of topics, including: language and the representation of the human mind, emotions and the susceptibility to loss, the nature of agency, freedom and the possibility of evil, the family and the failure of utopian critique, the authority of law and morality, and the dialogical self. Further, authors provide new approaches for thinking about the relationship between literary representation and philosophy, and the way that Dostoevsky labored over intricate problems of narrative form in Crime and Punishment. Together, these essays demonstrate a seminal work's full philosophical worth--a novel rich with complex themes whose questions reverberate powerfully into the 21st century.