Crime and Punishment: Part V - Mar.12 -19

[Silver]

PART V

CHAPTER I

CHAPTER II

CHAPTER III

CHAPTER IV

CHAPTER V

[Amalie]

Ok, so we are continuing the discussions on C&P. If you comment on something beyond these chapters, please warn others with ***spoilers included**** or use the formatting tips in Goodreads, (some html is ok)

Katerina death (for me) is the most important one in this part other than the confession. I think both of these are acts of confessions. She defends Sonya against the mocking laughters and praises her for all to hear, . Her tears may be results from her guilt for her role in Sonya's prostitution. She berated the girl and bullied her until she obeyed. The kissing Sonya's feet afterwards (I just realized I hve added spoilers in the previous thread :O). Katerina seems forever abused by circumstance to her death.

Leave any comments or other interesting things you found reading this part.

P.S. Sorry about the spoilers in the previous thread.

[Amalie]

dely wrote: "Tarun wrote: "Its difficult to say that he really was in love with Sonya. "

I didn't mean that he loved Sonya as a woman but he loved (or admired, respected) Sonya as a person who suffered but was..."

It's interesting how I completely missed this one. I guess because violence and criminality dominate much of this novel, you have to look closer to get to the love. Even then "romantic" relationships are loaded with cruelty, power plays and all.

The end of chapter 4 is significant. Raskolnikov can't quite take her love which I think represents Jesus' love. Earlier she says "Accept suffering and redeem yourself by it." and he answers "That's why I came, because I'm wicked." It's like he has come to Sonya to seek salvation by shifting his burden onto her. In religious terms Jesus came to save sinners by taking upon himself their burdens.

Then him refusing the cross means that both literally and figuratively I guess, he still doesn't want to bear his cross just yet. He still lacks humility, there's still pride and arrogance in him. Just like Luzhin's.

Coming back to the theme love, it seems to have a duel role in the novel. In one side kindness and loving acts has the capacity to make way to redemption while others like Sonia's love for Katerina and Marmeladov is actually destructive for her.

[dely]

Amalie wrote: "Coming back to the theme love, it seems to have a duel role in the novel. In one side kindness and loving acts has the capacity to make way to redemption while others like Sonia's love for Katerina and Marmeladov is actually destructive for her. "

I think that Sonya's love is pure and so she is moved by pity helping Marmeladov and Katerina (and also her siblings). Though she suffers, she (with this pure love) would never be able to be selfish and abandon them. How you said, it is very similar to Jesus' love, pure and without expecting something in return in the earthly life; accepting sacrifices in the name of faith and in the name of God.

Are you re-reading the book? Just curious to now if you already know the end :)

[[deleted user]]

What I always found to interesting in this part is how Raskolnikov tries to explain his Napoleon theory to Sonia and how she doesn't really get his logic which makes us question whether there really is any logic to his theory.

[Amalie]

dely wrote: "Are you re-reading the book? Just curious to now if you already know the end :) ..."

I'm a fan of Dostoyevsky, Hardy, the Brontes etc. so I don't mind revisiting them but you can say this is my first "real" reading of C&P because the previous translation I read was bad and I didn't like it much. And yes, I do know what will happen but don't remember everything in detail :)

This would've been even nicer if there were more readers.