Sonya, Svidrigailov, and Lebezyatnikov represent three sides of Raskolnikov. How? Which sides?
In his novel Crime and Punishment, famous Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky aimed at solving an important psychological and moral issue, in particular, to show people the failure of empty and fabled theories, as well as reveal their dangerous and destructive forces. It was the theory that became the idea of the main character, Rodion Raskolnikov, who decided that a strong person had the right to ignore the laws of conscience and morality to achieve his goal.
The Raskolnikov's purpose was noble: to retrieve his relatives, in particular, mother and sister, from humiliation and death. But here again we are facing one of the eternal questions: does the end justify the means? Thus, step by step Dostoevsky reveals the falseness of his character's theories describing their disastrous consequences for the Raskolnikov's soul. The author tries to show his readers that there are no aims in the world capable of justifying a crime. And there is no crime that would be unpunished. That is because apart from the state laws, there are the laws of conscience, which cannot be deceived by anyone.
In order to most clearly and convincingly expose the «Napoleonic» ideas of Raskolnikov, the author surrounds him with the characters to be Rodion's counterparts: they become like a false mirror for the protagonist, displaying all his thoughts, as well as parodying or shading one or another side of his personality. As a result, the Dostoevsky's novel appears to be not so much the judgement of the crime, but the judgement of the personality, character, psychology of a human being.
Raskolnikov has an extraordinary mind. He is kind, warm-hearted, empathetic. In a word, he is a man who indeed can feel, love and suffer. So, cherishing his anti-human idea, Rodion is in doubt all the time. He hesitates and tries to justify his criminal plans with the great ideas of the good. Nevertheless, his ideas do not become less criminal and less damaging to him because of that. So, in order to prove this, the writer introduces with such new characters as Lebezyatnikov and Svidrigailov. These people are not hidden under the mask of well-doers; they have the same thoughts and theories gnawed at the protagonist's heart and mind. In this case, each of these characters has his special role in the novel.
One of the characters who possesses the traits and ideas of the protagonist is «progressist» Lebezyatnikov. The protest cult in his interpretation gets the form of militant stupidity and compromises the chosen Raskolnikov's rebellious way of getting the world reconstructed to be able to assert himself.
Lebezyatnikov is interested in the ideas of Fourier and Darwin, but mostly in the idea of women's emancipation. Sonya's terrifying situation he considers as a normal status of a woman in society (although it was Lebezyatknikov who strongly was against living with Sonya in the same apartment). Thus, speaking about the Lebezyatnikov's points of view, Dostoevsky parodies Socialists' vulgar view of human nature. As known, many Socialists believed the person's character entirely depended on society. Although, Lebezyatnikov supports all those fashionable theories, he also keeps in mind some ideas of honor and justice. Thus, he angrily unmasks Luzhin, who tried to malign Sonya.
Another «twin» of Rodion Raskolnikov is Svidrigailov, a person completely out of notions of conscience and honor. His character is a kind of warning to the protagonist showing a bright example of what will happen with Rodion, if he does not obey the voice of his own conscience, as well as wants to live with the crime done and not redeemed by suffering. In this character, Dostoevsky reveals the depth of moral fall of a human being. Thus, it is Svidrigailov who is the most dangerous for Raskolnikov, as he constantly reassures the protagonist that they are the same. Nevertheless, Rodion tries to get rid of this terrible man but unsuccessfully. Apparent similarity of the major character and his “twin” may be brightly noticed, as the author shows the relation to other people and to themselves. That is why, Svidrigailov's suicide became a final destruction of Raskolnikov's ideas.
Raskolnikov's antipode is prostitute Sonya. All her actions are surprisingly sincere and open-hearted. She does not do anything for herself, but all for the sake of someone, in particular, her stepmother, step brothers and sisters, Raskolnikov. Sonya's character is an image of a true Christian and righteous. It is fully revealed in the scene of Raskolnikov's admission of guilt. It is here where Sonya's theory, the “theory of God", may be seen. She cannot understand and accept the ideas of Raskolnikov; she denies his disregard to others. For her, all people are equal and will face only God's trial. According to her, there is not a single person in the world who would have the right to shape people's destiny. Sonya calls on Raskolnikov to make penance, and agrees to support him. She wants him to come to the truth through sufferings. So, a prostitute stirring up sympathy and love is purely Dostoevsky's idea of humanism and Christianity.
Thus, unlike his counterparts Lebezyatnikov and Svidrigailov, Raskolnikov did not lose himself, and thanks to Sonya's support acquired a new lease of life keeping his human soul alive. So, the author asserts the idea that every human being has a chance and he/she does not have the right to miss it.
Works Cited
Bartleby.com, 2014. Dostoevsky, Fyodor. 1917. Crime and Punishment. Vol. XVIII. Harvard Classics Shelf of Fiction. Web. 20 October 2014. <http://www.bartleby.com/318/>
