Throughout Chapter 6, we see Raskolnikov come to terms with his nihilism
(albeit somewhat unsteadily). He is increasingly willing to upend the
social expectation that he value self-preservation, as we see him
heavily implicate himself as the murderer in front of Zamyotov. However,
Dostoyevsky makes an important distinction regarding Raskolnikov's
apparent disregard for his own life when Raskolnikov witnesses a woman's
attempted suicide at --------sky Bridge.
Dostoyevsky first notes the woman's disconnectedness from everyone:
"She was looking straight at [Raskolnikov], but obviously saw nothing
and recognized no one" (Dostoyevsky 169). This woman, who is about to
attempt suicide, seems to share Raskolnikov's alienation from the rest
of humanity, as she is "looking straight at" Raskolnikov but nonetheless
"sees nothing." Raskolnikov, because he doubts his own perception of
reality, also "sees nothing" in others and fiercely desires to be left
alone, separated from what he cannot accept as true with complete
confidence.
However, despite this seeming similarity between the woman and
Raskolnikov, he regards the woman's suicide attempt with "a strange
feeling of indifference and detachment. [The woman's suicide attempt]
was disgusting to him" (Dostoyevsky 170). What Dostoyevsky indicates
with Raskolnikov's aversion to the woman's actions is a clear
articulation of Raskolnikov's existential form of nihilism. Raskolnikov
sees the actions of the woman as "disgusting" because, although it is an
expression of disdain for the value of human life (that is, by being
willing to extinguish it), he wants to meet with death on his own terms.
Raskolnikov's firm belief in only what he can consider as an individual
creates his reaction of "indifference and attachment" to the thoughts
and expressions of another individual, however nihilistic they may be.
To be clear, Raskolnikov does not reject the woman's actions
because he sees inherent value in life, but rather because he wants to
die in a different manner; by turning himself in to the police, he can
receive full condemnation from society. He articulates this individually
inspired plan of action when he says to himself, "'Nothing will come of
it' … 'no point in waiting. What's that - the police station?"
(Dostoyevsky 170). Thus, Raskolnikov indicates that he does not see
inherent meaning in anything, but still makes it clear that he values
his own individual choice to end his own life through his rejection of
society at large (putting his beliefs more in line with existential
nihilism).
Life is a struggle and a great suffering, but to end it deliberately is the ultimate defeat. I agree with Nicky's interpretation in that Raskolnikov clearly believes life to be valueless, pointless, and self-defeating. But I'm convinced that Raskolnikov's disgust with suicide does not arise out of a drive to CHOOSE how to die, but rather out of a paradoxical evaluation that the solution to the suffering of life is not to end it. To "end it all," as Raskolnikov desires to, explicitly does NOT mean to commit suicide, but rather to engage in a celebration of life in a different fashion. Though life may be characterized by a great degree of suffering, the solution is to change the way one relates to society, rather than to quit society all together. Raskolnikov's rejection of rules and social standards is just such an attempt at reform, celebrating the agency of changing society instead of passively submitting to the siren call of death.
ReplyDeleteThis is Sam.
ReplyDeleteI conquer with my colleague Nicky's opinion regarding Raskolnikov's unwillingness to forsake self preservation, but I am afraid that I am going to have to disagree with why Raskolnikov is disgusted with the woman's actions. I believe Raskolnikov wants his fellow Nihilists to preach their vision of a world unbound by social constraints. This is clearly because through Raskolinikov, Dostoyevsky himself is preaching Marxism (the communist Manifesto was published in 1848 and Crime and punishment was published in 1866). It may be far fetched however Dostoevsky's political opinions are clear in an incomplete article he wrote called "Socialism and Christianity" where he said that traditional western opinions of God should be cast out and that such opinions like 'Chacun pour soi et Dieu pour tous' [Every man for himself and God for all]. Crime and Punishment, pfft, it's more like the communist manifesto part 2. Because of this, I believe that this is the first of many instances where Dostoevsky calls his reader to embrace his communist dreams.
I agree that Raskolnikov places a different value in life than most people, but I don't think he has a aversion to this woman's suicide that he seems to affect. In some ways, the suicide is an external manifestation of raskolnikovs inner monologue. I think that is Raskolnikov had actually thrown the bag of stolen goods in the river, he would have followed. Although he has changed a lot since the beginning, his fevered mind would have told him to jump at the river. Maybe in another way, this is a foreshadowing of Raskolnikov's mind as the book progresses. Either way, I don't actually think that Raskolnikov feels any true aversion the suicide.
ReplyDeleteRaskolnikov clearly asserts his beliefs about the meaninglessness of life, but the text does not clearly assert that he is seeking an alternative way of dying--at least, in the literal meaning. A suicide, an actual death, would do nothing to help Raskolnikov project his nihilism; a suicide, especially one that ends in the vile waters of the river, may be interpreted as succumbing to society's burdens. I agree with Lev that deliberate death would be the ultimate defeat; Raskolnikov would accomplish much more (and better "represent" nihilism) by living to reject societal standards, not fleeing from them.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the reader is supposed to compare the suicidal woman and Raskolnikov, but I disagree that Raskolnikov has such a disregard for human life, as on page 158 he brings up the case of a man facing capital punishment who would rather live alone on a ledge for the rest of his life than die, a sentiment that Raskolnikov shares. He and the woman are both trying to escape society, but he does not have the desire to die; the idea disgusts him (note that he does not say that the woman disgusts him, but that the entire scene unfolding disgusts him: "Raskolnikov looked upon it all with a strange feeling of indifference and detachment. It was disgusting to him" pg. 170). His indifference and disgust is directed towards the way society is working in response to the incident, which mirrors the way Razumikhin responded towards Raskolnikov.
ReplyDeleteRaskolnikov has come to disregard social norms and the opinions of others and, at this point, has turned his focus almost entirely inward. I think that he is disgusted by the woman's actions because by committing suicide she is allowing external influences overrule her sense of self preservation. As a nihilist, Raskolnikov sees himself as disconnected from the world and has therefore put his own opinion above that of others. He would not turn to suicide at this point because he can not imagine and being or objective more important than himself.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that while Raskolnikov can't believe that the women committed suicide, he personally decides to not let it affect him (on pg 170 he comments that he did not want to reflect about the incident). Seeing her, in a way, turn her self in by killing herself does allow Raskolnikov to reconsider going to the police station, as he decides "to end it because [Raskolnikov] wants to." We see Raskolnikov end up making his own decisions, and in his nihilistic ways, he doesn't seem to care that he will be stuck "in a square foot of space." At this point, Raskolnikov simply does not seem to worry about what will happen to him, but what is important is that he has full control over that situation.
ReplyDeleteNoting a very important passage from earlier on in the chapter, "Raskolnikov thought as he walked on, 'where was it that I read about a man condemned to death saying...if he had to live somewhere high up on a cliffside, on a ledge so narrow...with the abyss, the ocean, eternal darkness, eternal solitude...[for] an eternity- it would be better to live so than to die right now! How true!" (Page 158). This internal discourse is where Raskolnikov's disgust for the suicide attempt invariably stems from. Though his nihilism asserts that life is meaningless, he nonetheless still places inherent value in the necessity of life. To "quit" and choose death over life, no matter how miserable, deeply disgusts him.
ReplyDeleteRaskolnikov wants to turn himself in because that would be going out on his own terms, but I don't believe he wants the condemnation from society. Going out with a condemnation from society appears little different than the woman who is committing suicide, likely due to pressure from society. Raskolnikov is disgusted because he can't imagine a more non-nihilistic action than to let yourself be controlled by society, and a condemnation from society is precisely that. Raskolnikov wants to go out on his own terms because he is the only person that he is responsible to and for.
ReplyDelete--gabo
I too believe that Raskolnikov values self-preservation, but concerning the woman's suicide, I do not think that he is disgusted because of a disregard for his own life. A true nihilist would commit suicide like the woman, away from everyone and everything. However, Raskolnikov is put off by her act because she is not receiving the societal condemnation that he wants when he dies. This again proves that the main character still remains in a non-nihilist state, wary of society's feelings toward him and his actions.
ReplyDeleteEven though Raskolnikov no loner feels a connection to society, he is still yearns to be noticed by it and is unable to resist the temptation of receiving condemnation. Both the woman and Raskolnikov are self-destructive, but unlike the woman, Raskolnikov refuses to go without being noticed. He is not truly nihilistic because he is still dependent on society.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Raskolnikov is completely disillusioned and separated from the norm of society, specifically in his opening statements when he chooses not to pay rent and avoid the landlady, and when he chooses to avoid people as he roams the street. Sympathetically I can conclude that ultimately all Raskolnikov wishes is to left alone with himself. We see a distinct emptiness in him through the small interaction between him and the woman who attempted suicide in that she didn't see anything in his eyes. However I feel that Raskolnikov has the choice to allow others to see his true passion and empathy towards life, he simply continuously battles with himself to stay under the radar.
ReplyDeleteI will have to slightly disagree. I think that Raskolnikov is not defined solely by his nihilism, but rather that in seeing the woman's suicide and feeling disgusted, we are exposed to the fact that he does in fact value his life. He is very outspoken about his nihilism, both in his words and his actions, but I think in seeing the suicidal woman he reveals that he does in fact value life, and this is what leads him to almost confess to the murders. Why would he confess to the murders if he disregarded the value of life? He would not feel any burden living with the guilt for the rest of his days if he thought his life was unimportant. No, he has this interior struggle between guilt and self preservation because he finds value in life, and he is unsettled by the idea of wasting the rest of his life away in his crazed, sickly manner.
ReplyDelete