In my essay, I would like to explore Dostoevsky’s view of free will. In Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov approaches hard determinism, that is, the belief that free will does not exist, as he justifies his murders and convinces himself that the environment is solely responsible for his own actions. In the third chapter of A Writer’s Diary, Dostoevsky provides his perspective of the Russian judicial system, and argues that Russian juries are flawed because they feel more comfortable acquitting the accused, a mere victim of his environment, than convicting him. Dostoevsky believes that such a mindset is unchristian-like and conflicts with one’s civic duty. In Crime and Punishment, we see this view manifest through the development of the main character as Dostoevsky suggests the danger of nihilism by demonstrating how nihilism, as seen through Raskolnikov’s self-will, progresses towards determinism. This message against determinism aligns with Dostoevsky’s existentialist beliefs that humans have the freedom to choose their life paths and their associated meaning.
Scenes I plan to focus on:
- Part III: Conversation with Porfiry. Unveils the complexity of Raskolnikov, whose faith in the New Jerusalem conflicts with his determinism.
- Part V: Confession to Sonya. Discuss how the relationship serves as “a vehicle for an escape from a type of nihilistic existentialism.”
*Also will briefly discuss Part I: The murder of the old woman and Lizaveta as it is important to introduce the type of person our protagonist is and the motivation for the novel’s plot.