What do the theories of Raskolnikov and Luzhin have in common? Svidrigailov and Luzhin as a reflection of the “dark” side of Raskolnikov’s personality

The work Crime and Punishment has become a classic of Russian literature. This psychological novel, where in leading role stands former student Raskolnikov, however, other images are also revealed in the author’s work. So in the novel we meet Luzhin, who was a person deeply opposed to the author himself. But this type of people existed. In addition, this character allowed for a deeper study and understanding of Raskolnik himself, whose moral double was Luzhin. At first glance, this is completely different images, but they had very important similarities. Both had their own theory and each of them followed it. So Luzhin’s theory consisted of reasonable egoism, and according to it people should only take into account their own interests. According to Raskolnikov's theory, great people were allowed everything, so he wanted to find out who he was - a trembling creature or someone who had the right.

Having studied the novel, we understand that the image of Luzhin is the worst manifestation of a person, and in order to get to know Raskolnikov and Luzhin better, we will make a comparative one, noting their similarities and differences.

Raskolnikov is the hero of the novel who dropped out of school due to his poverty and inability to pay. He was used to dividing people into insignificants and Napoleons, and he wanted to find out who he was, so he committed a crime. However, in his theory that great people are allowed everything, he is mistaken. Believing that he has the right to punish and pardon, he later comes to the realization that his calculation is incorrect. Raskolnikov understands that his division of people into certain categories is wrong. He also understands that he a common person and in what he did. This one is big. True, Raskolnikov is cold towards her at first, but the girl’s love managed to awaken humanity in the hero. He reached out to the girl, fell in love with her, and accepted her attitude towards life.

The second character of Crime and Punishment, whose characteristics we will consider in ours, was Luzhin. Luzhin is a lawyer and adviser, on whose face one could always read grumpiness. He never gave in to emotions and was a successful, rational and practical person. Luzhin is vile, immoral, and does not disdain anything in order to achieve his goals. Luzhin loves gossip, the concept of nobility is unknown to him, and his desire in life was a career and enrichment. At the same time, he looks at life through the prism of his theory, believing that only egoists will be able to help others in the future.

Raskolnikov and Luzhin have both common features. Both are smart, but also vain, arrogant and mean. Moreover, Raskolnikov calls himself a scoundrel, but Katerina Ivanovna says that Luzhin is the scoundrel of scoundrels.

Raskolnikov and Luzhin, whom we are considering, dislike each other, not realizing that they are very similar, and they can even be called moral doubles. Most likely, the hostility between Raskolnikov and Luzhin arose because each of them opposite character saw my most worst traits, which irritated them greatly.

Raskolnikov and Luzhin: comparative characteristics

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Roman F.M. Dostoevsky's “Crime and Punishment” tells the story of a poor student Rodion Raskolnikov, who became an adherent of the theory of two categories of people (“those in power” and “trembling creatures”). This teaching completely changed the hero’s life, forced him to commit a crime, doomed him to suffering and pangs of conscience. The main problem of the work is the danger of life theories that assume the power of some people over others. According to the author, all of them are fundamentally incorrect, and following their laws will inevitably lead to tragic consequences. And he proves this by the example of the fate of the main character Rodion Raskolnikov, who killed the old pawnbroker and her sister Lizaveta (to check what category of people he belongs to) and ultimately ended up in hard labor for this crime.

In order for both the reader and the hero himself to think about the problem of false teachings, Dostoevsky creates a whole system of images in which the characters are “doubles” of Rodion. Their names are Pyotr Petrovich Luzhin and Arkady Ivanovich Svidrigailov. Like Raskolnikov, these people have their own beliefs about permissiveness. Getting to know each of your “doubles”, main character carried out important lessons. And, of course, he could not help but feel hostility towards such repulsive (but at the same time similar to him) personalities. However, Raskolnikov's attitude towards Luzhin was more hostile than towards Svidrigailov, although both characters were extremely unpleasant people.

Basically, Raskolnikov felt antipathy towards Luzhin because of his theory of “reasonable egoism”; according to it, every person should be guided only by personal interests, and then the world will prosper.

This teaching is in many ways close to Rodion’s theory, in which “supermen” can also do what they want (or what they consider beneficial) and not take into account the opinion of “trembling creatures.” Raskolnikov felt the similarity of his views with the views of Luzhin, but did not want to admit it, because he considered Pyotr Petrovich a pathetic and vulgar person. With his theory, this hero justified immoral actions; he allowed himself to call Pulcheria Alexandrovna “mother.” He slipped a hundred-ruble bill into Sonya’s pocket to frame the heroine. In addition, in order to improve his position in society, Luzhin wanted to marry Duna and make her his slave. Unlike Pyotr Petrovich, Raskolnikov was moral person(once he wanted to marry a wretched woman because he felt sorry for her). And even despite the fact that the hero overstepped his moral principles by committing a crime, the reader still understands that he has moral values ​​and a conscience (we remember how Raskolnikov suffers after committing murders). So, being a virtuous person, the main character hated Pyotr Petrovich for his immorality. However, he, again, could not help but see the similarities in their theories. He didn't want to be like such an unpleasant person; This was another reason for hostility.

However, when discussing Luzhin’s immorality, one cannot help but recall Raskolnikov’s second “double”, Svidrigailov, who sinned all his life. If Luzhin committed evil deeds in order to gain power, which he never had (since he was a “little man”), then Svidrigailov took pleasure in the atrocities themselves. According to his theory, make evil deed it is possible if it is needed to achieve a good goal, and if you do many good deeds, then one crime can be forgiven. Therefore, the hero sinned “shamelessly and unrestrainedly,” without experiencing pangs of conscience. This man, I think, was much more immoral than Luzhin; he was card sharper, was in prison, killed a servant; there are suspicions that he also killed his wife, Marfa Petrovna. Despite the fact that Raskolnikov feels disgust when talking with the hero and calls him a scoundrel, he sympathizes with him to some extent. Svidrigailov experiences natural human feelings: fear of death (he imagines life after death as a bathhouse with spiders), love (unlike Luzhin, he truly loved Avdotya Romanovna and wished her happiness), pity. However, Arkady Ivanovich committed too many sins in his life and, as he said, “crossed the line”; there is no turning back now. This hero was a kind of “warning” to Raskolnikov, because the same thing could happen to him if he did not abandon his theory. Therefore, Rodion could not experience strong antipathy towards Svidrigailov; the hero helped him do right choice and confess to the crime. Of course, Luzhin did not play such an important role for him.

Thus, of Raskolnikov’s two “doubles,” Luzhin is the most antipathetic to him. This hero was immoral and unscrupulous, which Rodion did not tolerate. In addition, Pyotr Petrovich humiliated the protagonist’s close people (Dunya, Sonya, mother). And if Raskolnikov sympathized with Svidrigailov, then he felt only hatred for Luzhin.

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The narrative structure of Dostoevsky's novel Crime and Punishment is quite complex. At the center of the work is the image of the main character, Rodion Raskolnikov, with his idea of ​​“allowing blood according to conscience.” All other characters are somehow connected with Raskolnikov. The main character is surrounded in the novel by “doubles”, in whose minds his idea is refracted differently.

One of Raskolnikov's doubles in the novel is Pyotr Petrovich Luzhin. Dostoevsky characterizes this hero sharply negatively. This is a rich man, a brilliant businessman who came to St. Petersburg in the hope of building his career. “Having made his way out of insignificance,” he became accustomed to “painfully admiring himself” and highly valued his intelligence and abilities. Luzhin's main dream was to get married. Most of all, he wanted to “elevate to himself”, to bless some poor girl, certainly beautiful and educated, for he knew that with women you can “win very, very much in St. Petersburg.”

These dreams, painful narcissism - all this testifies to the hero’s mental instability and his cynicism. Having “made his way out of insignificance” with the help of money, in his soul and in character he remained a nonentity.

Luzhin - business man, who values ​​money obtained “by labor and by all means” more than anything else in the world. He respects himself, considers himself smart, progressive person, working for the benefit of the whole society. Luzhin even has his own theory, which he gladly develops in front of Raskolnikov. This “theory of rational egoism” says: “love yourself first, first of all, for everything in the world is based on personal interest.” Luzhin believes: if everyone acts guided only by their own interests, then there will be more successful citizens in society, “organized private affairs.” Consequently, “acquiring solely and exclusively for himself,” a person works for the benefit of “general prosperity,” for the benefit of economic progress.

In life, Pyotr Petrovich is consistently guided by his theory. Marriage to Avdotya Romanovna pleases his painful pride, and besides, it can contribute to his career. Raskolnikov opposes this marriage, and Luzhin quickly finds a way to rectify the situation. In order to denigrate Rodion in the eyes of his relatives and regain Dunya’s favor, he accuses Sonya of theft by planting a banknote on her.

Analyzing Luzhin's theory, we notice its striking similarity with Raskolnikov's theory, in which a person's personal interest also dominates. “Everything is allowed to Napoleons,” Raskolnikov categorically asserts. In the murder of the old pawnbroker, of course, there is also the hero’s personal interest. One of the motives for this murder is Raskolnikov’s desire to test his theory, to find out what type of people he himself belongs to: “...am I a trembling creature or do I have the right?”

Raskolnikov’s theory, in his opinion, is also designed to save humanity from world evil and is aimed at developing progress. Mohammeds, Napoleons, Lycurgus - people of the future who “move the world and lead it to the goal.” They "destroy the present for the sake of the future."

It is characteristic that Raskolnikov did not like Luzhin’s theory at all. Perhaps intuitively he felt in it a similarity with his own ideas. It is not for nothing that he notices to Pyotr Petrovich that according to his, Luzhin’s theory, it turns out that “people can be cut.” As Yu. Karyakin notes, this similarity probably explains Raskolnikov’s unaccountable hatred of Luzhin.

Thus, Luzhin trivializes the protagonist’s theory, offering an “economic” version of this theory. Luzhin is Raskolnikov’s “double” in everyday life.

We find the extreme expression of Raskolnikov’s idea, its philosophical context, in the image of Svidrigailov. This image in the novel is very complex. Svidrigailov “is nowhere one-line, not so monotonously black.” It is Svidrigailov who restores Dunya Raskolnikova’s good name by revealing to Marfa Petrovna true position of things. He helps the orphaned Marmeladov family by organizing the funeral of Katerina Ivanovna and placing young children in “orphan institutions.” Arkady Ivanovich also helps Sonya, providing her with funds for her trip to Siberia.

This is definitely clever man, insightful, subtle in its own way. He has a great understanding of people. So, he immediately realized what kind of person Luzhin was, and decided to prevent Avdotya Romanovna from marrying him. As V. Ya. Kirpotin notes, “potentially Svidrigailov is a man of great conscience and great strength,” but all his inclinations were ruined by his way of life, Russian social conditions, and the lack of any ideals or clear moral guidelines for this hero. In addition, by nature Svidrigailov is endowed with a vice, which he cannot and does not want to fight. It's about about the hero's penchant for debauchery. He lives, obeying only the call of his own passions.

When meeting with Raskolnikov, Svidrigailov notes that there is “some common point” between them, that they are “birds of a feather.” In addition, the writer himself, to a certain extent, brings the characters closer together, developing the same motive in their depiction. This is the motive of the child, the motive of innocence and purity. It is said about Raskolnikov that he has a “childish smile”; in his first dream he sees himself as a seven-year-old boy. Sonya, with whom he is becoming increasingly close, reminds him of a child. There was a childish expression on Lizaveta’s face at the moment of Raskolnikov’s attack on her. Children appear to Svidrigailov in nightmares, reminding him of the atrocities he committed.

And already in the development of this motive, the difference between the heroes is revealed: if Raskolnikov carries this childishness and purity within himself (this is the best thing about the hero), then for Svidrigailov it is desecrated purity and innocence. It is not for nothing that Raskolnikov feels disgust when talking with Arkady Ivanovich: after all, Svidrigailov is encroaching on what is present in the depths of Rodion’s soul.

In the future, the difference between them becomes more and more noticeable. Raskolnikov's crime symbolized a protest against the injustice and cruelty of the world around him and unbearable living conditions. Of course, his secondary motives were the plight of the hero and his family, and the desire to test his theory. But, having committed murder, Raskolnikov can no longer live as before: he “as if he had cut himself off from everyone with scissors,” he has nothing to talk about with those around him. A feeling of painful alienation from people suddenly overcomes him.

However, as V. Ya. Kirpotin notes, both before and after the crime, the concepts of good and evil are significant for Raskolnikov; ideals were preserved in his soul. So, after committing a murder, the hero helps the Marmeladovs. Raskolnikov gives the last twenty rubles for the funeral of Semyon Zakharovich.

We find nothing like this in the nature of Svidrigailov, who is completely devastated and spiritually dead. Big life experience, self-sufficiency, a subtle mind coexist in his soul with cynicism and unbelief. Even love for Duna cannot “revive” him, only for a moment awakening in his soul impulses of nobility and truly human feelings. Svidrigailov is bored in life, nothing occupies his mind and heart, he does not believe in anything. Despite all this, Arkady Ivanovich indulges all his desires, both good and bad. Having completely destroyed young girl, he feels no remorse. Only once, on the night before his death, he is visited by a nightmare vision in the form of a ruined girl. Moreover, this vile story is apparently not the only crime of Svidrigailov. There is a lot of gossip and rumors about him, to which, however, he is indifferent. And Arkady Ivanovich himself hardly considers all these stories to be something out of the ordinary. There seem to be no moral boundaries for this man.

It is characteristic that at first it seems to Raskolnikov that Svidrigailov “lurks some kind of power over him,” he attracts Rodion. But soon Rodion becomes “hard” and “stifling” with this man, Raskolnikov begins to consider him “the most empty and insignificant villain in the world.”

Thus, along the path of evil Svidrigailov is coming much further than Raskolnikov. And in this regard, even the name of this character is symbolic. The name "Arkady" comes from Greek word"arkados", which means "resident of Arcadia", literally - "shepherd". It is characteristic that in Orthodox culture this word was often used in the meaning of “shepherd” - that is, a leader in spiritual life, teacher, mentor. And in a sense, Svidrigailov is really Raskolnikov’s teacher on the path of evil, since in his cynicism and unbelief he is in many ways “superior” to Rodion. Svidrigailov constantly demonstrates a “higher,” “masterful” mastery of Raskolnikov’s theory in the form of its practical embodiments.

Raskolnikov’s third “double” in the novel is Sonya Marmeladova. Its “duplicity” is only external. By turning into a prostitute, she was also able to “cross the line,” a certain moral boundary. However, the motive for Sonya’s actions was not selfishness, not an individualistic theory, not a protest against world evil. She sacrifices herself to save Katerina Ivanovna’s young children from starvation.

If Raskolnikov’s theory initially involves harm to society, then Sonya only brings harm to herself. If Rodion is free in his choice between good and evil, then Sonya is deprived of this freedom. Pisarev noted that “Sofya Semyonovna would also be able to throw herself into the Neva, but, rushing into the Neva, she could not lay out thirty rubles on the table in front of Katerina Ivanovna, which contains the whole meaning and the whole justification for her immoral act.”

Sonya is an active, active nature, she is trying to save her family from imminent death. On life path she is supported by meekness, kindness, and faith in God. Raskolnikov is attracted to Sonya because he begins to identify her with himself, considering their situations in life to be similar. However, he soon notices that he does not understand her, she seems strange to him, a “holy fool.” And this misunderstanding reveals the differences between them. Sonya’s “crime” is different from Raskolnikov’s crime, therefore her soul is alive, filled with faith, love, mercy, Sonya feels her unity with people.

Thus, Raskolnikov has spiritual doubles in the novel. Their purpose is different. Luzhin and Svidrigailov discredit Raskolnikov’s theory with their inner appearance. For all that, Luzhin is a primitive embodiment of the hero theory, its embodiment at the everyday level. Svidrigailov embodies Raskolnikov’s idea on a deep, philosophical level. The image of Svidrigailov seems to reveal the bottom of the abyss to which the individualistic theory of the hero leads. Sonya is only the external “double” of the hero; her “doubleness” is superficial.

Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky’s novel “Crime and Punishment” can be called one of the most psychologically deep and controversial novels Russian classical literature. Exactly at this work such fundamental issues as the process of personality formation, finding one’s place in society, and forming one’s own worldview through a lot of trial and error are touched upon.

Rodion Raskolnikov, the main character of Dostoevsky's novel, is a contradictory collective image, in which compassion, cruelty, determination, and weakness are intertwined. Raskolnikov cannot be unambiguously identified as a “positive” or “negative” character, because while reading the novel one gets the feeling that it is literally woven from contradictions. And it is precisely in order to emphasize the dominant character traits of the main character that Dostoevsky resorts to introducing character doubles.

Luzhin

The most expressive double of Rodion Raskolnikov in the novel, in my opinion, is Pyotr Petrovich Luzhin – the fiancé of the main character’s sister, Dunya, a man who clearly demonstrates what exactly life leads to according to Dostoevsky’s theory of “trembling creatures with rights.” Being a business and successful middle-aged man, he does not recognize either selflessness or nobility, believing that everyone in this world strives for only one thing - to seek their own material gain. Luzhin, focused on himself and only himself, absolutely neglects to care about the people around him, being in the mistaken belief that the whole world revolves around his person. Egoism to the extreme, the absence of even a slight inclination towards altruism and humanity - this is what this double of Raskolnikov is, this is what Rodion Raskolnikov would have become if he had continued to follow the principles of his theory.

Svidrigailov

Raskolnikov's second double is Arkady Ivanovich Svidrigailov, a fifty-year-old man, a nobleman who once served in the cavalry. It is curious that his surname is telling - consonant with the German “geil” (voluptuous), it clearly complements the portrait of the hero. In this character, it’s as if two people get along - calm and sensible and angry and cynical. Being a rapist, unlike Raskolnikov, not prone to pangs of conscience, he donates money to both Sonechka Marmeladova and Katerina Mikhailovna. This fact complements the contradictory and ambiguous image of Arkady Ivanovich. In turn, the detail in the form of Svidrigailov’s superstition casts doubt in the soul about whether he is really as dry and cynical as he wants to seem to many people.

Porfiry Petrovich

The third and most atypical double of Rodion Raskolnikov is Porfiry Petrovich, the investigator who led the main character to clean water. Inducing the character to repentance and confession, Porfiry Petrovich also recalls his own theories, similar to those of Raskolnikov, which he was fond of in his youth, but over time he became convinced of their falsity.

Thus, in Dostoevsky’s novel Crime and Punishment, readers can find quite a few doubles of Rodion Raskolnikov. In almost every character in the work it is possible to discern certain character traits, highlighting the image of the main character, emphasizing all his brightest personal characteristics. Fedor Mikhailovich, being an excellent expert human soul, with the help of his novel, produces a real reassessment of values ​​in readers, forcing them to think about themselves and pay attention to their own environment.

Essay on Raskolnikov's Doubles in the novel Crime and Punishment, grade 10

The uniqueness of the famous imperishable novel by F. M. Dostoevsky “Crime and Punishment” lies in the fact that every hero in it has his own clear outlook on life, his own voice, his own thoughts.

Rodion Raskolnikov is presented as central character– a former student who suddenly left his studies due to financial difficulties. He develops his personal concept, based on the division of the entire society into two categories - simple and complex. According to his theory, difficult and extraordinary people had every right to control the lives of common people.

The focus in the novel is on Raskolnikov's thoughts about his imperious individuality, which is ready to give a damn about the spiritual values ​​of society in order to fulfill the most important task. This theory is mirrored in others characters, puts it into practice, tries himself in them.

The concept of the presence of Raskolnikov’s spiritual doubles is clearly visible in the work. This system allows the creator of the novel to fully reveal the point of view of the central character, his worldview. Insignificant heroes are presented as spiritual doubles, but each of them personified the doctrine of “those who have the rights” through the example of their fate.

Perhaps the most indisputable and prominent double of Raskolnikov is Arkady Ivanovich Svidrigailov, a mysterious and paradoxical character. Svidrigailov is a weighty personality, a vulgar man and a gambler, with a disregard for moral and spiritual traditions. He absolutely does not waste his energy and time on thoughts of villainy. Confidence in his rightness is what makes him act and not think. Raskolnikov’s modified concept, brought to life, is Svidrigailov himself. The most powerful argument distinguishing him from Rodion is complete absence remorse and mental anguish from repentance. However, closer to the denouement of the novel, compassion and pity are resurrected in it. Realizing how worthless and meaningless life he lives, Svidrigailov commits suicide.

Another psychological copy of Rodion Raskolnikov, with whom the spiritual commonality is clearly visible, can be considered the court adviser - the scoundrel Luzhin, perhaps the most hated hero of Fyodor Mikhailovich. Rodion’s second double appears in the work as a greedy, selfish, vain person. He looks down on people of a lower class, with contempt and disgust. Their similarity means absolutely identical methods of bringing their goals to life. Yes, their intentions do not coincide. Raskolnikov tried to shout to the whole world, to draw attention to himself as an influential and majestic person. Well, the ultimate dream of Pyotr Petrovich Luzhin was the opportunity to exploit the advantages of such people in his own interests. Selfishness and self-love completely enveloped him.

It is no coincidence that the novel features characters so similar to Raskolnikov.

Thus, through spiritual twins, his theory reveals itself to be completely unproven and untenable. Permissiveness is impossible in principle and does not apply to any person. In any case, it does not lead to positive consequences. Realizing this, Raskolnikov reveals the portrait of his personality completely, because his formation took place throughout the entire work.

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