Allusions and Imagery
McKenna Wensley
Whedon 5
AP English
2 February 2015
Crime and Punishment Allusions and Imagery
Authors incorporate many intrinsic elements within their writing, such as allusions and imagery. Using these key details and elements allows importance to take shape, further expressing the author’s meaning of the text. Fyodor Dostoyevsky, the author of Crime and Punishment, takes advantage of both allusions and imagery throughout the novel as it follows Rodian Raskolnikov, the main character, along his path of suffering after his unworthy murder of two innocent women. The main imagery strung throughout the entire passage is blood and its relationship to the Holy Eucharist of the Russian Orthodox Church. Out of the many allusions presented, the strongest used by Dostoyevsky is of Lazarus, one of many of Jesus’ followers, and his numerous relations to Raskolnikov. The combination of these two elements, imagery of blood and the allusion of Lazarus, develops Dostoyevsky’s purpose of the novel to capture many elements of his religion and faith, causing the novel to not only be about a crime and its punishment, but also about sin and the ability to forgive.
Blood is seen as evocative, yet Dostoyevsky uses it to benefit his writing, showing initiation within the novel and in the past. In certain situations when blood is spilled, items arise that would be present at the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. The Holy Eucharist, or Holy Communion, is performed in every Christian based church. It consists of drinking of the wine, which represents blood, and eating of the bread, which represents the body of Jesus. This act was first initiated during the last supper, before Jesus was crucified on the cross. He said, “This is my body which is broken for you….This cup is the new covenant in my blood” (1Cor 11:23-26). Dostoyevsky begins to intertwine this idea within the novel when Raskolnikov brutally slashes the pawnbroker, Alyona Ivanovna, in the head with an axe while in her own flat. “Blood gushed as from an overturned glass…” (Dostoyevsky 94). Just as this scene is based around the blood that flows from Alyona’s head, the church is based around the Eucharist from which “all things flow from” (Orthodox Church in America). As a symbol of the Eucharist, this scene confirms the role that Dostoyevsky models for Alyona. As the scene moves forward, this symbolism continues as Raskolnikov finds two crosses, “…one of Cyprus wood and one of copper…” (Dostoyevsky 96). Cyprus wood is significant because it is thought to be one of many suspected materials from which Jesus’ cross was made. With both of these elements present, blood and crosses, the resemblance of a sacrament can be imagined. When Raskolnikov comes in contact with blood, and in this case, crosses, he is born again. His new role is reminiscent of the rebirth of a person after performing communion. As the blood is shed from Alyona, the symbol of the Eucharist, guilt begins to build up within Raskolnikov as it would in anyone at communion after committing such a horrible crime. During the scheme of the crime, and when the crime was actually occurring, Raskolnikov was very confident, for he was just killing a “principle,” which is what he saw the old pawnbroker as. This revelation and change identifies a new part of Raskolnikov which is the goal of the Eucharist, to confess one’s sins and to be changed into something new.
The allusion of Lazarus is utilized as a symbol by Dostoevsky to incorporate a biblical scene that corresponds with Raskolnikov’s repentance. Lazarus, a young man from Bethany, falls ill. When Jesus arrives after hearing word of his sickness, Lazarus has already been dead for four days. Jesus tells Lazarus' sisters, Mary and Martha, that if they believe they shall see the glory of God. Then Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, he is alive and well again, cleansed from the past and renewed. "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die..." (John 11: 25-26). In the Bible, Mary and Martha's faith is tested just as Raskolnikov is in the novel. "And he, he---too, is blinded and unbelieving, he, too, will hear, he, too, will believe, yes, yes!" (Dostoyevsky 385). After the story is told by Sonia, Raskolnikov's friend, he decides to turn himself in for the two murders; this represents his death. Telling the truth enables him to be whole again for, "...he cannot resolve the torment of his questionableness or suppress the inward debate" (Morris 68) of the truth. Riding himself of torment, suffering, and remorse allows his old perspective of weary faith to transform into a perspective of compassion and strong will towards living by believing in Jesus. Through his journey, he has to change, or rather, repent, to receive the full benefit and come to his senses about living by believing. The meaning of Dostoyevsky's work comes full circle through the story of Lazarus and its many corresponding components with Raskolnikov's journey to faith.
In the end, sin and forgiveness are quite evidently compared with the two elements, allusions and imagery, and their connections within the novel. Jesus’ blood washed away all our sins, which is remembered through the Holy Eucharist. Then he rose again, just as he has the capability to raise true believers, like Lazarus, from the dead. This exact story line metaphorically corresponds with Raskolnikov’s journey and what Dostoyevsky wanted to show to all his various readers.
Whedon 5
AP English
2 February 2015
Crime and Punishment Allusions and Imagery
Authors incorporate many intrinsic elements within their writing, such as allusions and imagery. Using these key details and elements allows importance to take shape, further expressing the author’s meaning of the text. Fyodor Dostoyevsky, the author of Crime and Punishment, takes advantage of both allusions and imagery throughout the novel as it follows Rodian Raskolnikov, the main character, along his path of suffering after his unworthy murder of two innocent women. The main imagery strung throughout the entire passage is blood and its relationship to the Holy Eucharist of the Russian Orthodox Church. Out of the many allusions presented, the strongest used by Dostoyevsky is of Lazarus, one of many of Jesus’ followers, and his numerous relations to Raskolnikov. The combination of these two elements, imagery of blood and the allusion of Lazarus, develops Dostoyevsky’s purpose of the novel to capture many elements of his religion and faith, causing the novel to not only be about a crime and its punishment, but also about sin and the ability to forgive.
Blood is seen as evocative, yet Dostoyevsky uses it to benefit his writing, showing initiation within the novel and in the past. In certain situations when blood is spilled, items arise that would be present at the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. The Holy Eucharist, or Holy Communion, is performed in every Christian based church. It consists of drinking of the wine, which represents blood, and eating of the bread, which represents the body of Jesus. This act was first initiated during the last supper, before Jesus was crucified on the cross. He said, “This is my body which is broken for you….This cup is the new covenant in my blood” (1Cor 11:23-26). Dostoyevsky begins to intertwine this idea within the novel when Raskolnikov brutally slashes the pawnbroker, Alyona Ivanovna, in the head with an axe while in her own flat. “Blood gushed as from an overturned glass…” (Dostoyevsky 94). Just as this scene is based around the blood that flows from Alyona’s head, the church is based around the Eucharist from which “all things flow from” (Orthodox Church in America). As a symbol of the Eucharist, this scene confirms the role that Dostoyevsky models for Alyona. As the scene moves forward, this symbolism continues as Raskolnikov finds two crosses, “…one of Cyprus wood and one of copper…” (Dostoyevsky 96). Cyprus wood is significant because it is thought to be one of many suspected materials from which Jesus’ cross was made. With both of these elements present, blood and crosses, the resemblance of a sacrament can be imagined. When Raskolnikov comes in contact with blood, and in this case, crosses, he is born again. His new role is reminiscent of the rebirth of a person after performing communion. As the blood is shed from Alyona, the symbol of the Eucharist, guilt begins to build up within Raskolnikov as it would in anyone at communion after committing such a horrible crime. During the scheme of the crime, and when the crime was actually occurring, Raskolnikov was very confident, for he was just killing a “principle,” which is what he saw the old pawnbroker as. This revelation and change identifies a new part of Raskolnikov which is the goal of the Eucharist, to confess one’s sins and to be changed into something new.
The allusion of Lazarus is utilized as a symbol by Dostoevsky to incorporate a biblical scene that corresponds with Raskolnikov’s repentance. Lazarus, a young man from Bethany, falls ill. When Jesus arrives after hearing word of his sickness, Lazarus has already been dead for four days. Jesus tells Lazarus' sisters, Mary and Martha, that if they believe they shall see the glory of God. Then Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, he is alive and well again, cleansed from the past and renewed. "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die..." (John 11: 25-26). In the Bible, Mary and Martha's faith is tested just as Raskolnikov is in the novel. "And he, he---too, is blinded and unbelieving, he, too, will hear, he, too, will believe, yes, yes!" (Dostoyevsky 385). After the story is told by Sonia, Raskolnikov's friend, he decides to turn himself in for the two murders; this represents his death. Telling the truth enables him to be whole again for, "...he cannot resolve the torment of his questionableness or suppress the inward debate" (Morris 68) of the truth. Riding himself of torment, suffering, and remorse allows his old perspective of weary faith to transform into a perspective of compassion and strong will towards living by believing in Jesus. Through his journey, he has to change, or rather, repent, to receive the full benefit and come to his senses about living by believing. The meaning of Dostoyevsky's work comes full circle through the story of Lazarus and its many corresponding components with Raskolnikov's journey to faith.
In the end, sin and forgiveness are quite evidently compared with the two elements, allusions and imagery, and their connections within the novel. Jesus’ blood washed away all our sins, which is remembered through the Holy Eucharist. Then he rose again, just as he has the capability to raise true believers, like Lazarus, from the dead. This exact story line metaphorically corresponds with Raskolnikov’s journey and what Dostoyevsky wanted to show to all his various readers.