Crime and Punishment

Novel | Fyodor Dostoevsky

What is the Significance of Raskolnikov's Dream?

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What is the significance of Raskolnikov's dream NU In Crime and Punishment dreams open a window into Raskolnikov s soul Dostoevsky - uses these dreams to reveal his hidden emotions Through the horse dream the laughing old woman dream and the Siberian dream we see sin guilt and hope for redemption The Horse Dream- Sin and Pity When Raskolnikov was a child he dreamt of a drunken peasant beating a weak horse to death He saw the horse fall and the old man began hitting the old mare with all his force This dream is very symbolic It shows his natural pity and also the cruelty of violence It foreshadows his crime against Alyona Ivanovna It tells us that deep inside he hates violence yet later he commits the same kind of brutality The Laughing Old Woman Dream- Guilt and Fear After the murder Raskolnikov dreams that Alyona Ivanovna is

alive In his dream he sees The old woman was sitting and laughing The laughter grows louder and people watch him silently This dream shows his guilt and fear His subconscious tells him that he cannot escape Even after he kills her her memory haunts him This dream is the voice of his conscience The Siberian Dream- Redemption and New Life In Siberia Raskolnikov dreams of a plague spreading across the world He dreams Men killed each other in a sort of senseless spite This dream shows his understanding of moral chaos without faith and truth After this dream Sonia stays near him She gives him the New Testament Raskolnikov begins to realize that true peace comes from confession love and faith The dream is the turning point in his spiritual rebirth The dreams in Crime and Punishment are not simple They show Raskolnikov s sin his suffering and his way to redemption Through these dreams Dostoevsky makes the novel deeply psychological and spiritual

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