New Translation Series of World Literary Classics – Crime and Punishment

Author: Dostoevsky
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1996-08-01
Features: "Crime and Punishment" is a masterpiece by Dostoevsky. The novel tells the story of a poor law student, Raskolnikov, who kills an old woman who lends money at high interest. Initially, he believes that "killing this useless old woman, like a louse, is no crime," but later he is tormented by "conscience" and falls into a semi-crazy state of suffering. He meets the daughter of a drunkard, Marmeladov, named Sonia, and learns that she has turned to prostitution on the streets to support her family. Her self-sacrificing philosophy to alleviate human suffering deeply moves Raskolnikov. As a result, he turns himself in to the authorities and embarks on a "new life." The publication of "Crime and Punishment" brought the author unprecedented fame, as it is one of his most socially and historically significant philosophical novels. In the novel, the author organically combines the tense and thrilling plot with the broad canvas of real life and social ethical issues, reflecting the rapid changes brought about by the development of capitalism in all aspects of Russian social life, especially in terms of ideology and morality, after the abolition of serfdom.