Rskolnikov’s Response to Failure

Raskolnikov’s Response to Failure

My name is Karen Horney and I would like to give my opinion of Rodion Romanovitch Raskolnikov and the unfortunate events surrounding this trial. Raskolnikov is an extremely intelligent individual who has many internal conflicts and much personal turmoil stirring inside of him. Yes, it is true that he has taken the lives of two women and yes, it is true that he must be punished for his disturbing actions. Despite the nature of this crime, there are underlying circumstances that I beg this court to take into consideration.

First and foremost, there is the fact that Raskolnikov voluntarily confessed his wrongdoings. Secondly, although the murder of Alena Ivanovna was premeditated, his second victim, Lizaveta Ivanovna was not. In Raskolnikov’s mind, Alena was an evil woman who took advantage of the poor and less fortunate citizens. Even though Rodion felt as if this was his only option to save himself and others to the injustices brought on by Alena, he still has the morals and personal standards to confess. This is an individual who is overcome by guilt and remorse for his crimes. No matter the outcome of this trial, Raskolnikov will suffer internally for the remainder of his life.

I propose that this court charge Rodion with one count of first-degree murder and one count of manslaughter. We can all agree that killing Alena was intentional and planned. Also, we can agree that Lizaveta’s death only occurred because she walked in on Raskolnikov immediately following his altercation with her half-sister. It was a spontaneous action which happened in the heat of the moment. I would recommend Rodion Romanovitch Raskolnikov be sentenced to fifteen years in prison. Ten years of the sentence as punishment for the first-degree murder of Alena Ivanovna and an additional five years for taking the life of Lizaveta Ivanovna. The sentence I have suggested may not seem harsh enough to fit the crime, however it is vital that this jury recognize and understand the internal issues which cause Raskolnikov to act on his feelings. I thank the court for their time and their consideration of this testimony.

Karen Horney’s critical essay describing Raskolnikov’s feelings and actions is based upon the crucial difference between the motive of these murders and the cause of these murders. There are many motives which Raskolnikov may have had to commit the murders however; the main focus of Karen Horney’s essay was what caused Rodion to commit the murders.

Self-hate, self-destructiveness, and morbid dependency are three of the major internal conflicts that plague Raskolnikov throughout the novel and directly relate to murder. Self-hate is a feeling that Raskolnikov simply cannot overcome; He feels less than human. He hates himself for putting his mother and younger sister, whom he should be helping, in one bad situation after another. “[T]he furies of self-hate are unleashed when they are not fulfilled.” (Horney, 604). Raskolnikov’s furies of self-hate and the feeling of failure were not fulfilled, but hidden. Rodion’s life was not going as he wanted and he had too much pride to admit his faults which lead him to keeping his true feelings inside.