Literary Devices in Crime and Punishment

The "Image of the Beast" is an allusion to the Book of Revelations and refers to the sign of the antichrist in the Christian religion. Being made in this image, as opposed to in God's image, suggests that the person possesses sinful qualities and is undeserving of Heaven's reward of life after death.

This line is an allusion to the Biblical book of Psalms 68:2. Marmeladov uses this reference to emphasize the good qualities of Ivan Afanasyvitch, who, as we shortly learn, was willing to financially assist Marmeladov--hence the praise of his character.

The implication here is that his daughter engages in prostitution and that this yellow "passport" is a yellow-colored document that serves as an alternative form of identification and also allows her to legally work as a prostitute. Notice here the association between yellow, which Dostoevsky uses to denote contamination, age, decay, etc., and prostitution.

Raskolnikov recalls what Marmeladov told him earlier about Sonia needing certain things--like shoes, dresses, and hair gel--for her job as a prostitute. Raskolnikov recalls this as he processes the story he's heard and the actions he's witnessed. The continuing conversation Raskolnikov has with himself is characteristic of the stream-of-consciousness point of view that Dostoevsky uses for his main character.

Notice how Dostoevsky continues to include the color yellow in descriptions of people and objects. Marmeladov's face is yellow, and his daughter's ticket and passports are yellow. All of these represent the author's use of yellow as a color of impurity or corruption.

Raskolnikov thinks about this impression later as a presentiment, a sign or feeling, that something is going to happen. Dostoevsky uses this line to indicate to the readers the importance of this meeting between Raskolnikov and not-yet-named clerk.

While we have yet to encounter the reason for it, guilt becomes the most important theme in the novel. Notice how sleep, particularly Raskolnikov's lack of sleep, is used by Dostoevsky to show the impact of guilt on the human conscience.

Another example of censorship in the 19th century included using an — (em dash) to strike out the names of specific locations. This was done to avoid potential libel against cities or areas in publications.

The purpose of this simile is to not only inform the readers that Raskolnikov has retreated away from everyone physically, but that he has also begun to do so mentally. This latter retreat in particular has helped to develop the crime he is contemplating as well as his antisocial behavior.

By "Later on..." at the start of this paragraph, Dostoevsky relates the thoughts that Raskolnikov has much later in his life regarding this moment in time. He realizes that there was no reason for him to go home through the Hay Market, and he somewhat attributes this choice to it being predestined for him. This creates a sense of foreboding, as if the crime he intends to commit is outside of his control.

Recall how Dostoevsky has used the color yellow in the novel. Sunlight is traditionally represented as a yellow ray, and in this moment it shines on the evidence of his crime to show Raskolnikov his sin and corruption.

This question directly addresses Raskolnikov's fears: that in his delirium, he partially confessed to the murder. This statement is an example of dramatic irony because Razumihin doesn't grasp the meaning of this question, but Raskolnikov and the audience do.

Zossimov's words are an example of dramatic irony. He states that Razumihin's theory can't be the truth because it's too melodramatic, or sensationalized. However, the two of them don't know that what Razumihin is saying is the actual truth.

Razumihin feels obligated to interject here and state that when he says "I" he is speaking for Dushkin and not himself. Dostoevsky likely included this detail to show that those listening to Razumihin's story might have been a little confused about who was speaking to whom.

Zametov's statement here is an example of dramatic irony. Readers know that Raskolnikov completely messed up the murder of the pawnbroker; however, Zametov is unaware of Raskolnikov's murder and the truth of this statement. Notice how Raskolnikov takes this quite personally.

In conjunction with “thrice accursed yesterday” in the first paragraph of the next chapter, Dostoevsky seems to be alluding to the Trinity, the religious symbol that groups God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Groupings of three are common throughout literature and in Crime and Punishment.

Readers may have noticed that with the arrival of Raskolnikov's family, Dostoevsky has expanded his powers of narration to include their thoughts in addition to Raskolnikov's. This strategy allows him to more fully explore the issues that this family is dealing with in trying to understand their current situation.

Razumihin is likely embarrassed about Raskonikov noticing his feelings for Dounia. Raskolnikov is sarcastically teasing and taunting Razumihin for a specific purpose, and we know that it's not in good fun based on how upset Razumihin gets at Raskolnikov's "playful" suggestions.

Despite the quotation marks, this is not said out loud. Dostoevsky has Raskolnikov engage in internal monologue as well as dialogue with Razumihin so that readers will learn more about how gullible Raskolnikov considers Razumihin to be.

The description of Porfiry's facial expressions above are either being related to us through Raskolnikov's point of view or through Dostoevsky as an omniscient narrator. However, Dostoevsky deliberates uses this ambiguity to make it unclear for the readers to know if Porfiry actually does have knowledge of Raskolnikov's crime at this point, which adds to the tension of the scene.

Notice how Dostoevsky starts this chapter. He manipulates time to give the impression that Raskolnikov only remembered what happened later after the fact. This gives readers the impression that Raskolnikov was not in a healthy state of mind during these events, and he was only able to understand what happened later.

This is a good example of an understatement. Svidrigaïlov means to say that he played the role perfectly, but instead he uses a more humbling construction to try and make his behavior seem less impressive. He appears to place great emphasis on proper behavior despite being a sinful and lustful man.