Crime and Punishment Summary

This is a story by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. It is about a man who makes the decision to take the life of a pawnbroker for her money but results in killing the broker’s sister too. He feels guilty, confesses to this crime and is taken to prison in Siberia.

The Story is based in Russia, St Petersburg and is about Rodion Raskolnikov. He was a student once, but his life turned, and now he is poor with no income. He decides to kill Alyona Ivanovna, a pawnbroker known to be mean and by this acquire some money for his use while also doing the society a good service. After killing Alyona, her sister stumbles across the crime scene, and he kills her too. Rodion does not have time to get much money, but just a few belongings.

He escapes, unseen. Rodion’s conscience begins haunting him. He is constantly worried that he will be discovered and caught. He even attempts hiding the evidence of the crime he had committed. Guilt consumes him and makes him starts acting odd. He comes across Sonya, a prostitute, as well as the daughter of a man Rodion helped with some of the money.

Porfiry begins suspecting Rodion but lacks any evidence. Some other man confesses to Rodion’s crime.  Rodion is still guilty, and he tells Sonya what he had done. A man interested in Rodion’s sister overhears this confession and aims to use it as leverage one day.

Sonya tries to convince Rodion to give himself up. The man Obsessed with Dunya( Rodion’s sister) kills himself after learning that she would never accept him. Rodion decides that confessing is the right choice from his discussion with Sonya.

He goes with the choice and gets sentenced to a Siberian Prison for eight years. Sonya goes with him and assists in fixing Rodion’s moral compass. Rodion’s mother dies due to illness and disappointment for his actions. Dunya gets married to one of his friends.