“Crime and Punishment”

Is the name of the novel written by Fyodor Dostoyevsky in 1866. The novel is part of the realist movement. According to Durán and Martínez (2010), realist literature seeks to reflect the reality of the societies of that time. The title of this psychological novel reflects precisely this way in which the author observes the society of his time.

In this way, the title of the novel can be interpreted from two perspectives: In a denotative sense, the title perfectly reflects the plot of the story. That is to say, the novel narrates the murder of a woman (the crime) and also shows the punishment (the moral dilemma that torments the murderer, who fully justifies his action as a way of doing justice in the face of the abuses committed by the groups holding rights. can). of his time). 

In a connotative sense, the title can be interpreted as a social complaint. The main character (Raskolnikov) carries out a series of actions as a freed response from the oppression that society has subjected him to. Then, throughout the novel, the protagonist denounces a variety of injustices and vices that do not allow him to achieve his dreams (Barros, 2014). “Crime and Punishment” is a novel that leads the reader to establish a connection on two levels: exterior (the outside universe) and interior (the plot of the story). The novel is loaded with references and symbols that connect the reader with the reality of that time. 

The reader – from that time – saw himself reflected in a mirror. As for the internal level, the actions are linked to each other in such a way that they give complete meaning to the story even when the reader has the voices of the different characters. In the end all the characters experience difficult situations that motivate them to carry out actions that could be contrary to the social norm; However, this action originates as a response to the injustices suffered.