Dostoyevsky Literary Devices- Crime and Punishment and The Idiot

1. DostoyevskyLiterary Devices- Crime and Punishment and The Idiot Ben Horner

2. Tone – Crime and Punishment • Book often shifts tone: • frantic and confusing (prior to and directly after murders) • Intimate (during Raskolnikov’s conversations with his mother • Hopeful (Raskolnikovs confession and rebirth)

3. Tone - The Idiot • Straight-forward • Hopeful, with some pessimistic views-people can be inherently evil • Shows eventual failure

4. Imagery- Crime and Punishment • The Neva serves to reflect Raskolnikovs life: • he must cross it to find freedom • it is calm-as his life may one day be • Raskolnikov often relies on water to cleanse him and as he falls further into delirium the less effect the water has • Stagnant water during Raskolnikov’s fourth dream represents his inability to escape his insanity • Final delirium shows Raskolnikov sitting along the Neva- finally at peace

5. Imagery-the Idiot • Uses imagery to describe characters: • “their complexions generally appeared to have taken on the colour of the fog outside.”, • “grey, fiery eyes”

6. Voice – Crime and Punishment • Raskolnikov is primary focalizer- • His point of view is adopted by third person narrator • Much of the book can be seen as Raskolnikov’s monologue • Dialogue also plays a key role in moving events along and revealing motives • Dostoyevsky also gave the reader insight into Raskolnikovs dreams

7. Voice - The Idiot • Communicates much of the book through conversation • Lacks any major plot-narrator plays diminished role as a result

8. Irony - Crime and Punishment • Sonia is a prostitute but also helps Raskolnikov find salvation • Raskolnikov only finds freedom once he has been sentenced • Raskolnikov thought he was making the world a better place by killing Alyona Ivanovna

9. Irony – The Idiot • Only irony was found in fact that Prince Myshkin, the only truly positive character, eventually fails