Crime and Punishment/YMMV

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


  • Alternate Character Interpretation: Is Raskolnikov a Knight Templar, or a Villain Protagonist who uses sophistry to justify murder?
  • Complete Monster: Luzhin, dead front and center - he attempts to marry Dunya just so he can be idolized for his compassion in marrying a woman without a dowry, proceeds to freak out about Raskolnikov and insists that he be severed from the family, then tries to frame an innocent girl for theft.
    • If Luzhin is one, then Svidrigailov definitely is. Luzhin wants to marry Dunya to receive adoration, Svidrigailov tries to rape her, plus he was very heavily implied to already be a murderer prior to the novel's beginning. He simultaneously coaches Raskolnikov in the ways of monster-dom and mentally manipulates him for no reason other than that he feels like it. And he never drops his unflappably polite, creepy demeanor during all of this.
  • Draco in Leather Pants / Do Not Do This Cool Thing: Despite portraying rebellious youth in a very negative light, Crime and Punishment was popular among radical student groups that basically adopted Raskolnikov as their role model.
  • Seinfeld Is Unfunny: Rodya is a college dropout with mental issues, who thinks saving his sister from sexual abuse gives him an excuse to kill someone. Yes, I just described 50% of all Cold Case episodes.
  • The Woobie: The prostitute Sonya, who was forced into it by her family. Raskolnikov and (arguably) Semyon Zakharovich Marmeladov are of the jerkass variety.