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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Where does Raskolnikov sleep?

2. What does Rashnikov dream about?

3. What does Raskolnikov ask his family to do before he leaves?

4. Who does Raskolnikov visit at the beginning of chapter 4?

5. Who is waiting for Raskolnikov when he wakes up?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do you think Razumikhin is infatuated with Dunya?

2. How does Raskolnikov hide his guilt?

3. How do you think the people in Raskolnikov's dream relate to his current situation?

4. How seriously is Raskelnikov thinking about his unnamed idea?

5. In what way does Porfiry suggest Raskolnikov has made a mistake?

6. What do you think it says about Razumikhin that he is so close to guessing the truth of the murder?

7. Why do you think Raskolnikov arranges to meet Porfiry?

8. Why do you think Raskolnikov leaves the room so abruptly in chapter three?

9. What does Raskolnikov think of his sister's fiance Luzhin?

10. In what way have Raskolnikov and Porfiry switched roles in chapter five?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Crime and Punishment is translated into English from the Russian. How much meaning do you think a novel loses through translation? What aspects of the novel do you think would be the most difficult to express in English? In what way do you think a translator tries to overcome these difficulties?

Essay Topic 2

Porfiry is probably the cleverest character in the book and quickly works out Raskolnikov.

1) What do you think are Porfiry's goals? How does he achieve his goals?

2) In what way do you think Porfiry wins Raskolnikov's respect and ultimately his trust? Do you think that Porfiry has sympathy for Raskolnikov?

Essay Topic 3

Sonia attempts to preach Raskolnikov the bible. In what way is religion the antithesis of Raskolnikov's high ideas? Do you think Dostoevsky represents religion as the only way Raskolnikov can overcome his guilt? What do you think is Dostoevsky's own views on religion?

(see the answer keys)

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