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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. What does Mrs Marmaladov find in her daughter's pockets?

2. Who visits Raskolnikov in this chapter?

3. What does Profiry say the murderer regards himself as?

4. When does Raskolnikev come to visit Sonia?

5. Why can Dunya not see Sonia?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Dostoevsky portray Raskolnikov's conflicting emotions in chapter four?

2. How do you think not confessing to the murder will affect Raskolnikov?

3. How does Raskolnikov view a public confession?

4. In the epilogue how does Dostoevsky distance the reader from Raskolnikov?

5. How does Luzhin use his wealth?

6. What does Chapter four show about Svidrigaylov's character?

7. Do you think Raskolnikov has finally accepted his guilt?

8. In what way does Svidrigaylov's suicide confirm to the reader the complexity of his character?

9. Describe Svidrigaylov's character?

10. In what way does Raskolnikov's confession sound different to what he had earlier claimed to think?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Dostoevsky introduces Svidrigaylov quite late into the novel. Examine Svidigaylov's character.

1) What do you think are the aims and conflicts of Svidrgaylov's character?

2) Why do you think Dostoevsky introduces Svidrigaylov into the story? What difference do you think he makes to the story?

3) What affect do you think his suicide has on the other characters? Does it change their outlook?

Essay Topic 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

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