In Crime and Punishment by Dostoyevsky, Raskolnikov’s cultural, physical and geographical surroundings shape psychological or moral traits in him. These aspects of the main character’s life cause him to commit a murder, affect his life until he confesses, and finally convince him to confess.
Raskolnikov’s apartment places him far away from others as he lives on the top floor of the building, thus isolating him from other people. This is the reason why before he commits the crime, Raskolnikov interacts very little with others except his landlady and Nastasya. This detachment from other people is what causes Raskolnikov to believe himself superior to others and he begins to wonder whether he can get away with murder. To further encourage this thinking, Raskolnikov overhears a stranger talking about the pawnbroker he plans on killing, Alyona Ivanovna. The stranger’s negative words convince Raskolnikov that is he kills Alyona, he will be doing the world a favor as no one likes her. The isolation and coincidental encounter with someone who also seems to share his dislike…show more content… After he kills Alyona, Raskolnikov realises that he cannot talk to the people at the police station anymore, as expressed when “he felt clearly with all the intensity of sensation that he could never more appeal to these people in the police office with sentimental effusion like his recent outburst, or with anything whatever” (158). This realisation causes Raskolnikov to be even more isolated and lonely. In addition to the psychological consequences of his actions, Raskolnikov also faces adversary in the face of Porfiry’s constant questioning. Porfiry correctly suspects Raskolnikov to be the murder and Raskolnikov is put under tremendous mental torture and isolation. Raskolnikov’s punishment begins due to his surroundings and leads from the time of the murder to his
