Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov

2 9.9

The main character in Crime and Punishment who kills a woman who runs a pawn shop and feels deep guilt

proper noun
/roʊˈdiːən roʊməˈnoʊvɪtʃ rɑːˈskɒlnɪkɒf/

Literature

: Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov

In Dostoevsky's novel 'Crime and Punishment', Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov commits a murder that leads him into deep moral turmoil.

Examples

The psychological torment experienced by Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov is central to the novel's plot.
Many readers sympathize with Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov despite his crime due to his intense internal struggles.
In literary discussions, Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov's actions are often used to illustrate the theme of moral ambiguity.
In Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov, Dostoevsky explores complex moral dilemmas.
Did you read about Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov's struggle with guilt?
The character of Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov challenges readers to consider the nature of justice and morality.
Throughout 'Crime and Punishment', Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov grapples with his conscience after committing a significant crime.

Synonyms

Raskolnikov

vsRodion Romanovich Raskolnikov

Literature

4 9.9

A character in Dostoevsky's novel who kills because he thinks he is above right and wrong

emphasizes guilt and moral doubt rather than asserting superiority

Rodya Raskolnikov

vsRodion Romanovich Raskolnikov

Literature

1 9.9

The central character in Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment who kills a pawnbroker and feels guilty

focuses more on guilt and inner moral struggle than on abstract reasoning

Surface Forms

Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov main

Morphology

Rodion + Romanovich + Raskolnikov

This is a full proper name rather than a semantically compositional phrase: the individual elements are personal names/patronymic, some not even lexical in English, so knowing each constituent does not let a learner infer the character's role or actions. Identifying Raskolnikov as the protagonist who commits murder and faces moral dilemmas requires cultural/literary knowledge beyond basic word meanings, so the expression is not derivable from its parts.

Etymology

Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov is the main character in Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, and one popular reading says his last name, Raskolnikov, may come from a Russian root meaning 'split' or 'break'. He kills a pawnbroker and feels torn inside, so the image of being 'split' helps explain why his story is about deep 'guilt' and hard 'moral choices'.