In this blog post, we will examine the conflict between “freedom” and “good and evil” as revealed through Dostoevsky’s life and works, his dramatic approach to characterization, and the impact his ideas have had on modern literature and philosophy.

On Dostoevsky

“Among writers who have transcended the boundaries of literature, Dostoevsky remains the greatest today. No one else has discovered the New World of so many souls as this passionate man, this extraordinary human being…… He crossed the ice-covered mountain ranges of thought, descended to the deepest sources of the unconscious, and then, like a sleepwalker, climbed back up toward the dizzying pinnacle of self-awareness.”—As Stefan Zweig put it, Dostoevsky was a writer who explored the depths of the human soul amid fragmentation and anguish that defied conventional norms.
Throughout his lifetime and beyond, evaluations of Dostoevsky have been highly varied. Some call him a “prophet” or a “visionary,” while others describe him as a “poet of madness” or a “cruel genius.” Such contrasting assessments reveal the complexity, dualistic contradictions, and original intellectual power inherent in his literature.
Underlying this literary image are his pathological personality, complex and elusive existential ideas, and the scars left by 19th-century Russian society. His life span of over 60 years—marked by incurable epilepsy, a death sentence commuted just before execution, ten years of exile in Siberia, pathological gambling, ill-fated love, and extreme poverty—was as dramatic as any novel.
Beyond literary criticism, Dostoevsky posed profound questions to thinkers in various fields, including psychiatrists, theologians, philosophers, criminologists, and politicians. His works are also an attempt to penetrate the very core of human cruelty and demonic nature, while simultaneously exploring humanity’s inherent goodness and divinity. Consequently, his novels are sometimes called the “Gospel of Life,” while at the same time being referred to as a modern “Apocalypse” or a treatise on artistic pathology.

Good and Evil, Freedom on Both Sides

Dostoevsky’s literary output can generally be divided into two categories. His early works (e.g., from ‘The Poor Folk’ (1846) to ‘Notes from the House of the Dead’ (1861)), which debuted to high praise from Belinsky, belong to the tradition of humanistic realism that gives voice to the suffering of the oppressed. However, after enduring exile in Siberia, he shifted his focus toward ideological novels that prominently featured philosophical, religious, and social ideas, beginning with ‘Notes from the Underground’ (1864), and this trend was fully realized in ‘Crime and Punishment’ (1866).
The central theme running through his entire body of work is the struggle between two conflicting elements in human life: good and evil. The confrontation between the gospel principle of light and the elements of darkness and evil is repeatedly revealed.
Starting with the question “Does God exist or not?”, Dostoevsky explores both the path of the “human-god”—where those who believe there is no God choose to regard “themselves as God”—and its exact opposite, the path of the “divine-human.” Amid these two extremes, the core focus of his attention is human “freedom”—and the suffering that accompanies the awareness of that freedom. His fundamental belief is that while freedom brings anguish and burden to humans, humanity itself cannot be sustained without it.
The freedom Dostoevsky depicts is broadly divided into two branches. One is the Christian “true freedom” that arises from submission to God—the world of characters like Sonya (“Crime and Punishment”), Elder Zosima, and Alyosha (“The Brothers Karamazov”), who find salvation and harmony through faith. The other is the “freedom of tragic existence,” in which one stands on one’s own solitude and will to pursue tyrannical power; characters such as Raskolnikov and Ivan Karamazov are examples of this.
The philosopher Berdyaev presents a perspective that views the path of these rebels as a perversion of freedom—namely, self-will—that leads to ruin under the belief that “everything is permitted.” Dostoevsky drives these characters to their ultimate limits, dramatically illustrating how freedom is destroyed through self-will and how humanity is negated through rebellion.

Dramatic Characterization

Dostoevsky is often compared to Tolstoy. As contemporary masters, they share the common ground of grounding their works in religious themes, but they exhibit distinct differences in their approach to characterization. Tolstoy realistically renders the external world and physical scenes in three dimensions, leaving vivid images in the reader’s mind.
Dostoevsky, on the other hand, places greater emphasis on conveying psychology, emotions, and thought than on describing a character’s outward appearance. The characters’ personalities and character are revealed only through the words they speak and their soliloquies. In other words, for Dostoevsky, “speech” is a physical means connected to the metaphysical realm.
To borrow Mereshkovsky’s words, “If Tolstoy moves from the physical to the spiritual, from the external to the internal, Dostoevsky moves from the internal to the external, from the psychological to the physical.” For this reason, dialogue and soliloquies play a dramatic role in his works, giving them a strong theatrical character in which everything is tied together and resolved through speech and conversation.
Because of this approach, Dostoevsky’s realism is often called “fantastic realism.” This is because he went beyond simply depicting external reality to focus on revealing the higher-order reality of the spiritual world. As Russia’s first professional writer from an urban background, he was a figure who pierced through the anguish of a Russia shrouded in darkness and the secrets of the human soul to erect a window onto truth.

His Profound Influence on 19th-Century Thought

Dostoevsky’s influence extends far beyond Russia to countries throughout Europe. Many writers, including André Gide, Hermann Hesse, and Zweig, expressed deep admiration for him. In particular, his philosophy—which sought existence amid the absurdity of human existence—provided significant nourishment for French existentialism.
For example, in ‘The Myth of Sisyphus’, Camus reinforced his philosophy of the absurd through the dialectic of Kirillov, a character from ‘The Possessed’, and in ‘The Rebel’, he interpreted Ivan Karamazov as a proponent of metaphysical rebellion. In this way, Dostoevsky has left a lasting intellectual legacy that continues to stimulate thought in modern philosophy and literature.

Dostoevsky’s Influence and Modernity

Dostoevsky did not merely influence French existentialism. He also left a distinct mark on the so-called Nouveau Roman. Nathalie Chart, who first formalized the framework placing Dostoevsky at the apex of a structure with Kafka, Joyce, and Proust as its three cornerstones, praised Dostoevsky as a great writer for his precise portrayal of the chaos and turmoil stirring in the deepest recesses of human consciousness, and cited ‘Notes from the Underground’ as his greatest work.
A British critic once called Dostoevsky’s literature “opium,” meaning that once one falls into his world, it is difficult to escape. The reason so many readers to this day feel the same spellbinding allure in his works is not merely due to their classical value. His novels constantly raise metaphysical propositions that transcend the boundaries of literature—such as God and humanity, faith and unbelief, obedience and rebellion.
Dostoevsky’s protagonists struggle within these propositions, and through this process, they vividly portray the modern individual agonizing over the absurdity of human existence and a reality with no escape. For this reason, he is regarded not merely as a novelist, but as a thinker and a prophet.

The Birth of ‘Crime and Punishment’ and Its Historical Context

The year 1865, when Dostoevsky was writing ‘Crime and Punishment’, was one of the most painful periods of his life. In April 1864, his wife, Maria Isaeva, passed away, and in June of the same year, his brother Mikhail died, leaving behind enormous debts. On top of this, his epileptic seizures became more frequent, and ‘The Century’, the monthly magazine he published, faced the threat of closure.
When ‘The Century’ ceased publication in 1865, Dostoevsky was burdened with massive debts. He sold the rights to his already published works—including a future novel—to a publisher named Stelovsky for 3,000 rubles, then fled to Wiesbaden, Germany, in an attempt to ease his suffering through gambling. It was during this time—when he was losing money at the gambling tables and scraping by by frequenting pawnshops—that he conceived the idea for the scene in the novel where the old pawnbroker is murdered.
Even amid such poverty and pressure, Dostoevsky did not stop writing. Part 1 of ‘Crime and Punishment’ was published in the January 1866 issue of ‘The Russian Messenger’ and was serialized in eight installments until the end of that year. The book was published in 1867.
At the time, a nihilistic “superman” ideology—which held that “everything is permitted in order to correct social injustice”—was in vogue in Russia. Against this backdrop, Raskolnikov emerges as a character who defines himself as extraordinary and believes he has the right to transcend existing laws and morals.

Analysis of the Themes and Characters in ‘Crime and Punishment’

Raskolnikov is a poor university student in St. Petersburg—a contemplative young man who is powerless and impoverished in reality but possesses a strong individuality. He divides humanity into “ordinary people” and “extraordinary people,” believing that while ordinary people must submit to existing laws and morality, extraordinary people have the right to transcend them. In particular, he justifies his theory by arguing that sacrificing a few for the benefit of all humanity is inevitable.
Citing Napoleon as an example—thinking, “Who ever questioned Napoleon’s guilt for murder? Even though he may be the greatest murderer in history, don’t people still revere him as a hero? That is because he was not a criminal”—he resolves to murder the old pawnbroker. His logic leads him to the conclusion that, since the old pawnbroker is nothing more than a parasite on society, he has the right to eliminate her.
After meticulous planning, he strikes the old pawnbroker down with an axe, killing her, and accidentally kills her younger sister, who had returned home unexpectedly. Although there were no witnesses, immediately after the crime, Raskolnikov begins to be tormented by pangs of conscience and inner conflict. This turmoil was unexpected for him and manifests as a fierce internal struggle between his logical will and his good conscience.
As this conflict deepens, he realizes that he is not an extraordinary person. The very fact that he feels remorse proves that he is not extraordinary. Ultimately, he admits that he is a criminal who has killed a person.
Raskolnikov eventually seeks out Sonya, a figure imbued with Christian symbolism, and confesses his sin. His statement, “I did not kill the old woman—I killed myself. It was the devil who killed her!” reveals that his philosophy of the Übermensch has been devastatingly shattered by the reality of the old woman’s existence.
Dostoevsky’s central concern has always been the conflict between good and evil, and between God and humanity. In ‘Crime and Punishment’, the novel depicts the moment when Raskolnikov’s logical will to power succumbs before Sonya, a symbol of goodness. This can be interpreted as a victory of the divine over rationalistic, atheistic reason. However, Dostoevsky did not attempt to theoretically prove the existence of God or conscience on Sonya’s side. Instead, he examines the logic of atheistic individualism from the opposite perspective, approaching it by pitting the evil arising from that individual will against divine goodness.
Although Sonya is presented as a figure embodying absolute goodness and divinity, Dostoevsky does not elevate her to a mythical ideal but portrays her as a woman suffering on earth. Her faith is firm and pure, yet foolishly naive, and her moral purity is portrayed as inviolable by any evil. Thanks to this treatment, Sonya is depicted as a sublime sufferer on earth without succumbing to legendary sentimentality.
In addition to Raskolnikov and Sonya, Svidrigailov is an indispensable character in the novel. He is the embodiment of carnal desire, unaware of the boundary between good and evil; he is Raskolnikov’s “second self” and another formidable figure. While both men are similar in that they do not acknowledge the constraints of morality or the law, Raskolnikov is rational and logical, whereas Svidrigailov’s strength is demonic and carnal.
Svidrigailov commits cruel acts—such as poisoning his own wife and raping a young girl, driving her to suicide—yet feels almost no pangs of conscience. Nevertheless, he harbors a complex and contradictory inner psyche; just as Raskolnikov occasionally displays religious inclinations, Svidrigailov also acknowledges the existence of the afterlife to some extent. However, his view of the afterlife is decadent and grotesquely distorted.
Through Svidrigailov, Dostoevsky demonstrates that no matter how cruel a villain may be, there is no such thing as a thoroughly evil person to the core. In other words, every character possesses contradictions and complexity, and through these internal conflicts, the work delves deeply into the moral and spiritual existential issues of humanity.

Reason, Passion, and the Unknown

In his analysis of Dostoevsky’s works, André Gide broadly divided his world into three realms. One is reason, that is, the world of the intellect; another is passion, that is, the world of emotions and impulses; and the last is the unknown world, which cannot be understood by these two alone.
This distinction can be applied to many of Dostoevsky’s works; in ‘Crime and Punishment’ in particular, Raskolnikov represents the world of reason, characters like Svidrigailov embody the world of passion, and Sonya, as a Christian figure of divinity, symbolizes the unknown world.
In this work, both the world of reason and the world of passion meet their demise in the conclusion. After murdering the old woman, Raskolnikov appears to be redeemed by Sonya’s love, but his rationalist logic—based on the principle of the survival of the fittest—crumbles, leading him to commit spiritual suicide. In contrast, Svidrigailov ends his life by physical suicide when the world of passion on which he relied collapses. Unlike these two, only Sonya, as a symbol of God, emerges victorious from the world of the unknown.
The crucial point is that both Raskolnikov and Svidrigailov meet their downfall because of the principles they held dear. While their downfalls are essentially the same, the only difference is that the former chose spiritual ruin, while the latter chose physical ruin.
Furthermore, Dostoevsky delves into the human psyche from multiple angles by introducing a diverse cast of characters, such as Investigating Magistrate Porfiry, who pursues Raskolnikov; Marmeladov, a depraved father who forced his daughter into prostitution; Dunya, who sacrifices everything for her brother; and Pulkharya Alexandrovna, whose maternal love moves the reader to tears. Through these characters, his novel strongly conveys the impression of being multifaceted and polyphonic.

Fundamental Concept: The Conflict Between Two Principles

The fundamental concept of ‘Crime and Punishment’ lies in the conflict between individualism in the narrow sense—that is, the rationalist principle embodied by Raskolnikov—and the Christian principle represented by Sonya. Dostoevsky repeatedly explored the struggle between the two principles that govern life—the demonic inner principle and the divine spiritual principle.
However, as an artist, he knew, on the one hand, that one cannot expect humans to embody a perfect and noble ideal, and on the other hand, he was well aware that there is no such thing as a completely irredeemable sinner in this world. Therefore, by examining the struggle between these two principles, he sought to understand humanity as being even slightly closer to the ideal.

The Introduction of Detective and Psychological Novel Techniques and Their Influence

While ‘Crime and Punishment’ is a novel of philosophical ideas, it presented a new literary form by introducing detective novel techniques focused on criminal psychology. The reader is led to follow in minute detail how Raskolnikov conceived and carried out his crime.
Dostoevsky draws the reader in solely through psychological narration—such as ideological soliloquies, reflections, dialogues, and delusional symptoms. As a result, he clearly demonstrates that the analysis of human thought and ideas, along with psychological exploration, became the foundation and purpose of the work, rather than the thrills found in conventional detective novels.
The impact of this work on the literary world was immense. Readers spoke of the work’s gravity and the powerful impression it left; intellectuals like Nietzsche called Dostoevsky their mentor; and criminologists praised it as a model for the analysis of criminal psychology.
Some critics regret that Raskolnikov failed to carry through his “superman” philosophy to the end and succumbed to Sonia’s Christian morality. However, Dostoevsky did not intend to advocate the idea of the Übermensch; rather, by creating a realistic character, he sought to refute the fanciful notion of the Übermensch. This is a perspective he had already revealed in his earlier works, such as ‘Notes from the Underground’.
Furthermore, he clearly articulated his moral conviction that individual freedom must not be infringed upon by any external force. It is precisely in this regard that ‘Crime and Punishment’ becomes a work that is both anti-rationalist and a solemn declaration.

How Should We Read Dostoevsky?

Just as some people are easy to connect with from the start, while others seem difficult at first glance, the same is true of authors. While some authors, like Chekhov or Turgenev, are approachable and easy to engage with, others, such as Dostoevsky or Tolstoy, can seem intimidating. Among them, Dostoevsky is a prime example of an author often perceived as difficult.
His philosophical concepts, multifaceted characters, dualistic chaos and absurdity, and the sheer volume of his works—spanning thousands of pages—initially overwhelm the reader. However, once you begin reading with courage and patience, Dostoevsky’s works reveal unexpected humanity, sincerity, and a powerful allure that keeps the reader captivated until the very end.
There are also things you shouldn’t expect when reading Dostoevsky’s novels. It is difficult to expect the external narrative techniques found in Turgenev’s beautiful descriptions of nature, Gogol’s lighthearted humor, or Tolstoy’s near-perfect character portrayals. Because he placed greater emphasis on internal conflict than on external phenomena, his works draw readers into a whirlwind of events from the very beginning, and the opening is often so chaotic that it is difficult to find one’s bearings.
For example, in ‘Crime and Punishment’, the reader learns of Raskolnikov’s superhuman ideas and the course of his crime, but his true motive for murder is not readily revealed. Only much later, amid the chaos, fragmentation, and internal monologues, does the motive become faintly visible. Raskolnikov’s reasoning is so rational and logical that it is difficult to accept the injustice of his actions at face value.
Such protagonists, characterized by an excess of consciousness, continue to appear in his later works, making it difficult to fully understand Dostoevsky’s body of work through a single novel. ‘Crime and Punishment’ is an important work that should be read as the starting point for the series of philosophical novels that followed.

Multifacetedness and the Fragmentation of Characters

The complexity of Dostoevsky’s works also stems from the multifaceted nature of his characters. Almost without exception, his characters harbor contradictions or possess alter egos. While some, like Raskolnikov and Svidrigailov, or Ivan and Smerdyakov, exhibit a relationship of alter egos, others, like Kirilov, appear calm on the surface yet harbor suicidal impulses.
Characters like Dmitri, who describes his soul as a battleground between God and the devil, and Natasha, whose nature is a mixture of love and hate, may confuse the reader; yet it is precisely this coexistence of contradictions that constitutes the core element of human nature Dostoevsky sought to emphasize.
He delved into human nature from every angle—the pleasure of suffering, the pursuit of the ugly-beautiful, and the clash between common-sense calculations and irrational assertions. His lifelong endeavor was to explore and unearth human nature, and the result is evident in the multifaceted nature of his characters.
Therefore, if one fails to grasp the complex human nature that lives and breathes within his characters, there is little to be gained from Dostoevsky. The chaos of his narrative is closely linked to this as well; while descriptions that are at times mutually contradictory may confuse the reader, one must not forget that these contradictions are real and inevitable.

Pathological Suffering and Eternal Renewal

Dostoevsky’s novels frequently feature pathological characters such as epileptics, imbeciles, alcoholics, sex maniacs, and hysterics. These characters are not merely sick people; they are portrayed as beings who endure present suffering in order to ultimately achieve renewal into eternal health.
It is from this perspective that we can understand why his novels, though filled with absurdity, simultaneously contain religious and humanitarian gospel ideas to the extent that they are called “sacred texts.” Pathological suffering is presented as a temporary and curable process.

Ideological Nature: An Author Who Prioritized Ideas Over Literature

The complexity of Dostoevsky’s novels also stems from their ideological nature. He himself stated that he “placed greater emphasis on ideas than on fiction,” and his novels written after ‘Crime and Punishment’ in particular tend to be read as philosophical works.
Various philosophical themes—such as the philosophy of the Übermensch, atheism, and Slavophilism—driven his novels, with characters and events serving as means to reveal those ideas. In other words, in many cases, Dostoevsky’s primary motivation for writing was not the characters themselves, but the ideas themselves.
Therefore, it is inappropriate to simply summarize him with terms like “the writer of self-flagellation,” “the cruel genius,” or “the great prophet.” Dostoevsky is like a complex and massive mountain; one must climb it and experience it firsthand to fully grasp its essence and charm.
To borrow a metaphor from André Gide, while the massive peak of Tolstoy seems to block the horizon, beyond it lies the even more majestic summit of Dostoevsky. Many forward-thinking individuals will sense that Dostoevsky’s greatness is gradually emerging from behind Tolstoy.
It may be Dostoevsky, rather than Tolstoy, who can be compared to Ibsen or Nietzsche. He is as great as Ibsen and Nietzsche, and perhaps the most important figure among them.