His face was fresh and not from St. Petersburg. The image of Svidrigailov in the novel "Crime and Punishment"

- Not at all to the unit and certainly to Porfiry! - Razumikhin shouted in some extraordinary excitement. - Well, I’m so glad! Why, let’s go now, two steps, we’ll probably catch you!

- I guess... let's go...

- And he will be very, very, very, very glad to meet you! I told him a lot about you, different time...And I said it yesterday. Let's go!.. So you knew the old woman? That's it!.. It all turned out great!.. Oh yes... Sofya Ivanovna...

“Sofya Semyonovna,” Raskolnikov corrected. - Sofya Semyonovna, this is my friend, Razumikhin, and he is a good person...

“If you have to go now...” Sonya began, not even looking at Razumikhin, and this made her even more embarrassed.

- And let's go! - Raskolnikov decided, - I’ll come to you today, Sofya Semyonovna, just tell me where you live?

He didn’t just hesitate, but as if he was in a hurry and avoided her gaze. Sonya gave her address and blushed at the same time. Everyone came out together.

- Aren't you locking it? – asked Razumikhin, going down the stairs after them.

“Never!.. However, I’ve been wanting to buy the entire castle for two years now,” he added casually. – Happy people are those who have nothing to lock up? – he turned, laughing, to Sonya.

On the street they stood at the gate.

- Should you turn right, Sofya Semyonovna? By the way: how did you find me? – he asked, as if he wanted to tell her something completely different. He kept wanting to look into her quiet, clear eyes, and somehow he didn’t succeed...

- But you told Polechka the address yesterday...

- Fields? Oh yes... Polechka! This... little... is this your sister? So did I give her the address?

- Have you forgotten?

- No... I remember...

“And I heard about you from the deceased then... Only I didn’t know your last name then, and he didn’t know either... And now I came... and when I found out your last name yesterday... I asked today: where does Mr. Raskolnikov live? And I didn’t know that you also live from tenants... Goodbye, sir... I’m Katerina Ivanovna...

She was terribly glad that she had finally left; she walked with her eyes down, in a hurry to somehow get out of their sight, to somehow quickly walk those twenty steps before turning right into the street and finally be left alone, and there, walking, hurrying, not looking at anyone, without noticing anything, think, remember, comprehend every word spoken, every circumstance. Never, never had she felt anything like this. Whole new world unknown and vaguely descended into her soul. She suddenly remembered that Raskolnikov himself wanted to come to her today, maybe in the morning, maybe now!

- Just not today, please, not today! - she muttered with a sinking heart, as if begging someone, like a frightened child. - God! To me... in this room... he will see... oh my God!

And, of course, she could not notice at that moment one gentleman unfamiliar to her, who was diligently watching her and following her on her heels. He accompanied her from the very exit of the gate. At that moment when all three, Razumikhin, Raskolnikov and she, stopped for two words on the sidewalk, this passer-by, walking around them, suddenly seemed to flinch, accidentally catching Sonya’s words on the fly: “and asked: Mr. Raskolnikov, where does he live?” He quickly but carefully examined all three, especially Raskolnikov, to whom Sonya was addressing; then he looked at the house and noticed it. All this was done in an instant, on the move, and the passer-by, trying not to even show it, walked on, slowing down his pace and as if waiting. He was waiting for Sonya; he saw that they were saying goodbye and that Sonya would now go somewhere to her place.

“So where to go to your place? I saw this face somewhere,” he thought, remembering Sonya’s face... “I need to find out.”

Having reached the turn, he crossed to the opposite side of the street, turned around and saw that Sonya was already following him, along the same road, not noticing anything. Having reached the turn, she turned into the same street. He followed, keeping his eyes on her from the opposite sidewalk; having walked about fifty steps, he crossed again to the side on which Sonya was walking, caught up with her and followed her, remaining five steps away.

He was a man of about fifty, above average height, portly, with broad and steep shoulders, which gave him a somewhat stooped appearance. He was smartly and comfortably dressed and looked like a dignified gentleman. In his hands was a beautiful cane, which he tapped along the sidewalk with every step, and his hands were in fresh gloves. His wide, high-cheekbone face was quite pleasant, and his complexion was fresh, not St. Petersburg. His hair, still very thick, was completely blond and just a little gray, and his wide, thick beard, hanging down like a shovel, was even lighter than his head hair. His eyes were blue and looked coldly, intently and thoughtfully; scarlet lips. In general, he was a perfectly preserved man who seemed much younger than his age.

When Sonya came out to the ditch, they found themselves together on the sidewalk. Watching her, he managed to notice her thoughtfulness and absent-mindedness. Having reached her house, Sonya turned through the gate, he followed her and seemed somewhat surprised. Entering the courtyard, she turned to the right, into the corner where there was a staircase to her apartment. “Bah! - muttered the unfamiliar master and began to climb the steps after her. Only then Sonya noticed him. She went to the third floor, turned into the gallery and rang the number nine, on the door of which was written in chalk: “Capernaum’s tailor.” “Bah!” the stranger repeated again, surprised by the strange coincidence, and called number eight nearby. Both doors were about six steps from one another.

– You’re standing at Kapernaumov’s! - he said, looking at Sonya and laughing. “He altered my vest yesterday.” And I am here, next to you, with Madame Resslich, Gertrude Karlovna. How I had to!

Sonya looked at him carefully.

“Neighbors,” he continued somehow especially cheerfully. – This is only my third day in the city. Well, goodbye for now.

Sonya did not answer; the door was opened and she slipped in. For some reason she felt ashamed, and as if she had become shy...

On the way to Porfiry, Razumikhin was in a particularly excited state.

“This, brother, is wonderful,” he repeated several times, “and I’m glad!” I'm glad!

“What are you happy about?” - Raskolnikov thought to himself.

“I didn’t even know that you also pawned it from the old woman.” And... and... how long has it been? So how long have you been with her?

“What a naive fool!”

“When?” Raskolnikov paused, remembering, “yes, three days before her death, I was with her, it seems.” However, I’m not going to buy things back now,” he picked up with some kind of hasty and special concern for things, “after all, again I only have a silver ruble... because of this damn delirium yesterday!

He spoke particularly impressively about delirium.

“Well, yes, yes, yes,” Razumikhin hurriedly assented and unknown to what, “so that’s why you were then... partly amazed... and you know, in your delirium you remembered everything about some rings and chains!.. Well, yes, yes...” It's clear, everything is clear now.

"Won! Eh, this idea has spread among them! After all, this man will go to the crucifixion for me, but I’m very glad that it was clarified why I mentioned the rings in my delirium! Eh, it’s become established among them all!..”

- Will we find him? – he asked out loud.

“We’ll catch you, we’ll catch you,” Razumikhin hurried. – This, brother, is a nice guy, you’ll see! A little clumsy, that is, he is a man and a man of the world, but in other respects I say clumsy. The guy is smart, clever, not even stupid, but has a special way of thinking... Distrustful, skeptic, cynic... loves to deceive, that is, not to deceive, but to fool... Well, the material old method... But he knows the matter, he knows... He is one thing, last year, I found something about a murder in which almost all traces were lost! I really, really, really want to meet you!

- Yes, why on earth is it very important?

- That is, it’s not that... you see, in Lately, that’s how you got sick, I often had to remember you a lot... Well, he listened... and when he found out that you couldn’t finish the law course due to circumstances, he said: “What a pity!” I concluded... that is, all this together, it’s not just one thing; yesterday Zametov... You see, Rodya, I was chatting something to you yesterday while drunk, as we were walking home... so, brother, I’m afraid that you won’t exaggerate, you see...

- What is this? Why do they think I'm crazy? Yes, maybe it's true.

He smiled tensely.

– Yes... yes... that is, ugh, no!.. Well, yes, everything I said (and about other things right there), it was all nonsense and with a hangover.

- Why are you apologizing! How tired I am of all this! - Raskolnikov shouted with exaggerated irritability. He was, however, partly faking it.

- I know, I know, I understand. Be sure I understand. It's embarrassing to even say...

– If you’re ashamed, don’t say so!

Both fell silent. Razumikhin was more than delighted, and Raskolnikov felt it with disgust. He was also worried by the fact that Razumikhin was now talking about Porfiry.

“This one also needs to sing Lazarus,” he thought, turning pale and with his heart pounding, “and sing more naturally. The most natural thing would be not to sing anything. Don't sing anything too hard! No! it would be unnatural again... Well, how it turns out... we'll see... now... is it good or not good that I'm going? The butterfly itself flies towards the candle. My heart is pounding, that’s what’s bad!..”

“In this gray house,” said Razumikhin.

“The most important thing is, does Porfiry know or doesn’t know that yesterday I was in this witch’s apartment... and asked about the blood? I have to recognize it in an instant, from the first step, as soon as I walk in, to recognize it by my face; so what... even if I disappear, I’ll find out!”

– Do you know what? - he suddenly turned to Razumikhin with a roguish smile, - I, brother, noticed today that you have been in some kind of extraordinary excitement since this morning? Is it true?

- How excited? “Not at all excited,” Razumikhin shuddered.

- No, brother, really, it’s noticeable. Just now you were sitting on a chair like you never sit, somehow on the tip, and the spasm kept tugging at you. He jumped up out of nowhere. Sometimes he’s angry, and sometimes his face suddenly becomes like the sweetest candy. He even blushed; especially when you were invited to dinner, you blushed terribly.

- It’s okay; You're lying!.. What are you talking about!

- Why are you just kidding around as a schoolboy! Damn it, he's blushing again!

- What a pig you are, though!

- Why are you embarrassed? Romeo! Wait, I’ll retell this somewhere today, ha ha ha! I’ll make mummy laugh... and someone else...

- Listen, listen, listen, this is serious, this is... What is it after this, damn it! – Razumikhin completely lost his mind, growing cold with horror. – What will you tell them? Me, brother... Ugh, what a pig you are!

- Just a spring rose! And how it comes to you, if you only knew; Romeo is ten inches tall! How did you wash yourself today, did you clean your nails, huh? When did this happen? By God, you've put on lipstick! Bend over!

- Pig!!!

Raskolnikov laughed so much that it seemed he couldn’t contain himself, so they entered Porfiry Petrovich’s apartment laughing. That’s exactly what Raskolnikov needed: from the rooms one could hear that they entered laughing and were still laughing in the hallway.

“Don’t say a word here, or I’ll... crush you!” - Razumikhin whispered furiously, grabbing Raskolnikov by the shoulder.

A minor character in Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel Crime and Punishment. An old nobleman dreams of marrying the sister of the main character of the novel -. He learns about the murder that Raskolnikov committed, but promises to remain silent about it. A quirky type, depraved and cynical.

History of creation

The image of Svidrigailov was formed under the influence of diverse impressions. The psychological prototype of the character was probably a certain murderer Aristov, a nobleman by birth, who was imprisoned in the Omsk prison. This person has already been depicted in another work - “Notes from dead house" The surname “Svidrigailov” is consonant with the name of the Lithuanian prince Svidrigailo, as well as with the German word geil, which translates as “voluptuous”, “lustful”.

In addition, Dostoevsky, while working on the novel, drew upon numerous materials and notes from magazines and newspapers that he read. Among other things, the writer read the magazine Iskra. One of the issues for 1861 contains a feuilleton that talks about a certain Svidrigailov, a “repulsive” and “disgusting” man who is rampaging through the provinces.

"Crime and Punishment"

Arkady Svidrigailov is a tall, plump, stooped gentleman of about fifty. He dresses smartly and gives the impression of a dignified gentleman. He wears fresh gloves, an elegant cane and a huge ring with an expensive stone. Svidrigailov has a pleasant, high-cheekboned face, a healthy complexion, which is not typical for a St. Petersburger, thick blond hair with barely a hint of gray in it, a thick “spade-shaped” beard and blue “thoughtful” eyes.

The character is "excellently preserved" and looks younger own years. At the same time, Svidrigailov’s youthful face looks like a mask and, for unknown reasons, produces a “terribly unpleasant” impression, and his gaze seems heavy and motionless.

Svidrigailov was a nobleman by birth, a retired officer - he served in the cavalry for two years. The hero was married, but Svidrigailov’s wife died. The wife left behind children who live with their aunt, and, as Svidrigailov himself believes, do not need a father. The hero's children are well provided for. Svidrigailov himself was also rich before, but after the death of his wife, the hero’s fortunes began to deteriorate. Svidrigailov is used to living luxuriously and is still considered a wealthy man and dresses well, but what is left after his wife is hardly enough for the hero to last a year.

Svidrigailov has an extravagant and unpredictable character. Other characters call Svidrigailov a voluptuous libertine, a scoundrel and a rude villain. The hero himself shares the opinion of others about himself as an idle person who died in vices, deprived of honor.

The hero also calls himself a boring and gloomy person, admits that sometimes he sits in the corner for three days and doesn’t talk to anyone, he loves hot spots and mired in sins. Svidrigailov does not have any specialty or business to which the hero could devote himself; for this reason, the hero calls himself an “empty man.”

Raskolnikov also calls Svidrigailov “the most insignificant villain.” Svidrigailov is in love with Raskolnikov’s sister Dunya and wants to marry her. However, he himself is against this marriage and believes that Dunya should be protected from Svidrigailov. Svidrigailov is not interested in the opinions of others, however, when necessary, the hero knows how to give the impression of a decent and charming person from good society. The hero is cunning and knows how to seduce ladies, he is inclined to brag and let his tail fly.

Svidrigailov has many acquaintances in high society, because he still had useful connections. The hero himself previously dealt in fraud and was a sharper - a card player who deceives his partners. The hero was in a company of the same card swindlers who operated in high society and at first glance looked like the most decent people with refined manners, businessmen and the creative elite.

Eight years before the events taking place in the novel, Svidrigailov ended up in a debtor's prison, from where he had no means to escape. The hero had a huge debt that he could not pay. Svidrigailov was saved by Marfa Petrovna, who was in love with him, and bought the hero from prison for “thirty thousand pieces of silver.” The hero married Marfa Petrovna, after which he immediately left for his wife’s estate, in the village. The wife was five years older than Svidrigailov and loved her husband very much.

For the next seven years, before arriving in St. Petersburg, the hero did not leave the estate and took advantage of his wife’s fortune. Marfa Petrovna seemed too old to the hero and did not arouse a love interest in him, so Svidrigailov directly told his wife that he was not going to remain faithful to her. The wife received this statement with tears, but as a result the spouses came to an agreement.

Svidrigailov promised that he would not leave his wife and would not divorce her, would not go anywhere without his wife’s permission and would not take on a permanent mistress. In exchange for this, Marfa Petrovna will “allow” Svidrigailov to seduce young peasant women on the estate.

Svidrigailov raped a deaf-mute minor girl, who later hanged herself in the attic. The hero’s guilt became known from a certain denunciation. A criminal case was opened against the hero, and Svidrigailov was threatened with exile to Siberia, but Marfa Petrovna again helped her husband get out of it and tried to hush up the matter. Thanks to his wife’s money and connections, Svidrigailov escaped justice. It is also known that the hero drove one of his servants to suicide with endless torture and bullying.

Dunya, the sister of the main character of the novel, Rodion Raskolnikov, worked as a governess in the house of Marfa Petrovna when she was still alive. Svidrigailov fell in love with Dunya and planned to seduce the girl with money and run away with her to St. Petersburg. Svidrigailov tells Duna that, at her command, he is ready to kill or poison his wife. Soon, Svidrigailov’s wife actually dies under strange circumstances, but Dunya refuses the hero.

The girl believes that Svidrigailov horribly beat and poisoned his wife, but whether this is true is unknown. Suspecting the hero of murder, Dunya takes the revolver that previously belonged to Marfa Petrovna in order to be able to defend herself if necessary.

Another illegal act of Svidrigailov is blackmail. The hero overhears the conversation that takes place between Raskolnikov and Sonechka Marmeladova. From this conversation, Svidrigailov learns about the murder that Raskolnikov committed, and decides to use this information to blackmail Dunya and force her to marry him. However, Dunya manages to get rid of Svidrigailov. Later, the hero offers Raskolnikov money so that he can flee St. Petersburg abroad and hide from justice.

The deceased wife begins to appear to Svidrigailov in hallucinations. The hero goes crazy and begins to do strange things, for example, he gives a prostitute three thousand rubles (a lot of money at that time) so that the heroine can start new life. Soon after this, Svidrigailov commits suicide - he shoots himself right on the street. This completes the biography of the hero.

Svidrigailov in the novel appears as Raskolnikov's double. The characters are related by the philosophy they adhere to. Svidrigailov has a theory that is consonant with Raskolnikov’s theory. Both heroes believe that evil committed in the name of a “good goal” is not considered such a significant evil, that the end justifies the means. Svidrigailov formulates his own life position permissiveness like this:

“A single act of villainy is permissible if the main goal is good.”

The first meeting of Raskolnikov and Svidrigailov occurs as follows. The hero appears in Raskolnikov’s closet while he is sleeping. Raskolnikov sees at this moment horrible dream about his own crime and, half asleep, perceives Svidrigailov who appeared in the room as a continuation of the nightmare. A conversation takes place between the characters, during which Svidrigailov admits that he sometimes sees “ghosts” deceased wife and the servant Filka, who committed suicide through the fault of Svidrigailov.

We are also talking about Duna, for whom Svidrigailov has tender feelings. The girl refused Svidrigailov himself, but she is going to marry a lawyer, whom she does not love, but is ready to “sell out” in order to improve the family’s financial affairs. Svidrigailov wants to give Duna ten thousand rubles so that she can refuse the forced marriage and freely build her own life.

Film adaptations

In 1969, the two-part film “Crime and Punishment” directed by Lev Kulidzhanov was released at the film studio named after. The role of Svidrigailov in this film was played by the actor.

In 2007, the TV series “Crime and Punishment”, directed by Dmitry Svetozarov, was released on television. The series was filmed in St. Petersburg, the role of Svidrigailov went to the actor.

In 1979, he played the role of Svidrigailov in a play staged by the Taganka Theater. This was the last one theatrical role actor.

Quotes

Svidrigailov’s life principles are well described by the quote:

“Everyone looks out for himself and lives the happiest life who knows how to deceive himself best.”

“Why have you gone all out on virtue?”

“Why abandon women if I’m even after them? At least it’s an occupation... Agree, isn’t it an occupation of its own kind?”

“The fact that he pursued a defenseless girl in his house and “insulted her with his vile proposals,” is that true, sir? ... The whole question here is: was it me or the victim himself? Well, what about the victim? After all, by offering my subject to flee with me to America or Switzerland, I, perhaps, had the most respectful feelings for this, and I also thought of arranging mutual happiness!”

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT

(Novel, 1866)

Svidrigailov Arkady Ivanovich - one of the central pfoi. “... He was about fifty years old, taller than average, portly, with broad and steep shoulders, which gave him a somewhat stooped appearance... His wide, high-cheekbone face was quite pleasant, and his complexion was fresh, not St. Petersburg. His hair, still very thick, was completely blond and just a little gray, and his wide, thick beard, hanging down like a shovel, was even lighter than his head hair. His eyes were blue and looked coldly, intently and thoughtfully; lips are scarlet." Raskolnikov notices that his face looks like a mask and there is something extremely unpleasant about him.

Nobleman. Served for two years in the cavalry. Then, in his words, he “lounged around” in St. Petersburg. He was a cheater. Having married Marfa Petrovna, who bought him out of prison, he lived in the village for seven years. Cynic. Loves debauchery. There are a number of things on his conscience serious crimes: the suicide of Philip's servant and the fourteen-year-old girl he insulted, perhaps the poisoning of his wife... Raskolnikov's double, S., seems to have been generated by the hero's nightmare. Appearing in his closet, he declares that they are “birds of a feather” and invites Raskolnikov to give ten thousand to his sister Duna, who, due to his harassment, was compromised and lost her job. Luring her to his place under the pretext important news concerning her brother, he reports that Rodion is a murderer. He tries to gain Dunya's favor by offering to save Raskolnikov, and then blackmails her. Dunya, in order to prevent violence, shoots at him with a revolver and misses. However, S, humbling himself, unexpectedly lets her go. In his question: “So you don’t love me? And you can't? Never?" - there is a sound of sincere bitterness, almost despair.

Unlike Raskolnikov, he is already on the other side of good and evil and seems to have no doubts. It is no coincidence that S. is so worried about Raskolnikov, who feels his power over himself, with his mystery. He's free, moral law no longer has power over him, but this does not bring him joy. All that remains for him is world boredom and vulgarity. S. had fun as best he could, trying to overcome this boredom. At night ghosts appear to him: Marfa Petrovna, servant Philip... The indistinguishability of good and evil gives rise to bad infinity and makes life meaningless. It is no coincidence that eternity appears to him in the image of a village, smoky bathhouse with spiders. And although he helps settle Marmeladov’s children after the death of Katerina Ivanovna, takes care of a little girl in a hotel before committing suicide, his soul is almost dead. S. commits suicide with a revolver shot.

Being a card sharper and having been in debtor's prison, Arkady Ivanovich Svidrigailov finds himself in a hopeless situation in St. Petersburg, but he is picked up by the landowner Marfa Petrovna, with whom he lives on her estate as her husband. He is about fifty years old and is a voluptuous man. On the estate he meets a young and beautiful younger sister Raskolnikova is Dunya, who serves in the house as a home teacher, and, despite the age difference, falls passionately in love with her. Marfa Petrovna, who warmed him, comprehends sudden death, but there are rumors that Svidrigailov poisoned her. Following Dunya, this old libertine moves to St. Petersburg, but she irrevocably rejects him. And then Svidrigailov, this dirty libertine, shoots himself.

What did Dostoevsky want to say when introducing this character to the reader? It is difficult to answer this question unambiguously—too much about his character remains unclear. His suicide itself is so unexpected that it leaves the reader bewildered. Some generally argue that Svidrigailov in the novel “Crime and Punishment” is an unnecessary image, and there is some truth in this statement.

Nevertheless, there is some kind of magnetism in Svidrigailov that forces us to follow his fate. Agreeing with the statement that the image of this hero is unclear, one can at the same time assert that he makes many empathize with him.

It happens that nightmare is haunting us. It's terrible, dense and sticky. You instinctively want to get rid of him and escape. When you awaken from this dark obsession, you feel relief, accompanied by bodily impotence and inexpressible joy.

When encountering Svidrigailov in the novel Crime and Punishment, the reader also experiences an oppressive, nightmarish feeling. From the words, gestures and experiences of this hero comes some kind of terrible and invisible threat. Svidrigailov’s speech randomly rushes from one subject to another: here he beat a woman, here he talks about his clothes, here he talks about the boredom of life, about anthropology, his cheating... He speaks then to talk, and the reader ceases to understand what than, strictly speaking, we're talking about. Having started with one thing, Svidrigailov suddenly turns to something completely different, something dark is hidden in the depths of his soul, he is full of unhappy forebodings that he cannot cope with, he cannot calm down, as if he were under constant surveillance. Therefore, his speeches are a stream of consciousness, it is a disordered and chaotic monologue. But if this monologue is interrupted, then Svidrigailov’s terrible pursuer will overtake him and drag him into a terrible and dark pit. When the hero tells how the late Marfa Petrovna “deigned to visit” him, appearing from the other world, his eyes become unusually serious. Or here is the famous episode when he, without listening to his interlocutor Raskolnikov, says that eternity for him is “like a village bathhouse, smoky, and there are spiders in the corners.” Svidrigailov in the novel “Crime and Punishment” is afraid of ghosts and the other world. He knows the feeling of deathly cold, and it frightens him.

Dostoevsky suffered from epilepsy, and the fear of death constantly haunted him. The same can be said about Svidrigailov, and this was not some abstract, but completely living fear. As the writer’s wife Anna Grigorievna testifies in her diaries, her husband experienced horror with every seizure. And each time his mind became clouded, his body grew cold and became as if dead. After the end of the attack, the fear of death overcame Dostoevsky, and he begged not to be left alone. Due to epilepsy, Dostoevsky was haunted by the fear of death even in happy moments existence, and this fear never left him. Death was his constant companion. He always clearly sensed the possibility of death and feared it.

Probably, Svidrigailov owes his appearance on the pages of the novel to the fact that through him Dostoevsky wanted to convey his fears in the face of death. In this case, it becomes clear why this hero talks so much about other world, ghosts and my feelings of mortal cold. Hence his endless conversations, which leave the feeling that Svidrigailov is fearfully awaiting the unexpected appearance of someone in black. There is no doubt that through this “inappropriate” character Dostoevsky conveyed his immediate bodily sensations concerning the problem of death that worried him so much.

Svidrigailov in the novel “Crime and Punishment” is not worried about the moral problem - how best to live his life in this world. This sensualist is indifferent to the problems of good and evil, justice and injustice, virtue and sin. He, despite his will, is concerned about the problem of the disappearance of life and immortality. Does immortality exist? What is it like - bright, warm and joyful? Or is it dark, cold and sorrowful? He wants someone to give a firm answer to these questions. Perhaps it would be correct to say that these questions are addressed to the physician and not to the philosopher or theologian.

The fear of death is manifested everywhere in Dostoevsky; the writer, in his various works, performs an operation to visualize death. Varenka’s evening “pale sky” from “Poor People”, the huge spiders that Ippolit sees in a dream from “The Idiot”, Rogozhin’s favorite painting depicting dead christ. In Crime and Punishment, Dostoevsky “transferred” his fears to Svidrigailov. And in this respect, Svidrigailov can be called Dostoevsky’s “double”.

The influence of Fyodor Mikhailovich’s personality on this character is visible not only in relation to death.

When Svidrigailov is already planning suicide, and, having wandered through the streets of St. Petersburg, stops for the night in a cheap hotel, he has a dream: the corpse of a prostitute girl who threw herself into the river. "She was only fourteen years old." He thinks he knows her. Her dying “last cry of despair” rings in his ears, and it shakes him to the core. Svidrigailov in the novel “Crime and Punishment” is tormented by a feeling of sinfulness and guilt.

In Dostoevsky's works one can see that in his world great importance has not the crime itself, but a feeling of guilt, which is a reflection of the complex of the writer himself, who did not commit any crime, but for some unknown reason felt a sense of guilt for this uncommitted crime.

If we take into account these “additional” circumstances, it becomes clearer why Svidrigailov commits an unexpected suicide, which in no way follows from the logic of the story. Svidrigailov carries within himself the complexes of Dostoevsky himself - the fear of death and a sense of guilt. Strakhov wrote: “Dostoevsky is the most subjective of novelists, almost always creating faces in his own image and likeness.” And Svidrigailov’s death is an expression of this subjectivity.

As for Dostoevsky, he tried to transform his sense of sinfulness and guilt into universal sympathy. Fyodor Mikhailovich’s feeling of guilt did not have a practical dimension, it was “head”, and therefore did not lead to a discussion of the problem of social responsibility. Dostoevsky set the following task for his characters: to get rid of the feeling of guilt and merge in a single impulse with others.

Although you are tormented by the feeling of your own guilt, everyone is sinful, and this provides the basis for the solidarity of sinners. Hence the need for universal sympathy. The path from this mentality leads to the affirmation of life and the joy of being together. This is Dostoevsky's train of thought. The realization that all people are equally sinful relieves stress, hostility and hatred; this gives a reason to feel like a member of a community, leads to the joy of sympathy, empathy and mutual acceptance. Many of Dostoevsky's characters are prone to self-deprecation and antics. Through this they seek a way to the hearts of other people. And this behavior has something in common with ideas about the “community of sinners.”

According to M. Gorky, L. N. Tolstoy spoke of Dostoevsky like this: “He is sure that if he himself is sick, the whole world is sick” (M. Gorky. “Leo Tolstoy”). And, indeed, Dostoevsky extends his painful sense of guilt and sinfulness to all other people through his characters.

So behind the façade art world Dostoevsky there is a deeply hidden feeling of his sinfulness. It also lurks in his characters, it serves as the basis for their behavior and actions. Dostoevsky directly conveys the energy of his fears of death and feelings of guilt to Svidrngailov in the novel Crime and Punishment. Therefore, this image captivates the reader and has existential persuasiveness for him - and this despite the fact that there is a lot that is unclear in him, and his words and actions are not always justified logically.

Consider the image of Arkady Ivanovich Svidrigailov. This hero is one of the main characters psychological novel“Crime and Punishment” by F. M. Dostoevsky (a portrait of the author is presented in the article). Fyodor Mikhailovich published this work in 1866. It was published in the magazine "Russian Bulletin". And this work was created in the period from 1865 to 1866.

The image of Luzhin and Svidrigailov is united by the fact that both of these heroes are moral Arkady Ivanovich personifies the decline of personality and spiritual degradation, which leads to the implementation of Rodion’s philosophy, his view of the world.

External characteristics of Svidrigailov

Considering the image of Svidrigailov, let us first describe him external features. In the work, Arkady Ivanovich is already more than 50 years old, but he looks much younger than his years. He is a broad-shouldered man of average height who dressed smartly and looked like a “stately gentleman.” Arkady has a fresh, pleasant face, his beard and hair are still very thick, and his Blue eyes They look with a steady, cold gaze. However, after some time, Raskolnikov found something terrible and unpleasant in this seemingly pretty face. Svidrigailov is a well-connected nobleman who is used to setting a goal for himself and achieving it by any means. This is the image of Svidrigailov when he first met this hero. However, it is actually much more complicated, as you will see if you read to the end of this article.

Arkady Ivanovich

Continuing to describe the image of Svidrigailov, let us turn to his inner world. A lot of gossip surrounds this hero, each worse than the other. Society blames him for the death of his wife Martha. He allegedly poisoned his wife, and also tortured and ultimately drove Philip, his servant, to suicide by beating the girl.

Dunya, Rodion’s sister, with whom this nobleman is in love, also senses the danger emanating from this man. Svidrigailov says about himself that he is a person devoid of norms and principles who acts according to his own desire and his own will. He does not construct exculpatory theories to hide his actions, like Luzhin. Arkady Ivanovich directly says that he is a “depraved and idle” person.

Comparative characteristics of two heroes - Svidrigailov and Raskolnikov

The image of Svidrigailov, briefly described above, is largely revealed by comparing him with Rodion Raskolnikov. Thanks to his abilities, experience, and money, Arkady Ivanovich already has what Rodion can only dream of - “independence from people and absolute freedom.” This hero was able to overcome murder, debauchery, and deception long ago. Raskolnikov could envy Svidrigailov’s cold prudence and restraint during the crime, since Arkady Ivanovich never makes stupid mistakes and does not give in to sentimentality. And the student suffers from all this. Rodion is tormented in his soul, gathering all his moral strength in order to silence his conscience. Arkady Ivanovich had not felt even a hint of guilt and torment of conscience for a long time. He does not care about past sins, nor about the dirty deeds he has recently committed. All this complements his image. Arkady Ivanovich Svidrigailov was accustomed to living through various crimes and enjoying his own baseness.

Arkady Ivanovich has long crossed moral boundaries, an abyss spiritual fall this hero is truly great. The only thing he does is to mercilessly pluck the “flowers of pleasure” and then throw them “in roadside ditch"Arkady is the first to notice that he has a lot in common with Rodion. However, there is one thing important difference- Svidrigailov erased the boundaries between sin and morality, but Rodion did not. The student is panicked by the fact that evil and good are the same. And for Svidrigailov this is a life truth.

Positive aspects of Svidrigailov

While depicting his immoral image, Dostoevsky at the same time attaches great importance to the things he accomplished. good deeds. Svidrigailov commits them even more than everyone else positive characters taken together. After all, Arkady provided a future not only for his children, but also for the Marmeladov orphans. He wants to arrange Sonya’s fate, to get her out of this “whirlpool.”

Svidrigailov offers Raskolnikov money to escape to America. He also promises to pay off Katerina Ivanovna’s debts. The bright side of this hero also takes over in his relationship with Dunya. After all, Arkady Ivanovich, after the girl harshly refused him, no longer sought a meeting with her, and did not harm Sonya. Svidrigailov’s “broad” nature is endowed with a strange ability to be noble and vile at the same time. In his soul there is no clear boundary between evil and good.

The tragic duality of the inner world of Arkady Ivanovich

Arkady Ivanovich's life position is explained in the work to some extent by the tragic duality of his personality. He, like Rodion, painfully perceives the imperfection of this world, its order, based on injustice and falsehood. But Svidrigailov’s rebellion, on the other hand, does not have a positive charge.

He does good deeds only “out of boredom,” since it does not require him to either infringe on his desires or suffer material aid to people. His theory of a “strong personality” leads the hero only to emptiness, and not to self-realization.

Loathing for life and suicide

Arkady Ivanovich, despite the complete absence of moral principles, feels disgusted with life. This hero wants to escape from this, he takes risks, kills, after which he sits in prison, then agrees to escape to America or fly to hot-air balloon. However, the weight of an existence devoid of meaning weighs on our shoulders and depresses us. He is haunted by vulgarity everywhere, the “bathhouse with spiders” scares him for eternity. It is not surprising, therefore, that Svidrigailov, fed up with life, decides to commit suicide. His soul was practically dead, so a revolver shot was logical.

What does the fate of Svidrigailov teach?

The image of Svidrigailov plays a large role in the work. "Crime and Punishment" is a novel that teaches us that permissiveness, absolute freedom do not lead to emancipation, as Rodion secretly hoped, but, on the contrary, to devastation, a feeling of narrowing living space.

A warning to Raskolnikov is the fate of Arkady Ivanovich. The characterization of Svidrigailov’s image shows that the path he has chosen is false. It only leads to spiritual emptiness. The fate of this hero teaches by a negative example the truth that Sonya adheres to - you need to accept Christ and cleanse yourself in order to become truly free.