Article

Name: Dostoyevsky’s pawn: three thousand at the novel «Crime and Punishment»

Authors: T. I. Pecherskaya

Novosibirsk State Pedagogical University

Abstract: The article contains a detailed analysis of the function of the frequency repetition of three thousand rubles at the novel «Crime and Punishment» by F. M. Dostoyevsky. Frequency numerical repetitions at the author’s poetics repeatedly attracted attention of researchers, but this money repetition at the novel still was not noted. The paper investigates three thousand rubles in the context of the plot connection of main heroes united responsible at this sum – in the reality or the ideological: Raskolnikov, Svidrigailov, Sonya, Marfa Petrovna, Razumikhin, Alyona Ivanovna, Dunya, Lebezyatnikov, Luzhyn. The article presents methods of leading into the plot three thousand, points to its linkage with ideas of heroes. Money make the through semantic plot with similar thematic variants: three thousand as the devilish temptation, as the rationalistic idea of prosperity, as means of manipulation by other will (the power), as the ethical retribution for crime, as the momentary, miraculous, fairy liberation from want, as means permissive to begin the new – other – life. As the biographical source of this sum investigated the history of creation of novel in the context of the Dostoyevsky’s biographical circumstances of life: extreme want and dependence by creditor, endeavors to sell nonexistent novel, to pledge manuscript in sum three thousand, roulette as passion and method to find the necessary sum, change of plan of novel («The Drunkards» – «Crime and Punishment »), the bonded publisher’s agreement by F. T. Stellovsky and necessity in time to write one, gambling, novel («The Gambler») inside other («Crime and Punishment») and other. Considered letters this period allow assessing tension and dramatic of money search, connection writer’s plans with extreme complicated life’s circumstances. Few draft editions of novel investigated dynamics of work with option of money sum, among which three thousand in series move forward in the foreground, widening of circle of heroes involved to them, forming of circle of ideas connected with the fast and unexpected enrichment, that only can take out financial, moral and psychological being. All of them allow identifying awareness and succession of inclusion the through symbolical detail, tracing dynamics of forming of leitmotif main themes. Linkage of this repetition at the plot of the novel «Crime and Punishment» with circle of ideas and circumstance of writer’s life gives the interesting content for investigate of various aspects of psychology of creativity.

Keywords: novel «Crime and Punishment», semantic numerical repetition, three thousand rubles, plot, biography as source

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