Podcast Summary: In Our Time – Crime and Punishment

BBC Radio 4 | Host: Melvyn Bragg | Date: November 14, 2019

Overview of the Episode

In this intellectually rich episode, Melvyn Bragg and his guests—Sarah Young (UCL), Oliver Reddy (Oxford; translator of "Crime and Punishment"), and Sarah Hudspeth (Leeds)—delve into the complexities of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s seminal novel Crime and Punishment. Through energetic discussion, they explore the novel’s creation, Dostoevsky's personal history, philosophical underpinnings, the psychology of its protagonist, and its ongoing impact and ambiguities. The episode is a comprehensive look at one of literature’s darkest and most enduring works, revealing its layers of morality, social context, character philosophy, and even humor.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Dostoevsky’s Life: Shaping the Novel (02:47–11:29)

• Early Life and Background

  • Born in Moscow to a doctor at the Hospital for the Poor, Dostoevsky was exposed early to suffering and poverty.
  • “He grew up with an atmosphere of seeing poverty and deprivation all around him.” – Sarah Hudspeth (02:47)
  • Though of minor aristocracy, his family’s noble status didn’t equate to wealth.

• Education and Early Success

  • Sent to St. Petersburg for military engineering studies but was drawn to its literary circles.
  • Published "Poor Folk" at age 24, garnering early acclaim (03:48–04:43).

• Political Trouble and Exile

  • Involvement with literary/intellectual circles exposed him to radical socialist discourse.
  • Arrested and sentenced to death for reading and discussing subversive texts, notably a letter by Visarion Belinsky (05:35–06:20).
  • Underwent a staged execution before being exiled to Siberia for hard labor—a trauma that profoundly marked him.

• Experiences in Siberia (07:15–11:29)

  • Four years of hard labor in appalling conditions, among common criminals, followed by four years of compulsory military service.
  • Paradoxically isolated and never alone: “All stuffed together like herrings in a barrel…” – Oliver Reddy (07:36)
  • Experienced a crisis and insight: gained skepticism toward utopian socialism, instead finding the “intrinsic value of every human life” (16:15).
  • Deepened religious faith, reading the New Testament obsessively during this time.
  • A key moment: After his brush with death he wrote ecstatically to his brother about the gift of life (10:04), marking a transformation.

The Novel: Plot, Characters, and Justifications (11:29–24:43)

• Plot Core and Protagonist

  • Raskolnikov, a poor ex-student, murders a pawnbroker and her sister in St. Petersburg, then grapples with the consequences.

• The Nature and Mess of the Crime

  • The murder is depicted with brutal realism, yet Raskolnikov fails to steal most of the “big loot,” highlighting his confusion and messiness (12:49).
  • “He makes a mess of the crimes, the mess of the murders and of the robbery…” – Sarah Young (12:49)

• Raskolnikov’s Philosophical Justifications

  • Considers the old pawnbroker an “evil” social parasite, rationalizing murder for the greater social good.
  • Compares himself to Napoleon—does greatness allow for moral transgression?
  • Influenced by prevailing utilitarian thinking among the 1860s Russian radicals (15:19).
  • Dostoevsky, through experience, comes to reject this utilitarianism as “profoundly dangerous,” seeing “the absolute intrinsic value of every human life” (16:15).

St. Petersburg: A Character in Itself (17:02–19:36)

• Atmospheric and Symbolic Backdrop

  • “It’s not a cold novel, it’s a baking hot novel. It’s the heat, the smell of the pollution, the cramped conditions, the squalor, the degradation…” – Sarah Hudspeth (17:15)
  • The city mirrors Raskolnikov’s psychological torment and societal breakdown, symbolizing the failures of modern Russia.

• Historical Context

  • Emancipation of the serfs led to explosive population growth, exacerbating urban poverty and squalor (19:04).

Relationships and Key Characters (19:36–28:22)

• Family Pressures

  • Raskolnikov’s mother and sister represent hope and familial sacrifice, but their love is experienced as suffocating obligation (19:56).

• Sonia Marmeladova

  • Raskolnikov’s connection to Sonia—driven to prostitution for her family’s survival, yet portrayed as an “innocent” and “projection” of compassion and redemption (23:13).
  • “She is not...a good time girl. She’s a child, she’s an innocent. The fact that she is a prostitute just doesn’t fit.” – Sarah Young (23:13)

• Svidrigailov

  • Presented as Raskolnikov’s “counterpoint,” representing amorality and moral ambiguity. His hedonism renders distinctions between good and evil meaningless, leading to his suicide (24:55).
  • “For Svidrigailov, life ends up holding no meaning at all...” – Sarah Hudspeth (26:53)

• Philosophies Embodied

  • Characters personify competing worldviews: traditional Christian humility vs. modern individual emancipation.
  • “The real dilemma… is between notions of good and bad that come down from traditional morality… and this more modern idea of the need to emancipate the individual.” – Oliver Reddy (27:04)

Investigation and Psychological Play (28:22–32:40)

• Porfiry Petrovich, the Investigator

  • Uses psychological “torture” and ambiguous dialogue rather than brute force.
  • “It’s a novel about words. The only things that change in this novel change as a result of dialogue, of communication.” – Oliver Reddy (29:56)

• Raskolnikov’s Ambivalence

  • Despite his crime, Dostoevsky keeps readers sympathetic to Raskolnikov—seeing his pain, self-torment, and at times, likability (30:21).
  • Comparison with his friend Razumihin, who faces similar adversity without resorting to crime, broadens the moral perspective.

Confession, Epilogue, and Open Endings (32:40–37:19)

• Towards Confession

  • Total isolation and inability to relate drive Raskolnikov toward confession: “He destroys… not just their life, but his own ability to engage in human relations.” – Sarah Hudspeth (32:43)

• The Siberian Epilogue

  • A dramatic shift: open air, distance, new possibilities.
  • Raskolnikov not simply “redeemed”—the ending is ambiguous, with “a moment of silence and connection,” but no guarantee of lasting transformation (33:45–35:26).
  • “Finally, Raskolnikov, this egoist… is now accepting another human being and therefore accepting himself. But… we suspect…he’ll go back to familiar patterns.” – Oliver Reddy (33:54)

• Siberia vs. St. Petersburg

  • Siberia symbolizes breath, openness, and real contact with ordinary Russians, but Raskolnikov remains alienated from the peasant convicts (35:44).

Light, Darkness, and Humor (38:13–42:08)

• Comic Elements
  • Despite the novel’s darkness, Dostoevsky weaves comic and satirical moments, often through Razumihin, embarrassing situations, and the absurdities of human striving.
  • “There is a deeply comic basis… It’s the comedy of somebody who wants to commit a crime but doesn’t believe he can.” – Oliver Reddy (39:32)
  • Notable funny scene: “The funeral meal… everything descends into sort of abuse and hysteria…. [It is] horrific to read in some ways, but…very, very funny.” – Sarah Young (40:52)

Dostoevsky vs. Tolstoy, Literary Rivals (42:08–43:17)

• Near-Simultaneous Literary Milestones
  • Crime and Punishment published almost concurrently with Tolstoy’s War and Peace; the two were rivals and mutual critics, but respected each other's genius.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Life is a gift. If we only knew every moment could be an eternity of happiness.” – (Recounted by Oliver Reddy, 10:04)
• “The darkness is absolutely necessary to understanding the light.” – Sarah Hudspeth (38:24)
• “This is a novel about words… The only things that change… change as a result of dialogue, of communication.” – Oliver Reddy (29:56)
• “You have to be able to… She has to be convincing for the novel to work… She is almost like a dream figure as well as being a real character.” – Sarah Young on Sonia (23:49)
• “We know Raskolnikov too well to believe this pious lie about the epilogue.” – Quoting a Russian biographer, Oliver Reddy (33:54)
• “Siberia is the place where he finally comes into contact with the… peasant convicts. And… they reject him completely.” – Sarah Young (35:48)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Dostoevsky’s Early Life & Crime: 02:47–11:29
• Plot & Raskolnikov’s Justification: 11:29–16:15
• St. Petersburg as Character: 17:02–19:36
• Family & Sonia: 19:36–24:43
• Svidrigailov & Philosophical Counterpoints: 24:43–28:22
• Porfiry & Psychological Tension: 28:22–32:40
• Confession & Siberian Epilogue: 32:40–37:19
• Humor & Lighter Elements: 38:13–42:08
• Tolstoy Rivalry: 42:08–43:17

Further Exploration: Extended Discussion (43:29–53:41)

Bonus discussion covers:

• The character of Luzhin as an unambiguous villain and moral contrast.
• Svidrigailov’s ambiguous menace and his prominence in adaptations (45:04–46:53).
• Representation of women (Sonia, Katerina Ivanovna) and the interplay of realism and psychology (46:53–49:07).
• Dostoevsky’s frantic writing circumstances: gambling, epilepsy, debt, punishing publishing deadlines, and the artistry underlying apparent stylistic chaos (49:07–52:29).
• Nabokov’s famous dismissal of Dostoevsky and the roots of their literary tension (52:29–53:41).

Final Thoughts

In Our Time offers a nuanced and multi-voiced analysis of Crime and Punishment, situating it in both its personal and intellectual context. The discussion highlights its psychological density, philosophical ambiguity, moments of humor, and enduring relevance.

Listeners who have not read the novel, or even those who have, will find in this episode a deep dive into the anxieties, ideas, and narrative artistry at the heart of one of literature’s most compelling explorations of crime, guilt, and redemption.