Crime and Punishment: Raskolnikov, Svidrigailov, and Path to Suicide (Video 9)

Svidrigailov is an old-time sinner, not a new fangled ideologue like Raskolnikov. He seems to be a disgusting character, preying on young women and perhaps killing his wife and beating his servants. But the question is whether he has a conscience and whether he can keep courting (in a manner of speaking) Raskolnikov's sister, Dunya. She ultimately rejects him. And this leads him to despair. What despairing tells us about the human condition is an important part of this story.

[@morbiusprime2043]

I think the child in his dream smiling at him is the core piece to understanding his character

[@MihailGeorgeNeamtu]

Excellent! Keep these videos coming.

[@donaldreed2351]

I can't help but think that Svidrigailov's "wickedness" is somehow mitigated by his respect for the idea of love. For this reason, he is certainly one of the most haunting characters in the book.

[@matthewbright2454]

Great analysis. I was floored when svyid shot himself. But it does seem like he did have a guilty conscience in the end and that he had stripped away so much of life's morals that it had become an iredemptive joke to him

[@nobertnghoboko4325]

Svidrigailov is misunderstood.