Raskolnikov

Peter J. Leithart
February 1, 2011
Category: Literature

It’s all in the name.  Raskolnikov is from the Russian raskol’nik,which I’ve seen glossed as meaning “divided” or “separated.”  It’s the word for schismatic or heretic.

And it is Raskolnikov: A double personality who is alienated and split off from everyone, including the church, and whose crime is to split open the heads of two innocent women.

But raskol’nik is also “Old Believer,” and thus the name is a sign of Raskolnikov’s eventual return to his old Christian roots.


Article printed from Peter J. Leithart: http://www.leithart.com

URL to article: http://www.leithart.com/2011/02/01/raskolnikov/

URLs in this post:

[1] Facebook: http://www.leithart.com/2011/02/01/raskolnikov/?share=facebook