Information about the author:

Abstract:

The author’s realm of ideas undoubtedly influences the inner life of the reader, however, the reader’s somatic engagement with the plot’s events must also be considered. In Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novel Crime and Punishment this phenomenon is primarily evoked through the dynamic and plasticity of the characters. In recent years, researchers have become increasingly interested in the psychological effects of reading—such as changes in blood circulation, heart rate, and brain activity. The reader mirrors the movements of the character, potentially repeating them. Crime and Punishment with its dynamics—both in plot and characters—strongly intensifies this process. The main hero, along with the characters who gravitate around the novel’s center, exhibit behavior that is utterly unpredictable. Such is their inner life, as well as their behavior and gestures. Therefore, perfective verbs carry special significance in the descriptions of Raskolnikov and his inner circle, while tertiary characters, who remain in the narrative background, are described predominantly with imperfective verbs—signifying a life without meaning, trapped in repeating oppressive situations. In Crime and Punishment, the reader belongs both to the world of the protagonist and to the world of the others, closely identifying with both the explosive shifts in Raskolnikov’s behavior and the prolonged, distressing existence of the “little people.” The reader’s attachment to the characters—given their number—creates multiple connections on ideological, spiritual, and physical levels. The epilogue, in particular, offers a liberating and dynamic experience for the readers: Raskolnikov not only finds solace from his loneliness, but also discovers that the other convicts are capable of responding to his inner transformation.

Keywords: corporal compassion, Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment, rate, time, dynamics.