Crime and Punishment (1970)

Georgiy Taratorkin: Raskolnikov

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Quotes 

• Raskolnikov : I simply suggested the superior man may have the right, though not legal, to allow his conscience to overstep other obstacles, if so demands the realization of his idea which may be beneficial. I went on to develop the idea that all Caesars, Mahomets, Napoleons were criminals and did not stop at spilling blood, even innocent blood, if they had to do so to be successful. From this I conclude that all great men and even those out of the ordinary who are capable of saying a new word, are by their very nature criminals.

• Raskolnikov : Strange as it may seem, the people with new ideas are few and far between. One in one hundred thousand. The genius is only one in a million. The men of great genius, the crown of humanity, are maybe only one of many thousands who are born on this earth.

• Raskolnikov : A man holds everything in his hands, and he lets it all slip through them because he is afraid. That is a truth. I would like to know what people are most afraid of. Of taking a new step, of using a new word they've just made up. But I'm talking too much.

• Porfiriy Petrovich : This is a fantastic, gloomy business. A modern case. Bookish dreams. A heart unsettled by theories. He forgot to close the door after him, but yet he murdered. Murdered two people for a theory. And another thing: he murdered, yet he looks upon himself as an honest man. Poses as injured innocence. It couldn't be Mikolka, my dear Rodion Romanovich. No, it couldn't be Mikolka.

  Raskolnikov : Then who is the murderer?

  Porfiriy Petrovich : What do you mean, who's the murderer? You're the murderer, Rodion Romanovich!

• Sonya Marmeladova : What are you doing? What are you doing? Doing that before me!

  Raskolnikov : I am not kneeling to you, I am kneeling to all human suffering.

  Sonya Marmeladova : What are you saying? I've lost all honor, I am a sinner, I am a great sinner! What are you saying?

  Raskolnikov : It's not because of your dishonor nor because you've sinned. It's for the great suffering you've done. you're a great sinner, that's true. You live in the filth you despise. You know you're not helping anyone, you can't save anyone from anything. How can you live with this things side by side within you? It would be more just and sensible if you were to jump off a bridge and put an end to all this.

• Raskolnikov : Why do you go?

  Marmeladov : Because there are times when you must do something, you must have somewhere to go.

• Raskolnikov : Nastasya, why did he beat the landlady?

  Nastasya : Who beat the landlady?

  Raskolnikov : Lieutenant Powder from the police. Just now on the stairs. Why don't you say something?

  Nastasya : It's the blood.

  Raskolnikov : What blood? What are you talking about?

  Nastasya : No one beat the landlady.

  Raskolnikov : I heard them. I wasn't sleeping. That man from the police. And everyone came out to watch.

  Nastasya : No one has been here. It's your blood you heard. When there's no way for it to get out, it gets clotted and then you begin to hear things.

• Raskolnikov : What difference would it make to you if l were to confess that l did wrong? Why do you want to triumph over me? You won't understand anything. I'll only make you suffer.

  Sonya Marmeladova : Aren't you suffering too?

  Raskolnikov : I'm bad at heart.

• [last lines] 

  Raskolnikov : It was I... It was I who killed the old pawnbroker woman and her sister Yelizaveta with an axe. And robbed them.

• Raskolnikov : Did l kill the old woman? No, l killed myself, and not that old witch. l destroyed myself once and for all.

• Raskolnikov : I asked myself one day this question: what if Napoleon had happened to be in my place? And if he had not had Toulon nor Egypt to begin his career with, but instead of all those picturesque and monumental things, there had simply been some ridiculous old hag, a pawnbroker, who had to be murdered too to get money from her trunk for his career. You understand? Would he have brought himself to that? Wouldn't he have felt a pang at its being far from monumental, and sinful? l worried myself fearfully over that question, and l was ashamed when l guessed at last that he wouldn't have, that it wouldn't even have struck him that it was not monumental. He would have strangled her without thinking about it. Well, I too... Left off thinking about it... I just murdered her. Following his example.

• Raskolnikov : No one of them will understand you but me. I need you, that is why I've come to you.

  Sonya Marmeladova : I don't understand.

  Raskolnikov : You'll understand later. Haven't you done the same thing? You had the strength to go beyond what's permissible. You have laid hands on yourself. You have destroyed a life... your own life. That makes no difference. But you won't be able to hold on. if you stay alone you'll go out of your mind like me.

• Raskolnikov : Society is well-protected by prisons, banishment, investigators. No need to be afraid. Catch the thief.

  Porfiriy Petrovich : What if we catch him?

  Raskolnikov : it'll serve him right.

  Porfiriy Petrovich : Yes, it's logical. But what about his conscience?

  Raskolnikov : What do you care about that?

  Porfiriy Petrovich : Well, it's a question of humanity.

  Raskolnikov : Let him suffer if he has one, if he admits his fault. It'll be his punishment as much as a prison sentence.

• Raskolnikov : What am l to do now?

  Sonya Marmeladova : What are you to do? Stand up. Go and first kiss the earth which you have defiled. Bow down to all the world and say to all men loudly: ''I'm a murderer!''. Then God will send you life again.

  Raskolnikov : You mean l must give myself up?

  Sonya Marmeladova : Suffer and expiate your sin by it. That's what you must do.

  Raskolnikov : No, I'm not going to them.

  Sonya Marmeladova : it'll be too much for you to bear.

  Raskolnikov : What will l say? That l killed and did not dare take the money, but hid it? They'd laugh at me.

  Sonya Marmeladova : What a burden to carry! And for your whole life! Your whole life!

  Raskolnikov : I'll get used to it. Perhaps I've slandered myself. Perhaps I'm not a louse but a man, l may have judged myself too quickly. Yesterday l thought l was lost. But today things look much better.