Crime and Punishment Group

Question:

angelinabllrn09
angelinabllrn09
Student
High School - 12th Grade

What is the significance of the setting in "Crime and Punishment"?

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Posted by angelinabllrn09 on Sunday September 28, 2008 at 7:42 PM and tagged with crime and punishment, poverty, setting, social problems.

Answers:


  1. ms-mcgregor Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    By setting the novel in St. Petersburg which was then the capitol of Russia, Dostoevsky is draws attention to the miserable social conditions that existed in Russia at the time the book was published. St. Petersburg is usually thought of as a beautiful city full of fabulous buildings and art. However, there was a much more impoverished side of the city that was rarely discussed. Almost all of the characters, including the protagonist, Raskolnikov, are poor. One of the most noble characters, Sonya, has had to become prostitute in order to help support her family. By involving the reader in this social environment, the author is able to call attention to problems associated with poverty and the consequences of those problems.

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    Posted by ms-mcgregor on Sunday September 28, 2008 at 10:23 PM