What is the Significance of Raskolnikov’s Dream?

Answer

What is the significance of Raskolnikov’s dream? 

Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821-1881) is a Russian novelist. He uses Raskolnikov’s dreams in “Crime and Punishment” (1866) to reveal the character’s psychological struggles. These dreams are symbolic reflections of Raskolnikov’s inner turmoil and moral conflicts.

The Horse-Beating Dream: Raskolnikov dreams of a man beating a horse to death. It represents the brutality of his own thoughts and foreshadows his crime. The dream embodies his guilt and horror at the violence he plans to commit. Here is a quotation to support the point. 

God… can it be that I will really take an axe and smash her skull?

The Dream’s Moral Warning: The dream is also a subconscious warning against his intellectualized justification for murder. Despite his rationalization, his emotional response to the dream shows his inherent moral resistance to such violence.

Split Personality and Ethical Dilemma: Raskolnikov’s dream highlights the split between his desire to be an “extraordinary man” and his underlying compassion. The horse, representing innocence, symbolizes his struggle with his own moral code. As he watches the brutality unfold, his inner humanity revolts.

The Dream’s Role in the Narrative: The dream sets the tone for Raskolnikov’s later actions and psychological breakdown. His struggle between his conscience and his radical theories intensifies. It reflects his internal split following, 

If he had to remain standing on a square yard of space all his life… it were better to live so than to die at once!

In termination, Raskolnikov’s dream is a key to understanding his psychological state. It not only foreshadows his crime but also symbolizes his ethical conflict and guilt. Through this dream, Dostoevsky exposes the contradictions within Raskolnikov’s mind. He also illustrates the devastating impact of abandoning traditional morality.