With the publication of Crime and Punishment, Dostoevsky firmly established himself as one of the most significant authors of the nineteenth century. His grippingly accurate psychological portrayal of the criminal mind and the role of conscience, morality and acceptance of a Supreme Being, set the stage for the other great novels to follow: The Idiot, The Devils, and The Brothers Karamzov. The protagonist Rodion Raskolnikov transgresses against God and humanity and effectively cuts himself off from both. The novel both explores his theory of the "extraordinary man" and follows his path to atonement as the only way to heal the schism in his soul.

Author Biography

Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821-1881) is a well-known Russian writer of numerous novels and short stories. His writing was influenced by, and in part a commentary on religion, society, and politics of 19th century Russia. Crime and Punishment has been read by millions and adapeted for several films This edition of Crime and Punishementthas been revised and abridged by Thomas Beyer with an emphasis on retaining the strong Christian themes of Doestoevsky's writing. Beyer is Professor of Russian at Middlebury College in Vermont and has read and taught Dostoevsky's works dozens of times.