Crime and Punishment · Chapter
IV explained
Raskolnikov is visited by the doctor Zossimov and Razumihin.
What happens
Raskolnikov is visited by the doctor Zossimov and Razumihin. The conversation reveals Raskolnikov's continued irritability and depression. The discussion shifts to Razumihin's involvement in the pawnbroker murder case, specifically his defense of the wrongly accused painter, Nikolay. Details of the investigation are debated, highlighting flaws in the police's circumstantial evidence and Razumihin's alternative theory.
Themes in this chapter
Psychological Torment
Raskolnikov's physical immobility, irritability, and obsessive focus on a wallflower pattern manifest his deep mental anguish following the murders.
Guilt and Conscience
Raskolnikov's sharp, withdrawn reaction to the mention of Lizaveta's murder is a clear, non-verbal indicator of his guilty conscience.
Characters to notice
- Raskolnikov
Irritable and depressed, lying on his sofa. He reacts sharply to Lizaveta's name, then withdraws, staring obsessively at a pattern on the wall.
- Lizaveta Ivanovna
Mentioned by Nastasya as having been murdered alongside Alena Ivanovna. Her name triggers a visible reaction from Raskolnikov.
- Alena Ivanovna
Referred to as the murdered pawnbroker-woman; her case is the central topic of discussion between Razumihin and Zossimov.
Key passages
“"Lizaveta was murdered, too," Nastasya blurted out...”
Nastasya reveals that Lizaveta, the pawnbroker's sister, was also killed.
This revelation directly connects to Raskolnikov's crime and shocks him.
“"What is offensive is that they lie and worship their own lying..."”
Razumihin criticizes the investigators not for being wrong, but for being stubbornly committed to their flawed theories.
Highlights a critique of rigid, unthinking authority.
“"He felt his arms and legs as lifeless as though they had been cut off. He did not attempt to move, but stared obstinately at the flower."”
Raskolnikov experiences a paralyzing dissociation, fixating on a minor detail to avoid the overwhelming reality.
A powerful physical manifestation of psychological collapse.