Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky begins with Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov living in poverty and isolation in St. Petersburg. The reader soon learns that he was, until recently, a successful student at the local university. His character at that time was not uncommon. However, the grim and individualistic city environment ends up encouraging Raskolnikov's underdeveloped detachment and sense of superiority compared to his current state of despair. This state worsens when Raskolnikov goes to an old pawnbroker to sell a watch. During the visit, the reader gradually realizes that Raskolnikov plans to murder the woman, justifying himself by his superiority. Following Raskolnikov's murder, the novel explores his psychology in depth, but it also touches on countless other topics, including nihilism, the idea of ​​a "superman", and the value of human life. In this way, the greatness of Crime and Punishment comes not only from examining the main theme of the psychology of isolation and murder, but also from the variety of topics that naturally arise in the discussion. Dostoyevsky's St. Petersburg is a large, indifferent city that favors a Western style of individualism. As Peter Lowe notes: “The city is crowded, but there is no community in the crowds, no sense of belonging to a larger ‘whole’. » Mrs. Raskolnikov first notices a change in her son marked by his current state of despair. depression, but she does not realize the full extent of these changes, even after he is convicted of the murder. The conditions and influences are also noted by Raskolnikov's mother who comments on the heat and enclosed environment throughout the city. During a visit to Raskolnikov, she exclaims: “I'm sure... middle of paper ...... us, Peter. 'Prufrock in St. Petersburg: the presence of Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment in TS Eliot's 'The Love Song' by J. Alfred Prufrock'. »Journal of Modern Literature28.3(2005): 1+ Academic OneFile Web December 20, 2011 http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%. 7CA136262664&v=2.1&u=bluefld_main&it=r&p=AONE&sw=wWilkinson, Marta L. “Raskolnikova: Rodion Romanovich's Struggle with the Inner Woman.” » Genders 50 (2009 Academic OneFile Web. .com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA214102511&v=2.1&u=bluefld_main&it=r&p=AONE&sw=wMeyer, Priscilla. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor M. Dostoyevsky. Barnes & Noble Classics . ISBN 978-1-59308-081-5. Bourgeois, Patrick Lyall (1996).. 0-815-32492-8.