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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is Porfiry not satisfied with?

2. What does Svidrigaylov prove to Dunya?

3. What does Dunya say Raskolnikev's willingness to face suffering is a sign of?

4. What does Raskolnikov see Svidrigaylov doing?

5. How old is the girl Svidrigaylov is currently engaged to?

Short Essay Questions

1. In what way does Svidrigaylov's suicide confirm to the reader the complexity of his character?

2. What does Chapter four show about Svidrigaylov's character?

3. In the epilogue how does Dostoevsky distance the reader from Raskolnikov?

4. How does Raskolnikov view a public confession?

5. In what way does Dostoevsky show Dunya to be different to her brother?

6. In what ways does Porfiry show what perceptive detective he is?

7. Why do you think Luzhin is so angry at Raskolnikov?

8. Why do you think Mrs. Marmaladov loses control?

9. Describe Svidrigaylov's character?

10. What do you think Dunya represented to Svidgaylov?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Dostoevsky represents family as an important, even essential part of Russian life. In what way does Raskolnikov's family help him when they arrive in St. Petersburg? Do you think that Raskolnikov would of committed the murder if his family had been in closer contact? In what way are the characters such as Luzhin with no family different to the characters with a family?

Essay Topic 2

Raskolnikov often contradicts himself and eventually it leads to his downfall. In what way does Raskolnikov contradict himself? What do you think it says about his character that he does contradict himself? Do you think he contradicts himself less as the novel goes on? If so why?

Essay Topic 3

Choose one of the class distinctions below and describe their living conditions in 19th century Russia.

1) Working class

2) Middle class

3) Upper-class

Do you think Dostoevsky portray a severe inequality in Russian society?

(see the answer keys)

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