Raskolnikov’s remorse from schopenhauerian perspective

Abstract

The aim of this study is to relate the concept of justice presented by Schopenhauer in §62 of The World as Will and Representation with one of the most famous fundamental novels in Western literature, Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky. An attempt will be made to explore to what extent the main character of this novel approaches Schopenhauer's definitions of regret and remorse. To this end, I intend to highlight the important distinction between these feelings, the injustice involved in lying and the moral justification of the act of revenge. With this, we seek to highlight Raskolnikov's torn hope of being the next Napoleon, his increasing feeling of guilt and his recognition of not meeting the criteria of an extraordinary man. The analysis of these moral feelings concerns the study of ethics, which for Schopenhauer is extremely relevant because it concerns the investigation of the actions of human beings that affect each one of us.