Part - Chapter VII Practice Quiz — Crime and Punishment
by Fyodor Dostoevsky — tap or click to flip
Practice Quiz: Part - Chapter VII
What happens to Marmeladov at the beginning of Part II, Chapter VII?
He is struck by a horse-drawn carriage in the street while drunk. Raskolnikov finds him lying unconscious, covered in blood, with a crushed face and broken ribs.
What does Raskolnikov do when he recognizes Marmeladov?
He identifies the injured man to the police, gives his own name and address, bribes a policeman, and arranges for Marmeladov to be carried home to his family rather than to the hospital.
What does the doctor tell Raskolnikov about Marmeladov's condition?
The doctor says Marmeladov will die immediately, within five or ten minutes. Several ribs on his right side are broken and there is a large bruise near his heart from the horse's hoof.
What are Marmeladov's last words and actions?
He recognizes Sonia in her prostitute's attire, cries "Sonia! Daughter! Forgive!" and tries to reach out to her, but falls from the sofa. He dies in her arms.
How much money does Raskolnikov leave with Katerina Ivanovna?
Twenty roubles, essentially all the money his mother had sent him. He promises to come again and help further.
What does Raskolnikov declare on the bridge after leaving the Marmeladovs?
"Life is real! haven't I lived just now? My life has not yet died with that old woman! The Kingdom of Heaven to her -- and now enough, madam, leave me in peace! Now for the reign of reason and light."
What does Raskolnikov learn from Razumihin at the party?
That suspicion for the murders has fallen on a painter, and that the police previously considered Raskolnikov a suspect but have now dropped that idea. Razumihin also mentions that Porfiry wants to meet Raskolnikov.
What does Raskolnikov find when he returns to his room at the end of the chapter?
His mother Pulcheria Alexandrovna and sister Dounia are sitting on his sofa, having waited an hour and a half. Instead of embracing them, he faints.
How does Katerina Ivanovna react to her dying husband being brought home?
She is practical and competent -- she places a pillow under his head, begins undressing and examining him, and fetches water. Despite her despair, she "kept her head, forgetting herself, biting her trembling lips."
What does Sonia look like when she arrives at the deathbed scene?
She wears a gaudy silk dress with an immense crinoline, light-coloured shoes, a parasol, and a round straw hat with a flame-coloured feather -- the clothing of her profession. Underneath is "a pale, frightened little face with lips parted and eyes staring in terror."
How does Polenka describe her family's prayer life to Raskolnikov?
She says the younger children pray aloud with their mother, repeating the Ave Maria and then "Lord, forgive and bless sister Sonia" and "Lord, forgive and bless our second father." They also pray for their deceased elder father.
Who is Nikodim Fomitch and what does he notice about Raskolnikov?
He is the police superintendent whom Raskolnikov met at the police station earlier. He notices fresh bloodstains on Raskolnikov's waistcoat, to which Raskolnikov replies with a peculiar smile, "Yes, I'm covered with blood."
How does Katerina Ivanovna argue with the landlady Amalia Ludwigovna?
Katerina Ivanovna insists on calling her Amalia Ludwigovna (her real patronymic) rather than Amalia Ivanovna, using this as a way to assert social superiority. She threatens to report the landlady to the Governor-General.
How does the blood motif transform in this chapter compared to earlier scenes?
Earlier, the pawnbroker's blood caused Raskolnikov horror and delirium. In this chapter, Marmeladov's blood on his clothes represents compassion and human connection, and makes him feel alive again -- a symbolic transformation from guilt to grace.
What does Raskolnikov's generosity toward the Marmeladov family reveal about his character?
It reveals the fundamental contradiction in his nature: the same man who murdered two women under an intellectual theory gives away his last money on instinct to a stranger's family, showing his capacity for compassion cannot be suppressed by ideology.
What theme does Katerina Ivanovna's argument with the priest illustrate?
The gap between abstract religious consolation and the concrete reality of suffering. The priest offers formulaic advice about forgiveness, but Katerina Ivanovna's lived experience of poverty, nightly labor, and her husband's drinking makes such platitudes seem hollow.
What does Marmeladov's plea for Sonia's forgiveness foreshadow?
It foreshadows Raskolnikov's own eventual need for forgiveness and Sonia's role as the person who will offer it. Both the dying father and the murderer reach toward Sonia's unconditional compassion for redemption.
What dramatic irony is at work when Raskolnikov tells Nikodim Fomitch "I'm covered with blood"?
The statement is literally true from helping Marmeladov, but also figuratively true because Raskolnikov is the undetected murderer. The police superintendent understands only the literal meaning, while the reader grasps both.
How does Dostoevsky use contrast and juxtaposition in this chapter?
Multiple contrasts operate simultaneously: Sonia's gaudy outfit vs. her gentle nature, Katerina Ivanovna's aristocratic memories vs. her present squalor, Raskolnikov's compassion vs. his crime, and the priest's pious words vs. the family's grinding poverty.
What simile does Dostoevsky use to describe Raskolnikov's sensation after leaving the Marmeladovs?
"This sensation might be compared to that of a man condemned to death who has suddenly been pardoned" -- an ironic comparison given that Raskolnikov is both the condemned man (morally) and the one who has not yet been caught.
What does "consumptive" mean in the description of Katerina Ivanovna?
Suffering from consumption (tuberculosis). Katerina Ivanovna is dying of the disease, which causes her violent coughing fits and the blood on her handkerchief.
What does "hectic flush" refer to when describing Katerina Ivanovna?
A feverish redness of the cheeks characteristic of tuberculosis patients. Dostoevsky notes it "was brighter than ever," signaling her worsening health.
What is a "kammerjunker" as mentioned by Katerina Ivanovna?
A rank at the Russian Imperial Court, equivalent to a gentleman of the bedchamber. Katerina Ivanovna mentions that a kammerjunker named Prince Schegolskoy wanted to propose to her, emphasizing her lost social status.
Who says "No business to die!" and what does it reveal?
Katerina Ivanovna says this sarcastically when onlookers suggest the dying man should be taken to a hospital rather than disturbing the lodging house. It reveals her fierce, combative pride even in her most desperate moments.
What does Polenka say when Raskolnikov asks if she loves Sonia?
"I love her more than anyone," Polenka answers with "peculiar earnestness" and a graver expression. This simple declaration highlights Sonia's role as the family's emotional anchor despite -- or because of -- her sacrifice.