Part II - Chapter I Practice Quiz — Crime and Punishment
by Fyodor Dostoevsky — tap or click to flip
Practice Quiz: Part II - Chapter I
What does Raskolnikov discover on his clothing when he wakes up?
He finds congealed blood drops on the frayed edge of his trousers, bloodstains on the lining of his left pocket, and a blood-soaked sock from stepping in a pool at the murder scene.
Where does Raskolnikov hide the stolen trinkets and purse?
He stuffs them into a hole behind the peeling wallpaper in the corner of his tiny room, though he immediately realizes this is an inadequate hiding place.
What is the noose/loop that Raskolnikov cuts from his coat?
It is a loop he had sewn into the armhole of his coat to hold the axe concealed during the murder. He cuts it into pieces and hides them among his linen under the pillow.
Why does the porter visit Raskolnikov's room?
The porter delivers a grey folded paper sealed with bottle-wax: an official summons to appear at the district police station, which Raskolnikov initially fears is related to the murder.
What is the actual reason for Raskolnikov's police summons?
It is for the recovery of an unpaid debt of 115 roubles. His landlady had him sign a promissory note nine months earlier, which she transferred to a man named Tchebarov for legal collection.
What causes Raskolnikov to faint at the police station?
He overhears Nikodim Fomitch and Ilya Petrovitch discussing the murder investigation, debating whether suspects Koch and Pestryakov are guilty. The shock, combined with his fever, causes him to collapse.
What does Raskolnikov do immediately after regaining consciousness from fainting?
He answers brief questions from the officers about his illness, then hurries home convinced that a search of his room is imminent, muttering "The brutes! they suspect."
How does Nastasya react to the bloody rags Raskolnikov is clutching?
Nastasya laughs and dismisses them as worthless scraps, saying he has collected rags and sleeps with them as though they were treasure. She does not notice the bloodstains.
Who is Ilya Petrovitch and what is his nickname?
Ilya Petrovitch is the assistant superintendent at the police station, known as "the Explosive Lieutenant" for his volatile temper. He shouts at Raskolnikov for arriving late and being disrespectful.
Who is Nikodim Fomitch?
Nikodim Fomitch is the district police superintendent. He is described as having a fresh, open face and treats Raskolnikov with civility and friendliness, calling Ilya Petrovitch "explosive" but good-hearted.
Who is Luise Ivanovna and what role does she play in the chapter?
Luise Ivanovna is a German woman who runs a boarding house. She appears at the police station to answer complaints about a drunken scandal, providing comic relief amid Raskolnikov's psychological crisis.
How does Raskolnikov's behavior at the police station show his conflicting impulses?
He oscillates between wanting to confess everything and wanting to escape undetected. He defiantly confronts Ilya Petrovitch, then feels profound alienation and nearly confesses to Nikodim Fomitch before stopping himself.
How does the theme of psychological punishment begin in this chapter?
Raskolnikov's punishment starts immediately after the crime through fever, paranoia, guilt, and an inability to function. His body and mind rebel against what he has done, establishing that the real punishment is internal.
What does Raskolnikov's sensation of "everlasting solitude" at the police station signify?
It signifies his alienation from humanity after the murder. He realizes he can never again appeal to other people emotionally, as though the crime has permanently severed him from normal human connection.
How does the recurring impulse to confess function thematically?
Raskolnikov repeatedly considers confessing, even thinking "I'll go in, fall on my knees, and confess everything." This impulse reveals the conflict between his rational self-preservation and his conscience's demand for moral accountability.
How does Dostoevsky use dramatic irony in the police station scene?
The reader shares Raskolnikov's terror that the summons is about the murder, but it turns out to be about an unpaid debt. This irony heightens tension and reveals the depth of Raskolnikov's paranoia.
What role does the physical setting play as a literary device in this chapter?
The stifling heat, cramped room, squalid streets, and airless police station function as physical correlatives to Raskolnikov's psychological entrapment, reflecting his inner suffocation and confinement.
How does Dostoevsky use interior monologue in this chapter?
The narrative plunges into Raskolnikov's fragmented, feverish thoughts, conveying his panic, self-doubt, and shifting rationalizations through rapid, disjointed inner speech that mirrors his deteriorating mental state.
What is the significance of Raskolnikov's faint as a form of foreshadowing?
The faint upon hearing the murder discussed foreshadows Raskolnikov's eventual confession. His body repeatedly betrays what his mind tries to conceal, pointing toward the inevitable collapse of his secrecy.
What does the word "delirium" mean in the context of Raskolnikov's condition?
Delirium refers to an acutely disturbed state of mind characterized by confusion, agitation, and hallucination, often caused by fever. Raskolnikov drifts in and out of delirium throughout the chapter.
What is a promissory note (I.O.U.) as referenced in Raskolnikov's debt?
A promissory note is a legally binding written promise to pay a specified sum of money. Raskolnikov signed one for 115 roubles to his landlady, which she later transferred to Tchebarov for legal collection.
"If I had been there, he would have jumped out and killed me with his axe." Who says this, and what is its significance?
Koch says this about the murderer, as reported by Nikodim Fomitch. It is significant because Raskolnikov, the actual axe-murderer, is standing in the same room overhearing this discussion of his own crime.
"Surely it isn't my punishment coming upon me? It is!" What does this quote reveal?
Raskolnikov says this when he realizes his mental faculties are failing him. It reveals his subconscious recognition that the psychological torment he is experiencing is a direct consequence of the murder.