Part VI - Chapter I Practice Quiz — Crime and Punishment
by Fyodor Dostoevsky — tap or click to flip
Practice Quiz: Part VI - Chapter I
What is Raskolnikov's mental state at the opening of Part VI, Chapter I?
He is in a fog-like, disoriented condition—confusing dates, misremembering events, oscillating between morbid panic and complete apathy. He sometimes wakes in unfamiliar places with no memory of how he arrived.
What has Svidrigaïlov arranged following Katerina Ivanovna's death?
He has arranged Katerina Ivanovna's funeral, placed her three orphaned children in suitable institutions, and settled money on them to ensure their care.
What does Raskolnikov observe at the requiem service in Sonia's room?
He sees the children kneeling by Katerina Ivanovna's coffin with Polenka weeping, and Sonia praying softly behind them. Sunlight fills the room as the priest reads "Give rest, oh Lord."
What news does Razumihin bring about the murder investigation?
He reveals that the painter Nikolay has confessed to the pawnbroker's murder and provided proofs. Porfiry explained the case to Razumihin "psychologically."
What has happened to Raskolnikov's mother, Pulcheria Alexandrovna?
She came to visit Raskolnikov but found him absent. Humiliated, she said it was "unseemly for his mother to stand at his door begging for kindness," returned home, and fell ill with a fever.
What does Razumihin reveal about a letter Dunya received?
Dunya received a letter that upset her greatly, after which she said they might "very soon have to part," then locked herself in her room. The sender is not identified.
Who appears at Raskolnikov's door at the very end of the chapter?
Porfiry Petrovitch. Just as Raskolnikov resolves to confront Svidrigaïlov and opens his door, he stumbles upon Porfiry in the passage, who claims he was "passing by" and decided to look in.
How does Sonia react to Raskolnikov after the requiem service?
She silently takes both his hands and rests her head on his shoulder. Raskolnikov is bewildered that she shows no trace of repugnance or disgust—he interprets it as "the furthest limit of self-abnegation."
What is Razumihin's emotional state during his visit to Raskolnikov?
He is furious, troubled, and determined. He speaks with "evident annoyance" but resolves not to pry into Raskolnikov's secrets, only wanting to know if his friend is mad. He eventually concludes Raskolnikov is rational.
What does Razumihin conclude about Raskolnikov's secret activities?
He mistakenly concludes that Raskolnikov is a political conspirator on the eve of some desperate step, and that Dunya is involved. He thinks Nikolay's confession clears up his earlier suspicions about Raskolnikov.
How does Raskolnikov feel about Porfiry's acceptance of Nikolay's confession?
He does not believe Porfiry truly accepts it. After their private psychological confrontation, Raskolnikov is convinced that "such words, such gestures had passed between them" that Nikolay could not have shaken Porfiry's conviction about the real murderer.
What does Raskolnikov tell Razumihin about Dunya's feelings for him?
He tells Razumihin he is a "very good, honest, and industrious man," that Dunya knows Razumihin loves her, and that she may already love him in return. He formally gives his mother and sister into Razumihin's keeping.
What does the "fresh air" motif represent in this chapter?
Svidrigaïlov tells Raskolnikov that "what all men need is fresh air," which functions as a metaphor for confession and spiritual liberation. Raskolnikov later echoes the phrase to Razumihin, showing how deeply it has affected him.
How does the chapter explore the paradox of Raskolnikov's isolation?
Raskolnikov craves solitude but cannot achieve it. The lonelier the place, the more he senses an oppressive, unseen presence near him. He feels more solitary in crowded taverns than in empty fields, suggesting his guilt is the true source of his unrest.
What role does the requiem service play thematically?
The requiem service represents both literal death (Katerina Ivanovna) and the spiritual death Raskolnikov experiences. His childhood associations with death as "oppressive and mysteriously awful" are reawakened, and the scene with the praying children and Sonia contrasts innocent faith with his own tormented conscience.
How does Raskolnikov's act of entrusting his family to Razumihin signal his trajectory?
By formally delegating care of his mother and sister, Raskolnikov is settling his affairs—preparing for some decisive action, whether confession, confrontation with Svidrigaïlov, or self-destruction. It mirrors the behavior of someone who expects not to return.
What literary device does Dostoevsky use in the opening paragraph about Raskolnikov's memory?
Unreliable temporal perspective. The narrator tells us upfront that Raskolnikov later "learnt a great deal about himself from what other people told him" and had "mixed up incidents," establishing that this period's narration is fragmentary and distorted.
What is the dramatic irony in Razumihin's interpretation of Raskolnikov's behavior?
Razumihin concludes that Raskolnikov is a political conspirator "on the eve of some desperate step." The reader knows the real secret is murder, making Razumihin's well-meaning deduction tragically wrong and his relief at Nikolay's confession deeply ironic.
What metaphor does Dostoevsky use to describe Raskolnikov's reaction to Porfiry's arrival?
He compares it to a man who endures "half an hour of mortal terror with a brigand, yet when the knife is at his throat at last, he feels no fear." This captures the paradoxical calm of facing the inevitable.
What does "self-abnegation" mean in the context of Sonia's gesture toward Raskolnikov?
Self-abnegation means the denial or sacrifice of one's own interests. Raskolnikov interprets Sonia's silent embrace—showing no disgust toward a confessed murderer—as the ultimate form of selfless devotion.
What is a "tête-à-tête" as used in Raskolnikov's recollection of his meeting with Porfiry?
A tête-à-tête is a private, face-to-face conversation between two people. Raskolnikov refers to his earlier psychological confrontation with Porfiry that could have had "only one explanation"—that Porfiry knew he was the murderer.
What does "insensibility" mean as used to describe Raskolnikov's apathetic episodes?
Insensibility refers to an inability to feel or respond to stimuli—a state of emotional numbness. Dostoevsky compares it to "the abnormal insensibility sometimes seen in the dying," suggesting Raskolnikov's guilt is slowly killing him spiritually.
Who says: "If he is ill, if his mind is giving way, who can look after him like his mother?"
Pulcheria Alexandrovna (Raskolnikov's mother), as reported by Razumihin. She says this when trying to come visit Raskolnikov despite Dunya's attempts to stop her.
Who says: "We shall see, we shall see" at the end of the chapter, and what does it signify?
Raskolnikov repeats this to himself as he leaves his room, feeling renewed by the prospect of action. It signals his resolve to confront both Svidrigaïlov and Porfiry rather than continue in passive dread.