Crime and Punishment Essay - 1717 Words

Crime at its simplest is an act prohibited by law upon pain of punishment (Hall-Williams 1964). Theorists such as McCabe (1983:49) stated that no word in legal and criminological terms could define the word crime for the varying content in which an act is categorised. Due to the broad spectrum surrounding crime, differing understandings about human subjects and premises lead to the development of several theories, assumptions and forms of criminal law. Michael and Adler (1933:2) are often cited as an example of the legal description of crime: â€Å"the most precise and least ambiguous definition of crime is that which defines it as behaviour which is often prohibited by the criminal code†. The extending of the definition of crime is heavily†¦show more content†¦On the other hand, Paul Tappan is another example of defining ‘crime’. With a background as a sociologist and a lawyer he’s approach seperates crime in the defintion of a sociologist and as a lawyer. Tappan (1947) accepts that all sorts of ‘conduct norms’ and their violations were legitimately able to be studied by sociologists while, criminal law provides a precise type of these conduct norms to be considered a crime where â€Å"Crime is an intentional act in violation of the cirminal law commited without defense or excuse and penalized by the state as a felony or misdemeanor† (Tappan 1947:100). Due to his understandin g of crime being reinforced through his background in both law and sociology, he’s view on defining crime originates from differing perspectives. If crime was viewed as Tappan, criminology would be the study of violations of criminal law; it is limited to be defined by the state, while disicplines such as sociology could be seen on a broader scale with a range of rules and violations of crime. Sociologists began to question the defintion of crime and many more took up the challenge of defining it in hopes of extending the concept of crime to cover various kinds of misbehaviour not presently covered by the criminal law system. In 1970, HermanShow MoreRelatedDostoyevskys Crime And Punishment1447 Words   |  6 PagesDostoyevsky s Crime and Punishment relies heavily on Raskolnikov’s motivation for committing the crime. To the casual reader, the motives are straightforward–he wants to find out if he, like Napoleon, is an extraordinary man; wants to rid society of the pawnbroker, the louse; wants simply to lift himself from debt with the money he stole. But these explanations do not strike the heart of the matter: there is a deeper cause. The ultimate reason behind Raskolnikov’s violent murder of the pawnbrokerRead MoreReview Of Crime And Punishment 824 Words   |  4 PagesIn Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov is depicted as â€Å"crushed by poverty, bu t the anxieties of his position had of late ceased to weigh upon him† (Dostoyevsky 3). During 1861, the Emancipation Reform had recently taken place. The economy was suffering and the need for money became crucial. The protagonist of the novel, Raskolnikov, struggles to earn money, which associates with his behavior. Fyodor Dostoyevsky, the author of the novel, considers Raskolnikov a divided character with different opinionsRead MoreCrime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky1025 Words   |  4 PagesCrime and Punishment, written by Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky; is a philosophical crime fiction novel. The story is very powerful in that it goes beyond the book and into the lives of the audience; making the audience feel some type of relation between themselves and the story. Dostoevsky was brilliant in creating a fictional world where the characters seem to be found within the audience, transitioning from a fictional story to a self-help book. He employes many life lessons in the story, whichRead MoreCrime and Punishment vs. The Stranger1438 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout the novels Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky and The Stranger by Albert Camus, sun, heat, and light play a significant role in the development and understanding of the novel and the characters in it. Upon the initial reading of The Stranger, the reader may have a general acknowledgment of a relationship between the novel’s protagonist, Mersault, and the sun and heat, either proceeding or following one of the novels significant events. What is harder to understand on the first readRead MoreAnalysis Of The Novel Crime And Punishment 1709 Words   |  7 Pagesthe principles they live by. In Crime and Punishment, Dostoevsky explores contrasting ways of response to adversity. In the novel, there are those who don’t commit crimes while facing the hardships of life, like Sonia, Lizaveta, and Mikolka. Those like Raskolnikov, however, try to change the elements of life that provide challenges by taking drastic measures to modify society and life: by murdering an opportunist pawnbroker in his case. When reading Crime and Punishment, one can see that the differenceRead MoreUtilitarianism In Dostoevskys Crime And Punishment770 Words   |  4 PagesIn the novel Crime and Punishment the main characters Raskolnikov, Svid, and Sonya embody different philosophies. Throughout the novel you can tell which philosophies Dostoevsky likes and dislikes depending on the character. Sonya represents religion, Raskolnikov represents utilitarianism, and Svid represents a utilitarian hedonist. Throughout this novel these characters help to describe the psychology of a criminal and paint the path between crime and punishment. This novel is told almost entirelyRead More The Struggle in Crime and Punishment Essay1524 Words   |  7 PagesThe Struggle in Crime and Punishment Reading this book makes you ill because from the beginning to the end you watch as psychological forces eat away at the thoughts and actions of their victim causing him to finally confess to the hideous crime he has committed. The story is basically the struggle between Raskolnikovs Napoleon-à ¼bermensch theory and his conscience which make him confess to his crime. Dostoevskys genius is in describing how Raskolnikov struggles in his thoughts and actionsRead More Crime and Punishment Essay examples1327 Words   |  6 PagesCrime and Punishment In his book â€Å"Crime and Punishment†, Dostoevsky explores the path of Raskolnikov who has many problems and obstacles throughout his life. He commits murder and is faced with the long and mentally extremely painful journey of seeking redemption. Raskolnikov believes that by a law of nature men have been â€Å"somewhat arbitrarily† divided into two groups of â€Å"ordinary† and â€Å"extraordinary†. Raskolnikov believes that the duty of the ordinary group is to just exist, in order to formRead MoreCrime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky881 Words   |  3 PagesThe Great Divide In Crime and Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoevsky, Raskolnikov faces a split in his con-science. Despite his attempts to achieve and maintain rational self interest, Raskolnikov finds it impossible to escape his own human nature. Throughout the course of the novel, Raskolnikov becomes divided between modernity and morality, and is continuously pulled back towards hu-man nature. From the start, Raskolnikov portrayed clearly that he was not like other people from his time. RaskolnikovRead MoreDostoevsky s Crime And Punishment1349 Words   |  6 PagesFyodor Dostoevsky wrote â€Å"Crime and Punishment† in 1866, during a time of Russian history where there was a convergence of several different, and oftentimes contradictory, political, philosophical, and economic ideologies. Not only was this a period of many conflicting sentiments, it was also a time of great change, with the Russian government implementing several reforms that changed the course of the country forever. One such reform was the freeing of the serfs under Alexander the II, Tsar of Russia