Crime and Punishment

A penniless and desperate former student, Raskolnikov kills someone at random in the St. Petersburg slums without feeling guilty or regretting his actions. He sees himself as a great man, a Napoleon, behaving in a way that goes beyond accepted morality. However, Raskolnikov feels the rope of his own guilt tightening around his neck as he plays a risky game of cat and mouse with a dubious police investigator. This is due to the increasing voice of his conscience. Only Sonya, a victimized prostitute, is able to provide the possibility of atonement.