When Raskolnikov was sick, Porfiry searched his room and found nothing. He needed a solid piece of physical evidence to tie Raskolnikov to the crime, and he never found anything. As for Nikolay's confession, Porfiry was shocked by it and couldn't believe it.
People love Nikolay — he's a skilled entertainer, attends classes, is tenderhearted, and drinks too much. He was involved in a religious sect to which members of his family belong. Porfiry thinks religious study made Nikolay imagine he was the murderer, in a kind of religious fervor. He's waiting for him to retract the confession any minute now. He is quite sure that Nikolay couldn't have committed these particular murders.
He is a loving son and good friend. From this comes his acts of kindness and great love for others. Twice, he helps out the family of Semyon Marmeladov. Raskolnikov: Ex- Student, depressed, isolated…is what his actions depict of him in the beginning of the novel.
In the novel, Raskolnikov is a very troubled man with an anguished mind. Porfiry's true purpose and mission becomes clear in this chapter. First, one must understand that Porfiry, like Dostoevsky, was a dedicated Slavophil, one who believes that the Slavic people are a type of "chosen people.
Therefore, he views Raskolnikov as a man of noble character, one of the young intellects of Russia who could be of great service to the state if he learns to reject his radical ideas. Porfiry attempts to force Raskolnikov to acknowledge that his theory is wrong, and from this confession to go on and face life and become one of the most important minds of Russia. If Porfiry were to arrest Raskolnikov immediately, it would ruin Raskolnikov's intellectual redemption through self-realization.
But if Porfiry gives Raskolnikov enough time to confess on his own and thus realize and acknowledge to himself his own error , then Raskolnikov will achieve a greatness in his own right. Therefore, it would be no advantage to arrest Raskolnikov unless it is for simple punishment, and Porfiry has greater things in mind for Raskolnikov than punishment; he wants redemption and greatness from Rodya.
Raskolnikov notices that Svidrigailov is becoming drunk and announces that he is convinced that Svidrigailov still has designs on Dunya. According to Svidrigailov, this girl possesses a mixture of childlike qualities and mature intelligence that he finds alluring. Raskolnikov is disgusted at the engagement and the depraved pleasure that the older man clearly takes in it, but Svidrigailov is unfazed. Raskolnikov follows Svidrigailov into the street, worried that he might still be a threat to Dunya despite his engagement.
Svidrigailov notices Raskolnikov pursuing him and again tells him goodbye. Raskolnikov decides not to follow Svidrigailov after Svidrigailov boards a carriage for a distant part of the city.
He fails to notice that Svidrigailov rides the carriage for only a hundred paces before getting off. Dunya is incredulous when Svidrigailov reveals that he overheard Raskolnikov confessing to the murders of Alyona Ivanovna and Lizaveta. While Dunya becomes faint with anger and confusion, Svidrigailov offers to help Raskolnikov avoid punishment if she will marry him.
In horror, she runs to the door, only to discover that Svidrigailov has locked it. He threatens to rape her, warning that he can report her brother if she reports him.
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