Porfiry Petrovich as Socrates in the Plot of Crime and Punishment

Abstract

The important role of dialogism in Dostoevsky’s work makes it possible to turn to the philosophy of Plato, another recognized master of philosophical dialogue, for the analysis of his characters. In the twentieth century, the dramatic paradigm of the study of Platonic philosophy is actively developing, and special attention is paid to the characters involved, time, place, and circumstances of the dialogues, as a possibility to better understand the depth of Plato’s thought. The same approach is used in the article to read the behavior of the characters in Crime and Punishment. In this piece of research, two characters of the novel are analyzed within the framework of the dramatic paradigm: Raskolnikov and Porfiry Petrovich. It is shown that their images and interaction are built according to the main Platonic plot, that is, the conversation between the sage Socrates and a young ambitious man that is forced by him to abandon his plans. A similar plot is developed in several dialogues of Plato and is especially pronounced in the fate of Alcibiades, the famous disciple of Socrates. Alcibiades is a well-known “Napoleonic” hero in ancient history, easily stepping over blood for the sake of his goals. Raskolnikov writes about such people in the article that attracted the attention of Porfiry Petrovich. Raskolnikov also notes that such people often die in collision with society, which happened to Alcibiades. These elements allow us to consider Raskolnikov himself as Alcibiades in the plot of the novel. During three dialogues with Porfiry Petrovich, Raskolnikov changes his views, renounces his claims, and obeys the law. Alcibiades behaved in the same way after his conversations with Socrates. In addition to this main dramatic moment, Porfiry Petrovich has several common features with Socrates, such as his appearance, metamorphism, and the desire to know the human soul. Thus, in terms of image, ideas, and functions, Porfiry Petrovich acts as the Socrates of the plot, seeking the rebirth of a young ambitious man with greater success than his ancient counterpart.

Keywords

• fyodor dostoevsky
• plato
• alcibiades
• socrates
• philosophy
• text of behavior
• dramatic paradigm
• dialogicality