His life has been constructed on the idea that his own feelings and pleasures are more important than anything else; therefore, he can rape a mute 15-year-old girl and, upon hearing that this girl has hanged herself, have no feelings of remorse. He simply shrugs his shoulders. If he does perform good charitable acts, it is not because he sees the acts as good actions but simply because the impulse of the moment gives him pleasure. Ultimately, however, both Raskolnikov and Svidrigailov are left with the internal consequences of their actions. Svidrigailov is driven to suicide when he is unable to fulfill his desires, even after embracing a world of moral relativity where there are no means deemed inappropriate to satisfy your desires. Raskolnikov …show more content…
She is the meek and self-submissive figure. Her function is to help redeem Raskolnikov, but her redemptive role is a passive one. She is redemptive because through her suffering she becomes for Raskolnikov the symbol of all of the suffering of humanity, that is, all the suffering of mankind is represented in her own suffering. And through her compassionate nature and ability to love, she touches deeply one side of Raskolnikov's character. Her life is one of simple expedience for existence. Sonya embodies the morally virtuous because of her constant desire to do good for the sake of the good. Not every action she takes is perfect because humans are all flawed, but her beliefs and her choices point her towards the good, which she willingly accepts. Because of her willingness to seek and understand the good, Sonya is freer than Raskolnikov can hope to be by simply ignoring moral norms and restriction. It is chiefly through Sonya that Raskolnikov sees the error in his way of thinking. Sonya changes his mind about the concept of freedom and puts him on the path to true liberty, but only after he realizes the wrong within his own actions and gives up his ideas about moral