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Metaphors
Definition of Mood
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect of a piece of writing... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes... read full definition
Part 2, Chapter 1
Explanation and Analysis:
One of the chief characteristics of Crime and Punishment is its tense, anxious, and tormented mood. Even before the murder of the pawnbroker and her sister, Raskolnikov is a high-strung and angry young man who appears ready to snap. During and after the murder, a strong sense of tension dominates the mood of the novel, as Raskolnikov is agonized by the threat of exposure and the shame or harm that might come to his sister and mother. This tense, nervous atmosphere is exemplified in a scene in which Raskolnikov is called to the police station:
A dark sensation of tormenting, infinite solitude and estrangement suddenly rose to consciousness in his soul. It was not the abjectness of his heart’s outpourings before Ilya Petrovich, nor the abjectness of the lieutenant’s triumph over him, that suddenly so overturned his heart. Oh, what did he care now about his own meanness, about all these vanities, lieutenants, German women, proceedings, offices, and so on and so forth!. What was taking place in him was totally unfamiliar, new, sudden, never before experienced.
Though he has only been called to the police station to handle a minor debt, he at first believes that the police have somehow already identified him as the culprit mere hours after the murder itself and despite his precautions. As he looks around the police station he feels overwhelmed by a combination of feelings, a “sensation of tormenting, infinite solitude, and estrangement.” Though he stubbornly rejects the notion that he fears exposure, he nevertheless faints in the station as a result of his nerves and exhaustion. This unpleasant combination of nerves, guilt, and fear follows Raskolnikov throughout the novel, influencing its mood and only receding when he ultimately confesses his guilt and accepts punishment for his crime.
Related Themes:
