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Crime and Punishment, Part 3, Chapter 5 summary

Part 3, Chapter 5 of 40 · 29 min to read the chapter

In Chapter 5, Rodion Romanovitch Raskolnikov visits Porfiry Petrovitch about his pawned possessions and faces probing questions about his conduct and published theory of crime. He defends the idea that exceptional people may justify bloodshed, suspects that Porfiry is testing him, and avoids a question that confuses his visit with the murder date.

What happens

  1. Raskolnikov arrives laughing with Razumihin, finds Zametov present, and asks Porfiry how to claim his pawned watch and ring.
  2. Porfiry knows about Raskolnikov’s pledges, illness, and recent movements, making Raskolnikov fear that he is under suspicion.
  3. Discussion of crime and social conditions leads Porfiry to reveal that Raskolnikov’s article appears in a journal.
  4. Raskolnikov explains that exceptional people may authorize themselves to shed blood when an important idea requires it, horrifying Razumihin.
  5. Porfiry asks whether Raskolnikov considers himself exceptional and capable of robbery or murder, then requests another meeting.
  6. Raskolnikov denies seeing painters during his visit, and Razumihin challenges Porfiry for confusing that visit with the murder day.

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In this chapter

RaskolnikovRazumihinPorfiryTheme: Theory and conscience

Quick check

What error does Razumihin identify in Porfiry’s question about the painters?

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