Orthodox features of the core conceptual field in Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment at the level of space and time

The article focuses on the features of the objectification and representation of the core conceptual field crime/punishment at the level of space and time in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment. The aim of this work is to clarify the field’s role in the design of the Orthodox “code” of the work. The frontal analysis of the text allowed identifying the signs of the conceptual field crime/punishment: the scale of the crisis spreading (characterizes space), escape (denotes the real and desired movement of objects in space), and predetermination of the limit (characterizes the hero’s awareness of time). These signs form a semantic unity. The modulations of the word revealed during a detailed analysis of the episodes of the work, in which the scale of the crisis spreading sign is actualized, allowed Dostoevsky to depict the tragedy of criminal and immoral ideas, and crimes that go beyond St. Petersburg and are rapidly spreading. These modulations help to present at the symbolic level an apocalyptic picture of civilization’s death. The objectification of the predetermination of the limit sign emphasize the relationship between the categories of crime and punishment - blind and fatalistic adherence to false beliefs leads Raskolnikov to life disorientation and illness. In the finale of the novel, the lexical nuances allow depicting the intensity of Raskolnikov’s emotional experiences and show his need for self-rescue. The objectification of the escape sign emphasizes the psychological drama of the novel’s heroes (Raskolnikov, Svidrigailov) and focuses the reader’s attention on the tragic consequences that individualism, self-will, loss of conciliarity and fraternal unity lead to. Thus, the analysis of the Orthodox accents of the narrative-forming conceptual field at the level of space and time made it possible to identify important axiological features of Crime and Punishment, and clarify Dostoevsky’s ideological position. It also helped to refine scientific ideas about the characters’ features (Raskolnikov, Luzhin, Svidrigailov, Porfiry, Razumikhin, etc.), as well as about the finale of the novel. The nuances of the verbal design of the crime/punishment conceptual field’s signs (scale of the crisis spreading, escape, predetermination of the limit) allow tracing the writer’s thought about the depth of the crisis experienced by Russian society. They also help to identify the complex of the most important axiological and Orthodox features implemented in the text (conciliarity, compassion, saving humility, etc.). The author declares no conflicts of interests.

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