The Triumvirate welcomes you!
"The term triumvirate (from Latin, "of three men") is commonly used to describe a political regime dominated by three powerful individuals" (Wiki).
Use your computer skills and do some research about the history, design, climate, and topography of St. Petersburg. Why do you think Dostoevsky set this novel in this particular city?
26 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Saint Petersburg, Russia is located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. It is on the very north eastern part of Russia, very close to Europe. It is the most northern city in the world, with a population of around 4.6 million now. [Mr. Puterbaugh mentioned that Russia has conflicting identities (European-like or Russia-like?) and Dostoevsky is a Russia-like man. The city is European-like (in terms of it being a grand city and industrialized), but the citizens are still Russian.]
It was founded by Peter the Great, whose Empire turned Russia into a world power. St. Petersburg became the capital for more than two hundred years. However, the city is honored after Saint Peter (one of the Twelve Apostles, leader of early Christian church, crucified upside down).
St. Petersburg is built on many islands, because it is located by so much water. There are canals separating land within each island. There's 20 administrative districts, including some other towns under the city's rule. Universities, bridges, palaces, cathedrals, imperial estates, and other grand buildings were built under Peter the Great's rule.
The lands is made out of taiga lowlands. Coniferous forests is the main type of vegetation. There's low precipitation. The soil is young and nutrition-poor. The climate is harsh. Summers are cool and humid, with average temperatures of high 60s and low 70s (Fahrenheit). Winters go down to freezing levels.
St. Petersburg is described as artificial by many Russian writers. Menacing and inhuman. The city is nightmarish in CRIME AND PUNISHMENT, dirty and closed-in. Street crime and bribery is the most common type of crime. With the emancipation of serfs in 1961 and industrial revolution, former peasants flooded the city. The city surpassed Moscow in population and industrial growth.
Wikipedia thinks Dostoevsky set the novel in St. Petersburg because "The effect of life in Saint Petersburg on the plight of the poor clerk in society obsessed with hierarchy and status also became an important theme..." He liked human psychology and St. Petersburg certainly has characteristics of ruining a man. And he lived in St. Petersburg while he wrote CRIME AND PUNISHMENT.
St. Petersburg is the former capital of Russia, and the third largest city in all of Europe. While being build, it was originally planned to be made in a grid pattern along canals. Though this plan was not completed, it is still evident in the way the streets are laid out.
Okay, so, I wrote that yesterday, but got bored fast and decided I would finish up today. Unfortunately, it looks like Lisa sneaked (my browser is telling me that "snuck" is not a word) in and got the first post. I guess I could rephrase all of that, but, I'm not going to. Instead I'll just share what I think about the book being set in St. Petersburg.
When I think of St. Petersburg, I think of an immense city, once grand and extravagant; a gem used as an example for what all cities should strive to be like. But, it has long since fallen from glory and now only a shadow of its former self, now falling apart. Even though it isn't as spectacular as it once was, some people still look to it as a place of hope, where anything is possible, while others see it as a dank prison they wish to escape. Yup, all of that is my preconception of what St. Petersburg is.
I also think all of those things are good reasons why Crime and Punishment may have been set there. It's a city where anything is possible, and anything can happen. Raskolnikov goes through a ton in the course of the book. So do all the other characters. I can't imagine half of the events taking place in a smaller town in the country, or even some random suburban town. There are not a lot of well known cities in Russia. I also think Dostoevsky chose to use St. Petersburg because in a town that large, there is no end to the crazy characters you might run into.
I think the biggest reason though is, as Lisa mentioned, he lived there. My middle school English teacher always told us it's easiest to write what you know. What better setting to use than the one you're living in? If you ever run out of ideas or descriptions, all you have to do is look out a window or take a walk.
So I posted my blog before I spell checked it and then I deleted it, but then I realized that I hadn't saved the response to my computer. So I have to start all over again. Lame. Well, here goes take two. Blah.
I decided to focus on the history of what was going on in the time that the novel was set in (mid- 1860's) because both Lisa and Matthew covered the location and topography well. At the time Crime and Punishment is set, Russia was going through some major changes. They were just ending the Crimean War, a major war that affected all of Europe. Alexander II was the Tsar and due to pressure, was making all sorts of reforms, the biggest of which was the emancipation of the serfs (the Russian equivalent to slaves). This caused major upheavals and chaos as many of the newly emancipated serfs tried to build new lives. The main setting of Crime and Punishment, St. Petersburg, was not only the capital but a major economic center. As a result, many of the formers serfs flooded to it and other cities. The grittiness and desperation that permeated the city at the time is also a major presence in the novel.
I believe Dostoevsky set the novel in St. Petersburg because the story of Raskolnikov is the story of a desperate man. Driven by poverty and despair, among other factors, he commits murder. At the time, so many people in St. Petersburg and elsewhere in Russia were desperate like Raskolnikov, trying to survive any way they could. The dark nature of the city fits the story because it helps explain one of the driving causes that lead Raskolnikov to commit murder and other characters like Sonia to do things they absolutely hate to do. The tragedy of the city is reflected in the tragedy of the characters.
So, a fun fact: Petersburg used to be called Leningrad, and before it was called Leningrad I'm pretty sure it was St. Petersburg. We discussed in class how dirty it was during the summer, and the overwhelming sense of humidity and confinement it brings. This ambiance could enhance the theme and situation of the book, and help the audience connect with the anxiety and tense conflict Raskolnikov experiences. The City is described in similar ways one would describe a rotten orange. The setting lies like an overbearing cloud over Raskolnikov's struggle. Imagine, If raskolnikov were in London, staring into the Thames, contemplating his suicide. The message would undoubtedly change with the image. The gritty, claustrophobic feel of the city helps the reader understand Raskolnikov.
Alexander, St. Petersburg and Petersburg are the same name, it wasn't changed from one to the other. It's just kind of like a less polite way to talk about the city. I noticed in C and P the characters sometimes used St. Petersburg and other times just Petersburg. Before Leningrad is was called some name I can't recall at the moment... To the internet!
A new tab and three Google searches later...
Before Leningrad, the city was named Petrograd, and before that name it was called St. Petersburg. It was also the capital of Russia for about 200 years. That last bit about it being the capital for 200 years comes from Wiki though, and I haven't validated it through any other sources, so take it with a grain of salt.
St. Petersburg is the capital of Russia. It was founded in the year 1703. An interesting aspect of this city is that 1924 it was renamed to Petrograd. Presumably it was named that way, because the original name was thought to be too German. However, during 1991, it was renamed to St. Petersburg, after the communist empire of Russia fell. Another name it had for a while was Leningrad, after the communist leader Lenin. The city is close to the Gulf of Finland and is known as the most western city of Russia. Weather in the city usually varies from the seasons, but it is known to be subartic.
In the story, St. Petersburg is thought to be hot and humid, unbearable for the main character. However, it is said that the weather is not that hot, around 72 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. Even our Oregon summers are much higher than that. The rainfall is around 24 inches a year. Most of it comes in the summer months. St. Petersburg is extremely humid and is overcast a lot of the year. No wonder everyone in the novel seems so gloomy.
The reason for Dostoevsky's choice of location is because there are a lot of dining areas, entertainments, a lot of practicalities, and sight seeing areas. He must have noticed that while he was living there that this is a perfect place to have some good vacationing spot or a bad place to live. With what Lisa and Meiying saying about the temperature of the place, with the humidity and heat, it must really suck living at a place like that. Where everything is stifling hot and you can't take a full breath without feeling as if the entire place is crushing down on you. Woof. I'd hate breathing in a place like that. But what makes it different than any other place that is hot and humid? Because Dostoevsky has lived there before and he knows the conditions of the city. But what makes it different than any other city that is hot and humid? Because it's in Russia. But what makes it different than a city in Russia that is hot and humid? It has the ideal conditions for the Crime and Punishment characters.
Why is it ideal? Because of all of the above. Thank you
St. Petersburg, informally known as Piter, was founded in 1703 by Tsar Peter 1 as the capitol of Russia. It remained the capitol city until the Russian revolution of 1917. The third largest european city and second largest russian city, St. Petersberg is known for high crime rate and is often referred to as the crime capitol of the world, or at least of Russia. Because it is so far north summers in St. Petersburg have long days, up to 18 hours of sunlight. The summers are moderately warm and humid. The main water source for the city is the Neva that splits into three main branches: the Bolshaya Neva, the Malaya Neva and the Bolshaya Nevka. The city is built on a series of islands, and consequently has copious bridges, modernly 534 (including the suburbs). It is low elevation, reaching only 42 meters above see level at the cities highest point. Having lived in the city himself, it is easy to understand why Dostoyevsky chose this city for the setting of Crime and Punishment. The city lends itself to the story as a capitol of crime and complex metropolis of architecture and rivers.
St. Petersburg, formally known as Petrograd and Leningrad, is the most western city of Russia. Due to its proximity to Europe, the influx of western European ideas and philosophy has had an especially poignant mark on Petersburg. There have always been European businesses and services (and thus an influx of western ideas) situated in this northern most city. I think this is one of the primary reasons Crime and Punishment is set in Petersburg. Dostoevsky wanted to showcase the tension between western rationalism and traditional Russian values and the best location was Petersburg, a city marked by a continual identity crisis. St. Petersburg, as a city, mirrors and reflects Raskolnikov’s inner struggle to find a balance between a European rationalism/liberalism and a Russian/traditional philosophy. Moreover, Peter I the Great, whom the city was founded by, was known for his westernization and “modernization”.
i agree with both Lisa and Thanh! Dostoevsky's experience in Petersburg, especially with the humidity, rot, and putridness of the city, must have influenced the story. His own inability to cope with the weather in the summer must have in some way contributed to the setting of Petersburg as the weather in Petersburg does play a role in Raskolnikov's "illness", mentally and physically.
I hate it when it feels like I'm the last to post. St. Petersburg was founded by Czar Peter the Great in 1903 on the Neva-river delta during the North War against Sweden. Of the whole city, third largest in Europe, the highest point is only at 577 feet above sea level. With it's low lying territories the climate during the summer is usually cool and humid. The soil retains moisture very well. During the nineteenth century the central city would have been dreadful. The moisture would cause everything to rot. The serfs were emancipated in 1861 and it is said to have flooded into St. Petersburg. This city would have been sweltering, full of sticky, sweat-smelling bodies during the summer. Dostoevsky choose this city not only for the time he spent there but with how it's natural features add to the claustrophobic atmosphere, Raskalnikov feels in his guilt.
First off, to be honest I don’t think it's that fair to automatically assume we all have computer skills, and secondly, wow! St. Petersburg sounds like an amazing place for a summer vacation get away extravaganza! Did you know St. Petersburg is the most northern city with a population of over 4 million on the entire planet? Congratz all you St. Petersburgers!
You're probably thinking, "Hey, Scott, you wouldn't happen to know what the longest street in St. Petersburg is called and how long it is in kilometers, would you?" Well, I happen to know exactly what it's called and how long it is in kilometers, it's the Nevsky Prospect, and it is 4.5 km long, wow!
Also here are some random facts about the city that will surely bore you :] !
St. Petersburg by the Numbers: Population: 4,030,000 Elevation: 66 ft Average Annual Rainfall: 21.2 in Average January Temperature: 20 degrees F Average July Temperature: 63 degrees F
Quick Facts: Electricity: 220 V, 50 Hz, two pin thin European plugs Time Zone: GMT +3 Country Dialing Code: 7 Area Code: 812
I've been having a heated, multi-hour debate with my chocolate milkshake on just why the author chose this place to set his book, and to be honest I think I lost. Actually it's probably because st. Petersburg reflected the themes of the book pretty well, like the poor people and stuff.
This place reminds me of Russia, which then reminds me of… a fantastic movie! Hitman! This outstanding movie won 15 golden globes (if I'm not mistaken which I surely am because 15 is way too high to even be in the slightest believable) and a copious amount of other awards because of how great it was. I definitely recommend this movie. ^^
Well all you crazy people who posted before me pretty much ate up the entire Wikipedia article so I had to go use and encyclopedia. Thanks guys. As Alexander pointed out initially to some extent and Matt totally sliced him up on, St. Petersburg has had the same name twice in its history and changed its name three times. Construction began in 1703 as ordered by Peter the Great, Russian tsar and emperor. St. Petersburg became the capital of Russia, filled with grand cathedrals and lavish palaces. The tsars ruled form St. Petersburg for almost two centuries when the first name change occurred. When World War I broke out the name changed to Petrograd. Then after the Russian Revolution and the death of Vladimir Lenin in 1924, the name was changed to Leningrad. The name changed back to St. Petersburg in 1991, six months preceding the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. How this matters in regards to our story, I have no idea. Anyways, the climate of St. Petersburg is important. The climate is heavily affected by these so called air masses coming off the North Atlantic Ocean, causing very cold winters but summers are very reasonable, in the mid sixties as far as temperature is concerned. Humidity is a whole other factor, because it definitely enhances the gloom of the city. The dirty part of St. Petersburg is enhanced by this quality, because the squalor people live in seems so unbearable; even the weather makes them miserable, in the summer no less. The contrast between the wealth that everyone knows to exist with the tsars and the crime and destitution in the streets is made all the more powerful.
I reckon since St. Petersburg is the 3rd largest city in Europe (and the 2nd largest in Russia) that it ought to have some grand amusements and recreational facilities. Indeed, it has several large theatres, conservatories, museums, concert halls (the largest is the October Great Concert Hall), libraries and auditoriums. It is also a significant site in terms of the country's motion-picture industry. There are many guesses as to why Fyodor chose to write Crime and Punishment in St. Petersburg. While I strongly agree with many of the responses above, I also may think that the grandness (and possibly the familiarity and name recognition?) of the city could have an impact on the decision (though not a severely influential one).
St. Petersburg is a dark, cold city with a large population of people and a high rate of crime. I think Dostoevsky set Crime and Punishment in St. Petersburg because it is a city where a lot of its population is poverty-stricken and forced into crime to survive. St. Petersburg's architecture consists of a lot of churches and gothic style buildings which give it the feeling of a dark, cold city. The housing in St. Petersburg is mostly apartments and condos since the city is built upon many islands and doesn't have much room for expansion and bulding individual houses. The city is also very large and when the housing consists mostly of apartments, many people can be crammed into a small space.
In additon to Alexander, the city was also called Petrograd. St. Petersburg used to be the capital of Russia, but stopped being the capital in 1918 due to the Russian Revolution of 1917. St. Petersburg is roughly at sea level and has experianced many floods. The climate is generally humid with very cold winters.
I think that Dostoevsky chose St. Petersburg because there was a lot to work with. It was the capital at his time and the city could easily give off an uncomfortable feeling with the warm days and humid atmosphere. The size of the city also added to the monotonous, hot feeling achieved with the description of Raskolnikov's surroundings. You feel trapped, as if you will never inhale fresh air again.
St. Petersburg is the third largest city in Europe and the second largest city in Russia, so, since the city is big, there would be a lot of grand buildings and sights, but also in a sense, very dirty areas. It was founded in 1703 by Czar Peter I of Russia and was the capital of Russia from 1713-1728 and 1732-1918. In terms of the climate, the summers are typically cool and humid while the winters are very cold. This city is ideal for Dostoevsky to use as the setting due to its vast size, high crime rate, and architecture, all adding to a sense of mystery in its atmosphere.
Saint Petersburg is a major city situated in northwestern Russia, by the Gulf of Finland, on the Baltic sea. It is currently the second largest city in Europe and currently has a population of around 4.7 million. It has many famous buildings including the Summer Palace and the Hermitage Museum. St. Petersburg’s location causes it to have, short, cool, humid summers and long, freezing, winters. This humid weather mixed with the cold, gives the setting of crime and punishment a trapped and claustrophobic feeling. Since Petersburg is heavily populated with many old buildings, I am guessing that with the continuing population growth new building had to be made during the 1800's, making the free space in Petersburg smaller and more crowded. The unhygienic streets and people running amok gave Raskolnikov, a feeling of disdain for humanity because he is disgusted by his surroundings. This gives him the ability of distancing himself from others and gaining a false sense of superiority.
As others have mentioned, St. Petersburg is a city known for its extreme changes of clime: its summers are short but very humid, and its winters are long and very cold. It is that disparity that I feel Dostoevsky liked most, that I believe he felt would better underscore the similar extremes of emotion present in his book.
Another aspect of the city that I found to be somewhat revealing was its crime rate. Its number of capital offenses is quite low for a major city but it still appears rife with street crime, apparently once even earning the title of "Russia's crime capital" due to the rampant theft and prostitution. The harshness of this setting evokes a sour, remorseful mood that adds to the story's power, that draws attention to its themes of guilt, misery, and redemption.
The thing St Petersburg has is the same thing Seattle has. I have a friend who lived in Seattle for the majority of his life, and he told me that it was one of the most depressed places ever, where crime was rampant and it was just really dirty all of the time, and he hated it. He lived up in the Puget Sound area, and never really "saw" Seattle. I think the same thing is going on with our main character (from what I understand is a pseudo-autobiographical character) and St Petersburg: he lives in and sees all the dirty areas, when we know that there is much more to the city than what Raskolnikov sees. It's kind of building upon what Thanh said.
Like just about everyone before me said, St. Petersburg is the third largest city in Europe, with only Moscow and London coming before it. This large city was founded in 1703 (making it a young city by European standards) by Tsar Peter the Great. St. Petersburg lies along the Neva River and was once the capitol of Russia. Dostoevsky set C and P in St. Petersburg because it fits Raskolnikov’s situation. It is hot, humid, stuffy, and dirty everywhere he goes. Just breathing becomes difficult in such a place. The city itself has a sense of desperation and confinement, which is how Raskolnikov feels. After the murder, he is stuck (or confined) in a desperate situation from which there is no way out.
Due to its proximity to Europe, St. Petersburg, formally known as Petrograd and Leningrad,is known for it's "Western styles and thinking." There have always been European influences in this northern most city. The reason why Crime and Punishment is set in Petersburg consists of two main ideas. First, Dostoevsky wanted to showcase the tension between western beliefs and traditional Russian values. The second was the fact that St. Petersburg, as a city, mirrors and reflects Raskolnikov’s inner struggle to find a balance between European beliefs showcased through others and his inner Russian/traditional philosophy. These struggles are key as Raskolnikov, a former law student, contemplates and examines his own beliefs and pushes them to the limit.
So... I am the failure of the class, but I figure that some credit is better than no credit. And hopefully the powers/teachers that be will agree with me. Because my post is late I wanted to find something that no one else has yet about St. Petersburg. So here is my random fact: According to Wiki, there is an average of 165 overcast days each year, and the average air humidity in St. Petersburg is 78%.
So besides that lovely fact, here's my thinking on why Dostoevsky chose to place Crime and Punishment: Yes it is the perfect place, humid, dank, dirty, gross, putrid even. But in addition to this, it captures the feeling of foreboding. When you've done something bad, say you tell your parents a white lie. If they even hint that they know you've lied, your face gets flushed, you feel hot/cramped, even in a large room, and you almost even feel dirty. St. Petersburg is a physical recreation of the way Raskolnikov feels about his murder. He feels as if there is no escape and I think that St. Petersburg gives the reader this same idea.
26 comments:
Saint Petersburg, Russia is located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. It is on the very north eastern part of Russia, very close to Europe. It is the most northern city in the world, with a population of around 4.6 million now. [Mr. Puterbaugh mentioned that Russia has conflicting identities (European-like or Russia-like?) and Dostoevsky is a Russia-like man. The city is European-like (in terms of it being a grand city and industrialized), but the citizens are still Russian.]
It was founded by Peter the Great, whose Empire turned Russia into a world power. St. Petersburg became the capital for more than two hundred years. However, the city is honored after Saint Peter (one of the Twelve Apostles, leader of early Christian church, crucified upside down).
St. Petersburg is built on many islands, because it is located by so much water. There are canals separating land within each island. There's 20 administrative districts, including some other towns under the city's rule. Universities, bridges, palaces, cathedrals, imperial estates, and other grand buildings were built under Peter the Great's rule.
The lands is made out of taiga lowlands. Coniferous forests is the main type of vegetation. There's low precipitation. The soil is young and nutrition-poor. The climate is harsh. Summers are cool and humid, with average temperatures of high 60s and low 70s (Fahrenheit). Winters go down to freezing levels.
St. Petersburg is described as artificial by many Russian writers. Menacing and inhuman. The city is nightmarish in CRIME AND PUNISHMENT, dirty and closed-in. Street crime and bribery is the most common type of crime. With the emancipation of serfs in 1961 and industrial revolution, former peasants flooded the city. The city surpassed Moscow in population and industrial growth.
Wikipedia thinks Dostoevsky set the novel in St. Petersburg because "The effect of life in Saint Petersburg on the plight of the poor clerk in society obsessed with hierarchy and status also became an important theme..." He liked human psychology and St. Petersburg certainly has characteristics of ruining a man. And he lived in St. Petersburg while he wrote CRIME AND PUNISHMENT.
St. Petersburg is the former capital of Russia, and the third largest city in all of Europe. While being build, it was originally planned to be made in a grid pattern along canals. Though this plan was not completed, it is still evident in the way the streets are laid out.
Okay, so, I wrote that yesterday, but got bored fast and decided I would finish up today. Unfortunately, it looks like Lisa sneaked (my browser is telling me that "snuck" is not a word) in and got the first post. I guess I could rephrase all of that, but, I'm not going to. Instead I'll just share what I think about the book being set in St. Petersburg.
When I think of St. Petersburg, I think of an immense city, once grand and extravagant; a gem used as an example for what all cities should strive to be like. But, it has long since fallen from glory and now only a shadow of its former self, now falling apart. Even though it isn't as spectacular as it once was, some people still look to it as a place of hope, where anything is possible, while others see it as a dank prison they wish to escape. Yup, all of that is my preconception of what St. Petersburg is.
I also think all of those things are good reasons why Crime and Punishment may have been set there. It's a city where anything is possible, and anything can happen. Raskolnikov goes through a ton in the course of the book. So do all the other characters. I can't imagine half of the events taking place in a smaller town in the country, or even some random suburban town. There are not a lot of well known cities in Russia. I also think Dostoevsky chose to use St. Petersburg because in a town that large, there is no end to the crazy characters you might run into.
I think the biggest reason though is, as Lisa mentioned, he lived there. My middle school English teacher always told us it's easiest to write what you know. What better setting to use than the one you're living in? If you ever run out of ideas or descriptions, all you have to do is look out a window or take a walk.
So I posted my blog before I spell checked it and then I deleted it, but then I realized that I hadn't saved the response to my computer. So I have to start all over again. Lame. Well, here goes take two. Blah.
I decided to focus on the history of what was going on in the time that the novel was set in (mid- 1860's) because both Lisa and Matthew covered the location and topography well. At the time Crime and Punishment is set, Russia was going through some major changes. They were just ending the Crimean War, a major war that affected all of Europe. Alexander II was the Tsar and due to pressure, was making all sorts of reforms, the biggest of which was the emancipation of the serfs (the Russian equivalent to slaves). This caused major upheavals and chaos as many of the newly emancipated serfs tried to build new lives. The main setting of Crime and Punishment, St. Petersburg, was not only the capital but a major economic center. As a result, many of the formers serfs flooded to it and other cities. The grittiness and desperation that permeated the city at the time is also a major presence in the novel.
I believe Dostoevsky set the novel in St. Petersburg because the story of Raskolnikov is the story of a desperate man. Driven by poverty and despair, among other factors, he commits murder. At the time, so many people in St. Petersburg and elsewhere in Russia were desperate like Raskolnikov, trying to survive any way they could. The dark nature of the city fits the story because it helps explain one of the driving causes that lead Raskolnikov to commit murder and other characters like Sonia to do things they absolutely hate to do. The tragedy of the city is reflected in the tragedy of the characters.
So, a fun fact: Petersburg used to be called Leningrad, and before it was called Leningrad I'm pretty sure it was St. Petersburg. We discussed in class how dirty it was during the summer, and the overwhelming sense of humidity and confinement it brings. This ambiance could enhance the theme and situation of the book, and help the audience connect with the anxiety and tense conflict Raskolnikov experiences. The City is described in similar ways one would describe a rotten orange. The setting lies like an overbearing cloud over Raskolnikov's struggle. Imagine, If raskolnikov were in London, staring into the Thames, contemplating his suicide. The message would undoubtedly change with the image. The gritty, claustrophobic feel of the city helps the reader understand Raskolnikov.
Alexander,
St. Petersburg and Petersburg are the same name, it wasn't changed from one to the other. It's just kind of like a less polite way to talk about the city. I noticed in C and P the characters sometimes used St. Petersburg and other times just Petersburg. Before Leningrad is was called some name I can't recall at the moment... To the internet!
A new tab and three Google searches later...
Before Leningrad, the city was named Petrograd, and before that name it was called St. Petersburg. It was also the capital of Russia for about 200 years. That last bit about it being the capital for 200 years comes from Wiki though, and I haven't validated it through any other sources, so take it with a grain of salt.
St. Petersburg is the capital of Russia. It was founded in the year 1703. An interesting aspect of this city is that 1924 it was renamed to Petrograd. Presumably it was named that way, because the original name was thought to be too German. However, during 1991, it was renamed to St. Petersburg, after the communist empire of Russia fell. Another name it had for a while was Leningrad, after the communist leader Lenin. The city is close to the Gulf of Finland and is known as the most western city of Russia. Weather in the city usually varies from the seasons, but it is known to be subartic.
In the story, St. Petersburg is thought to be hot and humid, unbearable for the main character. However, it is said that the weather is not that hot, around 72 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. Even our Oregon summers are much higher than that. The rainfall is around 24 inches a year. Most of it comes in the summer months. St. Petersburg is extremely humid and is overcast a lot of the year. No wonder everyone in the novel seems so gloomy.
The reason for Dostoevsky's choice of location is because there are a lot of dining areas, entertainments, a lot of practicalities, and sight seeing areas. He must have noticed that while he was living there that this is a perfect place to have some good vacationing spot or a bad place to live. With what Lisa and Meiying saying about the temperature of the place, with the humidity and heat, it must really suck living at a place like that. Where everything is stifling hot and you can't take a full breath without feeling as if the entire place is crushing down on you. Woof. I'd hate breathing in a place like that. But what makes it different than any other place that is hot and humid? Because Dostoevsky has lived there before and he knows the conditions of the city. But what makes it different than any other city that is hot and humid? Because it's in Russia. But what makes it different than a city in Russia that is hot and humid? It has the ideal conditions for the Crime and Punishment characters.
Why is it ideal? Because of all of the above. Thank you
Matt: Thanks, good to know.
St. Petersburg, informally known as Piter, was founded in 1703 by Tsar Peter 1 as the capitol of Russia. It remained the capitol city until the Russian revolution of 1917. The third largest european city and second largest russian city, St. Petersberg is known for high crime rate and is often referred to as the crime capitol of the world, or at least of Russia. Because it is so far north summers in St. Petersburg have long days, up to 18 hours of sunlight. The summers are moderately warm and humid. The main water source for the city is the Neva that splits into three main branches: the Bolshaya Neva, the Malaya Neva and the Bolshaya Nevka. The city is built on a series of islands, and consequently has copious bridges, modernly 534
(including the suburbs). It is low elevation, reaching only 42 meters above see level at the cities highest point.
Having lived in the city himself, it is easy to understand why Dostoyevsky chose this city for the setting of Crime and Punishment. The city lends itself to the story as a capitol of crime and complex metropolis of architecture and rivers.
St. Petersburg, formally known as Petrograd and Leningrad, is the most western city of Russia. Due to its proximity to Europe, the influx of western European ideas and philosophy has had an especially poignant mark on Petersburg. There have always been European businesses and services (and thus an influx of western ideas) situated in this northern most city. I think this is one of the primary reasons Crime and Punishment is set in Petersburg. Dostoevsky wanted to showcase the tension between western rationalism and traditional Russian values and the best location was Petersburg, a city marked by a continual identity crisis. St. Petersburg, as a city, mirrors and reflects Raskolnikov’s inner struggle to find a balance between a European rationalism/liberalism and a Russian/traditional philosophy. Moreover, Peter I the Great, whom the city was founded by, was known for his westernization and “modernization”.
i agree with both Lisa and Thanh! Dostoevsky's experience in Petersburg, especially with the humidity, rot, and putridness of the city, must have influenced the story. His own inability to cope with the weather in the summer must have in some way contributed to the setting of Petersburg as the weather in Petersburg does play a role in Raskolnikov's "illness", mentally and physically.
I hate it when it feels like I'm the last to post. St. Petersburg was founded by Czar Peter the Great in 1903 on the Neva-river delta during the North War against Sweden. Of the whole city, third largest in Europe, the highest point is only at 577 feet above sea level. With it's low lying territories the climate during the summer is usually cool and humid. The soil retains moisture very well. During the nineteenth century the central city would have been dreadful. The moisture would cause everything to rot. The serfs were emancipated in 1861 and it is said to have flooded into St. Petersburg. This city would have been sweltering, full of sticky, sweat-smelling bodies during the summer. Dostoevsky choose this city not only for the time he spent there but with how it's natural features add to the claustrophobic atmosphere, Raskalnikov feels in his guilt.
First off, to be honest I don’t think it's that fair to automatically assume we all have computer skills, and secondly, wow! St. Petersburg sounds like an amazing place for a summer vacation get away extravaganza! Did you know St. Petersburg is the most northern city with a population of over 4 million on the entire planet? Congratz all you St. Petersburgers!
You're probably thinking, "Hey, Scott, you wouldn't happen to know what the longest street in St. Petersburg is called and how long it is in kilometers, would you?" Well, I happen to know exactly what it's called and how long it is in kilometers, it's the Nevsky Prospect, and it is 4.5 km long, wow!
Also here are some random facts about the city that will surely bore you :] !
St. Petersburg by the Numbers:
Population: 4,030,000
Elevation: 66 ft
Average Annual Rainfall: 21.2 in
Average January Temperature: 20 degrees F
Average July Temperature: 63 degrees F
Quick Facts:
Electricity: 220 V, 50 Hz, two pin thin European plugs
Time Zone: GMT +3
Country Dialing Code: 7
Area Code: 812
I've been having a heated, multi-hour debate with my chocolate milkshake on just why the author chose this place to set his book, and to be honest I think I lost. Actually it's probably because st. Petersburg reflected the themes of the book pretty well, like the poor people and stuff.
This place reminds me of Russia, which then reminds me of… a fantastic movie! Hitman! This outstanding movie won 15 golden globes (if I'm not mistaken which I surely am because 15 is way too high to even be in the slightest believable) and a copious amount of other awards because of how great it was. I definitely recommend this movie. ^^
You are the weakest link, GOOD BYE!
Well all you crazy people who posted before me pretty much ate up the entire Wikipedia article so I had to go use and encyclopedia. Thanks guys.
As Alexander pointed out initially to some extent and Matt totally sliced him up on, St. Petersburg has had the same name twice in its history and changed its name three times. Construction began in 1703 as ordered by Peter the Great, Russian tsar and emperor. St. Petersburg became the capital of Russia, filled with grand cathedrals and lavish palaces. The tsars ruled form St. Petersburg for almost two centuries when the first name change occurred. When World War I broke out the name changed to Petrograd. Then after the Russian Revolution and the death of Vladimir Lenin in 1924, the name was changed to Leningrad. The name changed back to St. Petersburg in 1991, six months preceding the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. How this matters in regards to our story, I have no idea.
Anyways, the climate of St. Petersburg is important. The climate is heavily affected by these so called air masses coming off the North Atlantic Ocean, causing very cold winters but summers are very reasonable, in the mid sixties as far as temperature is concerned. Humidity is a whole other factor, because it definitely enhances the gloom of the city. The dirty part of St. Petersburg is enhanced by this quality, because the squalor people live in seems so unbearable; even the weather makes them miserable, in the summer no less. The contrast between the wealth that everyone knows to exist with the tsars and the crime and destitution in the streets is made all the more powerful.
I reckon since St. Petersburg is the 3rd largest city in Europe (and the 2nd largest in Russia) that it ought to have some grand amusements and recreational facilities. Indeed, it has several large theatres, conservatories, museums, concert halls (the largest is the October Great Concert Hall), libraries and auditoriums. It is also a significant site in terms of the country's motion-picture industry.
There are many guesses as to why Fyodor chose to write Crime and Punishment in St. Petersburg. While I strongly agree with many of the responses above, I also may think that the grandness (and possibly the familiarity and name recognition?) of the city could have an impact on the decision (though not a severely influential one).
St. Petersburg is a dark, cold city with a large population of people and a high rate of crime. I think Dostoevsky set Crime and Punishment in St. Petersburg because it is a city where a lot of its population is poverty-stricken and forced into crime to survive. St. Petersburg's architecture consists of a lot of churches and gothic style buildings which give it the feeling of a dark, cold city. The housing in St. Petersburg is mostly apartments and condos since the city is built upon many islands and doesn't have much room for expansion and bulding individual houses. The city is also very large and when the housing consists mostly of apartments, many people can be crammed into a small space.
In additon to Alexander, the city was also called Petrograd. St. Petersburg used to be the capital of Russia, but stopped being the capital in 1918 due to the Russian Revolution of 1917. St. Petersburg is roughly at sea level and has experianced many floods. The climate is generally humid with very cold winters.
I think that Dostoevsky chose St. Petersburg because there was a lot to work with. It was the capital at his time and the city could easily give off an uncomfortable feeling with the warm days and humid atmosphere. The size of the city also added to the monotonous, hot feeling achieved with the description of Raskolnikov's surroundings. You feel trapped, as if you will never inhale fresh air again.
St. Petersburg is the third largest city in Europe and the second largest city in Russia, so, since the city is big, there would be a lot of grand buildings and sights, but also in a sense, very dirty areas. It was founded in 1703 by Czar Peter I of Russia and was the capital of Russia from 1713-1728 and 1732-1918. In terms of the climate, the summers are typically cool and humid while the winters are very cold. This city is ideal for Dostoevsky to use as the setting due to its vast size, high crime rate, and architecture, all adding to a sense of mystery in its atmosphere.
Saint Petersburg is a major city situated in northwestern Russia, by the Gulf of Finland, on the Baltic sea. It is currently the second largest city in Europe and currently has a population of around 4.7 million. It has many famous buildings including the Summer Palace and the Hermitage Museum. St. Petersburg’s location causes it to have, short, cool, humid summers and long, freezing, winters. This humid weather mixed with the cold, gives the setting of crime and punishment a trapped and claustrophobic feeling. Since Petersburg is heavily populated with many old buildings, I am guessing that with the continuing population growth new building had to be made during the 1800's, making the free space in Petersburg smaller and more crowded. The unhygienic streets and people running amok gave Raskolnikov, a feeling of disdain for humanity because he is disgusted by his surroundings. This gives him the ability of distancing himself from others and gaining a false sense of superiority.
As others have mentioned, St. Petersburg is a city known for its extreme changes of clime: its summers are short but very humid, and its winters are long and very cold. It is that disparity that I feel Dostoevsky liked most, that I believe he felt would better underscore the similar extremes of emotion present in his book.
Another aspect of the city that I found to be somewhat revealing was its crime rate. Its number of capital offenses is quite low for a major city but it still appears rife with street crime, apparently once even earning the title of "Russia's crime capital" due to the rampant theft and prostitution. The harshness of this setting evokes a sour, remorseful mood that adds to the story's power, that draws attention to its themes of guilt, misery, and redemption.
The thing St Petersburg has is the same thing Seattle has. I have a friend who lived in Seattle for the majority of his life, and he told me that it was one of the most depressed places ever, where crime was rampant and it was just really dirty all of the time, and he hated it. He lived up in the Puget Sound area, and never really "saw" Seattle. I think the same thing is going on with our main character (from what I understand is a pseudo-autobiographical character) and St Petersburg: he lives in and sees all the dirty areas, when we know that there is much more to the city than what Raskolnikov sees. It's kind of building upon what Thanh said.
Like just about everyone before me said, St. Petersburg is the third largest city in Europe, with only Moscow and London coming before it. This large city was founded in 1703 (making it a young city by European standards) by Tsar Peter the Great. St. Petersburg lies along the Neva River and was once the capitol of Russia. Dostoevsky set C and P in St. Petersburg because it fits Raskolnikov’s situation. It is hot, humid, stuffy, and dirty everywhere he goes. Just breathing becomes difficult in such a place. The city itself has a sense of desperation and confinement, which is how Raskolnikov feels. After the murder, he is stuck (or confined) in a desperate situation from which there is no way out.
Due to its proximity to Europe, St. Petersburg, formally known as Petrograd and Leningrad,is known for it's "Western styles and thinking." There have always been European influences in this northern most city. The reason why Crime and Punishment is set in Petersburg consists of two main ideas. First, Dostoevsky wanted to showcase the tension between western beliefs and traditional Russian values. The second was the fact that St. Petersburg, as a city, mirrors and reflects Raskolnikov’s inner struggle to find a balance between European beliefs showcased through others and his inner Russian/traditional philosophy. These struggles are key as Raskolnikov, a former law student, contemplates and examines his own beliefs and pushes them to the limit.
So... I am the failure of the class, but I figure that some credit is better than no credit. And hopefully the powers/teachers that be will agree with me. Because my post is late I wanted to find something that no one else has yet about St. Petersburg. So here is my random fact: According to Wiki, there is an average of 165 overcast days each year, and the average air humidity in St. Petersburg is 78%.
So besides that lovely fact, here's my thinking on why Dostoevsky chose to place Crime and Punishment: Yes it is the perfect place, humid, dank, dirty, gross, putrid even. But in addition to this, it captures the feeling of foreboding. When you've done something bad, say you tell your parents a white lie. If they even hint that they know you've lied, your face gets flushed, you feel hot/cramped, even in a large room, and you almost even feel dirty. St. Petersburg is a physical recreation of the way Raskolnikov feels about his murder. He feels as if there is no escape and I think that St. Petersburg gives the reader this same idea.
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