Summary
The epilogue takes place in a prison in Siberia, eighteen months after the day of the murder and nine months after Rodion Raskolnikov had been confined in the prison.
At the trial, the fact that Raskolnikov made a voluntary confession, that he had never counted the money or spent any, that he was on the verge of a mental breakdown, that he didn't profit personally from the crime, that many witnesses testified to his unusual behavior and also to the general nobility of his character and that he had often performed many charitable acts all combine to soften his sentence. Raskolnikov's mother fell ill during the trial and was never informed of her son's crime and his sentence. Raskolnikov is sentenced to eight years in Siberia. With the money left by Svidrigailov, Sonya is able to make preparations to follow him to Siberia. Two months after the trial, Dunya and Razumihkin are married.
In the prison, Raskolnikov is sullen and distant. He will have nothing to do with the other prisoners. He is antagonistic about Sonya. Then suddenly, he is taken ill and put into the hospital. He re-examines his theories and still considers them to be right even though he blundered. He has not seen Sonya for a long time. When he finds out that Sonya is ill and unable to leave her apartment, he is finally able to see her again. He realizes how much she means to him. At this time, he realizes also that even though he still has seven more years of suffering ahead of him, he will have even more years of infinite happiness head of him.
Analysis
Historically, Russia had three types of prisoners: The most severe criminal received life imprisonment or a term of more than 12 years. The second class received an imprisonment of 8 to 12 years and the third class received less than 8 years. Raskolnikov, therefore, receives the lightest possible sentence for the second class. All three classes had to work in the mines, but the severity was in relationship to class and other matters.
Most critics and readers of this novel consider the end of Part Six to be the most logical place for the novel to end. However, nineteenth century fiction dictated a final summary, or epilogue.
Certainly, nothing essential or new is given here and all the motifs and symbols suggest that Raskolnikov is now on his way towards becoming a fully integrated personality. The Epilogue seems to be a device used to satisfy the average person and is essentially superfluous to the novel. In the typical fashion of the nineteenth century novel, the Epilogue simply "tidies up" loose ends. For example, Dostoevsky tells us that Dunya and Razumihkin are married, and that Sonya follows Raskolnikov to Siberia. These two facts were quite apparent to the readers without being flatly told again in the Epilogue. Likewise, we also find out that Sonya brings about Raskolnikov's final redemption simply by her quiet unassuming presence and her willingness to serve him and suffer with him. But this also we know from the interviews that Raskolnikov and Sonya had together. Therefore, the formal structure of the novel ends with Raskolnikov's confession at the police station.
