Raskolnikov experiences this mental agony towards his actions when he decides to murder
the pawnbroker in order to make his financial situation better. Raskolnikov experiences
mental stress when his superego makes him realize that he is about to commit a crime that
is against his moral standards and beliefs. His superego guides him to re-think over his
actions and makes him re-consider whether his actions are worth it in order to gain
financial stability, which he lacks in his personal life. Raskolnikov is about to engage in
something that is against his conscience, therefore he experiences mental agony towards
himself and feels guilty about bringing thoughts of murder into his brain. Raskolnikov’s
superego causes a mental confusion within him because he is unable to decide whether he
should take the steps that he has thought of or deny the process of his thoughts. Readers
can analyze the psychological impacts of Raskolnikov’s encounter with his superego
which causes him to feel guilty about thinking of murdering the pawnbroker but at the
same is unable to decide whether he should go ahead with his plan of murder due to the
confusion his superego creates as his superego tries to prevent him from committing the
crime. Raskolnikov’s ego influences such thoughts in his mind because realistically he
plans to murder the pawnbroker in order to gain financial stability but his superego tries to
make his ego act morally which causes psychological tension within Raskolnikov.
Furthermore, Fyodor Dostoevsky gives us an insight on Raskolnikov alienation from
