Motifs in Crime and Punishment
Directions:
Pick ONE of the motifs listed below. Track it as you read Crime and Punishment. Be prepared
to present a chart/list of places where the motif occurs and discuss how it contributes to the work
as a whole.
Motif (moh-TEEF)—a unifying element in an artistic work, especially any recurrent
image, symbol, character type, subject, narrative detail; a unifying element found in
multiple works throughout time
When we look for motifs, we look for patterns within a work that have significance.
Sometimes motifs might be related to the theme of a work, but they can also have other
functions within the story as they provide unity.
Motif List1
 Blood
 Bridges/Crossroads
 Cross/Crucifixion
 Dreams
 Drunkenness/Intoxication/Alcohol
 Education
 Water
 Green
 Poverty
 Suicide
 Sexual Coercion
 Wandering
 Yellow
We’re ALL tracking the setting contrasts:
Inside Raskolnikov’s mind vs. various settings of St. Petersburg
1
NOTE: This list is not exhaustive; however, it’s the list we’ll start with when we discuss Crime and Punishment.