The Image of the Russian People in F. M. Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment

This article is devoted to the analysis of the image of the Russian people in line with the "soil ideology" and its Christian symbolism in "Crime and Punishment". The object of the research is folk images in the novel, the subject is the folk scene and the system of images as a means of artistic expression of Dostoevsky's moral ideal. The research material is the novel "Crime and Punishment", as well as artistic, journalistic and epistolary works of the writer, reflecting his views on national and religious issues. The purpose of the study is to identify associative links between folk images and main subjects and to embody the ideas of "soil weltanschauung" and the problem of Dostoevsky's nationality in the images of the Russian people. Special attention is paid to the problems of the people and the national religious culture reflected in the images of the Russian people. The research methods include analysis, synthesis, generalization, induction, description, cultural-historical and comparative-typological methods. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the first comprehensive analysis of the image of the people in the writer's work from an ideological and mythological point of view. Based on the conducted research, the author comes to the conclusion that the images of the people created by Dostoevsky are filled with deep meaning, and the voice of the people influences the development of the plot and the fate of the main character. The dichotomy of the Russian folk character is revealed through the juxtaposition of two Symbols: on the one hand, piety, the desire for repentance and sacrifice, on the other – cruelty, sin and forgetfulness of God. Dostoevsky notes that the corruption and depravity of a part of the national trait cannot cancel the foundations of Orthodox culture laid down in the national consciousness. The Russian people are destined to assume a messianic role for the salvation of all mankind. The practical significance lies in the possibility of using the results of the work in the study of Dostoevsky's work in universities.

Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment, Russian people, Orthodoxy, morality, pochvennichestvo, nationality, spirituality, faith, schism