Resurrection of Lazarus in Crime and PunishmentIn Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment, Raskalnikov goes through a period of extreme psychological upheaval. By comparing this death and rebirth of Raskalnikov's psyche to the story of the resurrection of Lazarus, Dostoevsky emphasizes not only the seriousness of his crimes, but also the importance of accepting guilt. From the moment Raskalnikov murders the old woman, his personality begins to change radically. Dostoyevsky challenges the reader to understand the madness that ensues by first demonstrating that the ideas and beliefs Raskalnikov clung to died with the women. While the reader struggles to understand this reality, Dostoyevsky incorporates the biblical legend of Lazarus as a symbolic mirror of Raskalnikov's mind. By connecting the two, the reader discovers the omen of a rebirth of morals and beliefs, although the form this may take remains enigmatic. As the references to Lazarus multiply, the feeling of parallelism intensifies. While Raskalnikov slowly fought against madness, Lazarus died of a terrible illness. When Lazarus finally dies, Raskalnikov mimes this by being on the verge of madness, of the death of the spirit. Eventually, Sonya begins to bring Raskalnikov back to reality by relieving some of his guilt. As a Christ figure, she achieves this by providing him with the moral and spiritual solidity that Raskalnikov lost after his debasement during the murders. Sonya affects him not through active manipulation, but through her fundamental character, just as Christ personified her beliefs through the way he lived his life. No matter what Raskalnikov says or does to her, she accepts it and turns to God to forgive him, just like Jesus does in the Bible. This ultimately convinces Raskalnikov that what he did was in fact a crime and that he must repent of it and "seek atonement." With this realization, Raskalnikov decides that he must redeem himself not only in the eyes of the law, but also in the eyes of God as well. By renouncing his old philosophy and accepting his guilt, Raskalnikov once again reflects Lazarus' acceptance of Jesus as his savior. As Lazarus accepts his new life through his rebirth, Raskalnikov recognizes his guilt and therefore allows his spirit to begin life again..