Violence in literature often has a greater meaning than simply providing entertainment for the reader. In great literature, no scene of violence exists for its own sake; the act of violence contributes to a greater meaning of the complete work. Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov’s actions in Crime and Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoevsky, is an example of this. Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov, a desperate man, thinks very highly of himself and believes that his greatness gives him the right to break the law if he chooses. He is also a physical and emotional wreck; afraid to do the things he wants to do. Driven by his poverty and the shame of his mother's and sister's sacrifices for him, he plans