Poor and in desperate circumstances, Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov plots the murder of a pawnbroker to steal what he considers her ill-gotten gains. To his mind, he is justified in eliminating an unscrupulous person who thrives on the misfortunes of others and using her money for more benevolent purposes. When his well-wrought plans go awry, Raskolnikov finds himself little better off financially, and now, a murderer.
