Narratology Triggered by A Hat — An Analysis of Raskolnikov’s Criminal Attire

Abstract

Within the narrative framework of Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment, the meaningful details of criminal costumes have long been treated as ordinary scene props without in-depth interpretation. Supported by narratology theory and close textual reading, this paper focuses on core clothing symbols including the round hat and worn overcoat worn by the protagonist on the day of the crime, and analyzes the functional transformation of costumes from disguise tools to psychological narrative devices. The study finds that the full set of criminal clothing is more than simple environmental background. It actively participates in narration, externalizes the protagonist’s subconscious, and deconstructs his superhuman fantasy. Through the complete ritual of wearing clothes, committing murder and washing blood stains, the text internally criticizes Raskolnikov’s radical individualism and interprets the grand humanistic theme of the novel via tiny material images.