An example of realist literature, Fyodor Dostoevsky skillfully exposes nihilism in his novel Crime and Punishment, published in 1866. Its protagonist, Rodion Raskolnikov, is intelligent but at the same time embittered and insensitive, having denounced his morality and his ties to society. It embodies the qualities of nihilism, the abandonment of all emotional and ethical concerns. This philosophical doctrine is historically omnipresent, particularly with the Nihilist Movement, one of the Great Reforms of Imperial Russia, and with the growing apostasy and atheism of postmodernity; both cases appropriately highlight the abandonment of virtue, individual and social. Raskolnikov is an impoverished former student living in St. Petersburg, the dirty, afflicted and urbanized capital of the Russian Empire. He "is nothing more than a poor half-mad creature, soft in temperament, confused in intellect" (Waliszewski), a nonconformist who believes he must free society from mediocrity. Deluded, he kills Alyona Ivanovna, a pawnbroker, and her unsuspecting half-sister, Lizaveta. Throughout the story, Raskolnikov undergoes transformations in all aspects of his life, many of which are attributed to his infatuation with Marmeladov's humble daughter Sonia. Forced into prostitution, she is seen by Raskolnikov as a transgressor of morality, but also as a savior who will renew him. This new development leads him to decry his nihilistic lifestyle as bleak and unbearable and to atone, ending his self-imposed alienation and long suffering. Despite the title, the story has little to do with crime or punishment; the real focus is Raskolnikov's turbulent internal conflict – the constant doubt about his motives and the psychological torment he endures. Raskolnikov's ego... middle of the paper... urg, which is expelled towards the end of the book. the book when he accepts his mortal status. Utilitarianism is commonly linked to political nihilism, “the belief that the destruction of all existing political, social, and religious order is a prerequisite for any future improvement” (Nihilism). An ethical principle initially conceived to promote maximum happiness, utilitarianism was tainted by the revolution, where it “served to bludgeon the opponents of reform” (John Stuart Mill). A nihilist “according to popular stereotype, became a revolutionary who believed that the end justified any means, including terror” (Nihilistic Sentiments). This is the most significant parallel between Crime and Punishment and the movement. Dostoevsky, having an aversion to nihilism, embraces this stereotype. Raskolnikov's claim of social benefit belies his dangerous nihilistic tendencies.