Raskolnikoff, a young student, has been forced to give up his university studies because of lack of money. He withdraws from society and, poor and lonely, he develops a plan to murder a greedy old moneylender. Surely the murder of one worthless old woman would be excused, even approved of, if it made possible a thousand good deeds? But this crime is just the beginning of the story. Afterwards he must go on a journey of self-discovery. He must try to understand his motives and explain them to others. Can he succeed? -- from p. 4 of cover.