The Russian Epic and Epic Suffering

Allen's chronic compulsion to treat everyone, in all relationships, according to how their actions affect him or how they perceive him (Annie Hall, Manhattan) has significant relevance to Fyodor Dostoevsky's character Raskolnikov or Radya in the existentialism-driven epic novel Crime and Punishment written in a time of revolt, destitution among most of society's working class and the exodus of new ideas about morality, the frail existence of humanity, the authenticity of a God, and the ultimate consequences and meaning of life and values. Allen's characters are consistent in their expressive neurosis, their anxious habits, trifling with insignificant opinions, rejection of gregariousness and obsessive self-dialogue. Raskolnikov is reflected in these traits as well. Raskolnikov and Allen's characters dwell: Raskolnikov on his guilt and the strategies for escaping punishment for his murders, Allen on his fear of death.

The subject of their dwelling leads them to examine their deeply embedded fears, genuine emotions and angst. Existentialist ideas in Crime and Punishment are obvious from the stream-of-consciousness of Raskolnikov that weaves in and out of the novel. In the same way, Allen's numerous characters self-narrate quite often, and tend to direct their own thoughts to the camera as a type of personal or narcissistic validation (Annie Hall, Play it Again, Sam). Raskolnokov's grappling with morality and his questioning of the solid significance, if there is any, to his crimes similarly connects to the nihilistic philosophies about reason and religion that rushed through Moscow in the 1860s like a treacherous-Russian storm.




A nihilistic doctrine seems to be a pattern of many of Woody Allen's characters, for they are extremely pessimistic and often very cynical. Allen's lack of ease and his oppressed ability to enjoy people, such as Annie claims in Annie Hall, connects to Raskolnikov's opinion that Ideas makes the man, thus he doesn't need to socialize because it's all in vain since ideas are superior.

Allen's satire on Russian epic novels, Love and Death portrays the philosophical doctrines articulated in Dostoevsky's novel and further, is a full expression of the ideologies found in other Woody Allen films.