thoughts on dunechka x razumikhin ? they’re so dear to me but i notice people don’t talk about them as a pairing very much when discussing crime and punishment
omgggggg yesss of course!!!!! they are soooo cute I wish there would have been more insight on them in the book.
I found Razumikhin's immediate infatuation with her sooo endearing, Especially because he clearly thinks she is physically beautiful, but in the book it literally states when describing her that "in face she resembled her brother." So to me this basically means that in finding Dunya pretty, to a degree that means Razumikhin also probably finds Raskolnikov pretty, since the two siblings look alike 😭 He seems to have a liking for the whole Raskolnikov family
Also the way Razumikhin takes extra effort to look presentable is so telling of his love. It really contrasts with Luzhin, who also dresses up for Dunya, but his clothing is said to look "too new and too distinctly appropriate." Like even though Razumikhin is poorer, his small efforts to look nice for her are more genuine than Luzhin's wealthy over-the-topness. You can see this difference in how Raskolnikov reacts---he fucking HATES Luzhin's self-centered pompousness while he praises Razumikhin outright to Dunya, saying that he is "excellent, splendid, well-educated, intelligent" and a "good man." (Razumikhin is one of the only people Raskolnikov praises like this!!!) And also when Rodya even teases Razumikhin for trying to look nice for his sister its absolute gold because it's one of the few moments in the book where they actually act like lighthearted friends, but you can tell he really approves of Razumikhin as a partner for Dunya.
Dunya's growing affection for Razumikhin is also a telling sign of what she values in a partner. She is incredibly selfless, willing to marry someone like Luzhin in order to financially support her family, but at the end of the day can't bring herself to marry someone who treats her family badly. I loved the part where Luzhin is like "be ffr are you really placing me on the same level of importance as ur ratty brother?" and Dunya is like "... yes. Cry about it!" and dumps his ahh. At the end of the day she does value selflessness, kindness, genuineness, and her family. And you know who values all these things too? Razumikhin!
That's why I love them so much. I feel like, once established, their relationship (though we don't get to see much of it in the book) is incredibly respectful and wholesome. They'd never treat each other badly because they are both such kind and selfless people.
Another thing that I love a lot about it is that Razumikhin repeatedly calls Raskolnikov "brother" in the book as a form of endearment. But, upon marrying Dunya, calling him that wouldn't even be playful. It'd be flat out true! Raskolnikov indeed becomes his шурин (brother-in-law) and it's just so sweet.
I like to imagine that after Raskolnikov gets out of prison he, Sonya, Dunya, and Razumikhin all live out their days as one big family. It'd be even more interesting if potentially someday (though I hesitate to reduce Rodya and Sonya's relationship down to a traditional romance and actually prefer it be framed as a complex deep platonic bond) Raskolnikov marries Sonya. Because that'd basically form a whole sibling chain between the two marriages. ie; both couples (Rodion & Sonya and Dmitri & Dunya) could look at the other couple and call them brother/sister by blood or marriage.
Cute cute cute it's a great pairing indeed! Sorry for the yap!
