Mere Christianity Quote

"Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive."(115)

Did Raskolnikov truly repent?

I do not believe that Raskolnikov ever truly repented in the novel. He did in fact confess his sin to the police in the last chapter, but that was due to the fact that his theory of being a "superman" failed and he was relieving himself of the sinful burden.

On page 550, Doestovsky writes, "Under his pillow lay the Gospels...He had not opened it yet. Nor did he open it now, but a thought flashed in [Raskolnikov]:'Can her convictions not be my convictions now? Her feelings, her aspirations, at least...'".
The last phrase of the novel is key to understanding that his repentence has not yet occured, but with this future ahead of him it is surely to come. "It might make the subject of a new story- but our present story is ended"(551).