Crime and Punishment--Is Raskolnikov Extraordinary

A detailed Summary of Crime and Punishment--Is Raskolnikov Extraordinary

In Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov concocts a theory: All men are divided into 'ordinary' and 'extraordinary'. The extraordinary man should have the right to eliminate a few people in order to make his idea known to all humanity; however, the ordinary man has no right to transgress the law. Because he believes this theory is an idea that must be known to all humanity, he considers himself extraordinary; however, there is a legion of events that prove that Raskolnikov is not extraordinary.

One can be sure that Raskolnikov believes himself to be extraordinary when Porfiry says, "...surely you couldn't have helped...fancying yourself...an 'extraordinary' man, uttering a new word in your sense.... That's so, isn't it?" to which Raskolnikov replies, "Quite possibly" (247).

Raskolnikov was strongly prompted to murder Alyona when he recalled a conversation that took place between two ordinary men in a bar. One declared:

I could kill that damned old woman and make off with her money without the faintest conscious-prick.... For one life, thousands would be saved from corruption and decay.... Besides, what value has the life of that sickly, stupid, ill-natured old woman in the balance of existence? (63)

During Raskolnikov's visit to the police station to retrieve his pledges, he and Porfiry become engaged in conversation involving the theory. Porfiry voiced concerns about ordinary people mistaking themselves as extra-ordinary. Raskolnikov responded with, "...[Ordinary people] might have a thrashing sometimes for letting their fancy run away with them and to teach them their place... (244)". Raskolnikov endured a 'thrashing' of sorts (his illness), but he had been going through that since before the murders. "And his drowsiness and stupefaction were followed by an extraordinary, feverish as it were distracted haste. But the preparations to be made were few" (64).

Though according to Raskolnikov, an "extraordinary man" has the right to transgress the law, he never implies that the extraordinary man's conscience won't torment him. In fact he states, "Pain and suffering are always inevitable for a large intelligence and a deep heart." Raskolnikov has been through a great amount of pain and suffering, however contrition for his crime is never mentioned. This point of his theory does not apply to him.

asoned that it would be honorable to kill Alyona since it would supposedly benefit

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Approximate Word count = 808
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Novels

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Crime and Punishment--Is Raskolnikov Extraordinary

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