Fyodor Dostoyevsky was not only the author of the literary staple, Crime and Punishment, he had also been a Siberian exile who served four years in a hard labor prison camp. With a background that would easily stress a man's psyche, it can be assumed that Crime and Punishment tells a story that goes much deeper than the murders shown on television. In the novel it is easy to assume that Raskolnikov killed Alyona Ivanovna and her sister because of his debt, but when delving into the psychoanalytic undertones of the text one can see the causes for the murder were deeper seeded. Raskolnikov killed Alyona as a result of his self brainwashing, making himself believe he was an extraordinary man who could afford to murder.
Prior to the murder of Alyona and Lizaveta, Raskolnikov wrote a series of essays called “The Extraordinary Man Theories.” Within the texts Raskolnikov explained that there were two different types of people, the ordinary and the extraordinary. Raskolnikov went on to say that “an ‘extraordinary’ man has the right … that is not an official right, but an inner right to decide in his own conscience to overstep … certain obstacles, and only in case it is essential for the practical fulfillment of his idea.” (Dostoyevsky, 206) …show more content…
He had counted them once when he had been lost in dreams. At the time he had put no faith in those dreams and was only tantalising himself by their hideous but daring recklessness. Now, a month later, he had begun to look upon them differently, and, in spite of the monologues in which he jeered at his own impotence and indecision, he had involuntarily come to regard this ‘hideous’ dream as an exploit to be attempted, although he still did not realize this himself. He was positively going now for a ‘rehearsal’ of his project, and at every step his excitement grew more and more violent. . (Dostoyevsky,
Prior to the murder of Alyona and Lizaveta, Raskolnikov wrote a series of essays called “The Extraordinary Man Theories.” Within the texts Raskolnikov explained that there were two different types of people, the ordinary and the extraordinary. Raskolnikov went on to say that “an ‘extraordinary’ man has the right … that is not an official right, but an inner right to decide in his own conscience to overstep … certain obstacles, and only in case it is essential for the practical fulfillment of his idea.” (Dostoyevsky, 206) …show more content…
He had counted them once when he had been lost in dreams. At the time he had put no faith in those dreams and was only tantalising himself by their hideous but daring recklessness. Now, a month later, he had begun to look upon them differently, and, in spite of the monologues in which he jeered at his own impotence and indecision, he had involuntarily come to regard this ‘hideous’ dream as an exploit to be attempted, although he still did not realize this himself. He was positively going now for a ‘rehearsal’ of his project, and at every step his excitement grew more and more violent. . (Dostoyevsky,