Raskolnikov’s Ordinary/Extraordinary Man Theory Rodion Romanovitch Raskolnikov, the main character in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment, believes that there are two types of men in the world: ordinary and extraordinary. This philosophy is the basis of Raskolnikov’s life. All of his decisions are based on this belief, such as his decision to murder the pawnbroker, Alyona Ivanovna. Raskolnikov felt that he was above the law at that point in the novel. …showed first 75 words of 628 total…

…showed last 75 words of 628 total…similar to Raskolnikov’s. Dostoevsky was influenced by Nietzsche’s philosophy of the extraordinary man. Therefore, he believed that the extraordinary man was the one with the strongest will. Henry Miller once said that Dostoevsky was “all too human.”, implying that his lifestyle was purely for self-fulfillment. This is different than Raskolnikov’s thinking. His reasoning for the murder was that the pawnbroker’s money would be better utilized by the poor than by her.