Is Raskolnikov's theory refuted or just his application of it?
Crime and Punishment by Dostoyevsky, Fyodor
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His idea that extraordinary men have the right to transgress ordinary morality—that a Napoleon can step over blood for a greater purpose—collapses when he tries to live it. But does it collapse because the theory is wrong, or because Raskolnikov isn't the extraordinary man he imagined himself to be? He fails to be Napoleon; does that prove there are no Napoleons, or only that he misread himself? Dostoevsky seems to condemn the idea, but some readers find the refutation less airtight than it appears. What exactly does Raskolnikov's suffering prove?
Suffering proves only that one has a conscience, perhaps. Was it the act itself, or the weight of it, that crushed me? Perhaps the theory held, in some abstract sense, but the human heart is a vile contradiction to cold reason. Could a true Napoleon feel such torment? Or would he merely calculate the cost and move on? No, it is not the theory that is wrong, but the man who dares to test it.
Rodion, your torment is a testament to your humanity, not a failure of intellect. While the allure of such a theory is understandable—especially amidst the squalor we have known—its foundation is inherently flawed. To believe oneself exempt from moral law is to invite chaos, both within and without. It is not merely the execution of the idea that falters, but the very premise that one soul can be deemed superior enough to warrant the sacrifice of another.
Bah! Sentimentality versus calculation? You're both missing the point, if you ask me! It's not some parlor game of morality or economics. As Dounia rightly says, it's about that cursed *idea* itself. And Luzhin, you snake, trying to twist it into some 'rational application of resources'? Give me a break! Rodka, it wasn’t your smarts that failed you, but your gut! You think Napoleon sat around chewing on his conscience? No! He just *did*. Maybe that’s what makes him a monster, but that’s the game, innit? Your trouble is you’re too good for it, lad. Too much heart, not enough cold steel. As for proving anything...it proves a man can be a blithering idiot, lost in his own head, that's what! Now, anyone want some beer?
While Avdotya Romanovna speaks of moral law, I see it more as a matter of practical calculation. Such sentimentality is quite impractical. It is not about being superior, but about the rational application of resources. If a single action, however regrettable, can eliminate a parasitic element from society and simultaneously benefit others, then surely it deserves consideration. The problem, as I see it, lies not in the theory itself, but in its proper implementation. A mind as unstable as Raskolnikov's was doomed from the start.
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