In his book "Crime and Punishment", Dostoevsky explores the path of Raskolnikov who has many problems and obstacles throughout his life. He commits murder and is faced with the long and mentally extremely painful journey of seeking redemption. .
Raskolnikov believes that by a law of nature men have been "somewhat arbitrarily" divided into two groups of "ordinary" and "extraordinary". Raskolnikov believes that the duty of the ordinary group is to just exist, in order to form the world and the society. The second group, those who are "extraordinary", are a step above the normal. They have the ability to overstep normal bounds and violate the rights of those who are simply ordinary. They are the prime movers; they have a right to cross normal societal structures to accomplish those things that they have determined are valid in their conscience. Raskolnikov cites such "extraordinary men" as Newton, Mahomet, and Napoleon. He tells us that Newton had the right to kill hundreds of men in order to bring to the world knowledge of his findings. Napoleon and other leaders created a new word. They overturned laws and created new ones. They had the right to uphold their new ideals, even if it meant killing innocent men. Therefore Raskolnicov believes that some "extraordinary" humans like himself have the right to oppose ordinary social laws in order to create a new social order. "The first class of people preserve and people the world, the second move .
the world and lead it to its goal." Raskolnikov also believes that both classes have an .
equal right to exist. Without "extraordinary" human race would be stuck. Without the .
"ordinary men" the efforts and ideas of "extraordinary" men would be nonexistent. .
Both classes are important to the workings of the world. They are dependent .
upon one another. .
Raskolnikov is obsessed with his "superman theory". He is constantly trying .
to prove that he is part of the "extraordinary" people in the world.