The Attack on Rationalism in 'Crime and Punishment' Anonymous 12th Grade

The novel Crime and Punishment, written by Fyodor Dostoyevsky and published in 1866, focuses on many philosophical and psychological themes. One of the themes is the distinction between rationalism and anti-rationalism. Rationalist ideas are based on reason and logic; anti-rationalist ideas, on the other hand, rely on faith and emotions instead of intellect. In the novel, there are both rational and anti-rational characters. Rational characters include Raskolnikov and Luzhin, and one anti-rational character is Sonia. Dostoyevsky uses these characters to effectively criticize rationalism. Crime and Punishment demonstrates the flaws of rationalist ideas and the significance of anti-rationalism using the thoughts and experiences of Raskolnikov, Luzhin, and Sonia.

Raskolnikov’s theory about extraordinary people follows the ideas of rationalism but is eventually disproved by a metaphorical dream. According to his theory, extraordinary people “transgress the law, are destroyers or are inclined destroy . . . for the destruction of the present in the name of the better” (Dostoyevsky 260). In other words, extraordinary men are above the law and can end other people’s lives in order to improve humanity. He uses this theory to justify his...