dostoevsky

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Feodor Dostoevsky’s writing has had a monumental impact on the development of various psychological and philosophical theories. The complex psyches and behaviors he attributed to his characters have been the focus of study for various notable intellectuals throughout history. One such figure who seemed to have been deeply influenced by Dostoevsky was German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. Though there were many differences in their basic ideologies, an unmistakable connection existed between some of Dostoevsky and Nietzsche’s ideas. This essay will focus on Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment as a precursor to Nietzsche’s philosophy of the “superman” while addressing the reasons behind the dissimilarities in the philosophers’ theories.
Nietzsche’s principle regarding the superman showed noteworthy similarities to ideas set forth in Dostoevsky’s literature, particularly through the character of Raskolnikov in Crime and Punishment. For Nietzsche, the superman was “the one who is willing to risk all for the sake of enhancement of humanity” (). He establishes his own values, thereby influencing and dominating those who live simply by herd instinct and common standards of morality (). Nietzsche furthermore asserted that life is “will-to-power”, meaning that people are motivated in both thought and behavior by the desire for power, rather than by basic survival instinct (). According to him, the self-conservation is only a person’s primary motivator in special circumstances; since most of life is not spent in a state of emergency, people are more often motivated by their wish to exert their own strength on the outside world (). The superman demonstrates this through the exertion of his will, and is able to overcome his own impulses and ...

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...to Nietzsche and Dostoevsky’s different treatments of the superman figure. While Nietzsche believed this was the ultimate form of man that all should aspire to, Dostoevsky seemed critical of his superman-esque character Raskolnikov and the ideology that guided him.
Despite Dostoevsky and Nietzsche’s conflicting perspectives, there is an evident connection between their philosophies. Dostoevsky’s Raskolnikov essentially served as a prototype for the superman figure Nietzsche would eventually develop (). Nietzsche was certainly influenced by Dostoevsky’s work, and, despite their differences, he deeply admired the novelist (). As he once proclaimed, “Dostoevsky is the only psychologist from whom I have anything to learn.” () Thus, Dostoevsky can be recognized not only for his own legacy, but also for the legacy of one of the most notable figures of Western philosophy.

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