Fyodor Dostoyevsky, author of Crime and Punishment. Dostoyevsky created two characters, Sonia Marmeladova and Rodion Romanovich Raskolinkov, and compared both characters by their viewpoints of life and importance. Dostoyevsky made these characters have similarities within their viewpoints of self-sacrifice that were shown throughout Crime and Punishment. Self Sacrifice is “giving up of one’s own interests or wishes in order to help others or advance a cause.” (“Self Sacrifice”) Sonia shows self sacrifice by going against her belief in her religion to become a prostitute in order to give shelter and feed her family. Raskolinkov shows a different version of what he believes to be self sacrifice, which is called self-aggrandizement.
Self-aggrandizement is “The action or process of promoting oneself as being powerful or important.” (“Self-Aggrandizement”) Raskolnikov’s ‘self sacrifice’ is based on a theory that he created to give justice to the community and be looked at as a hero to fulfill Raskolnikov’s ego on being great, which is considered self-aggrandizement. This will be shown by carefully analyzing the book Crime and Punishment and comparing Raskolnikov and Sonia’s viewpoint and actions of self sacrifice toward others from different quotes from the book.
Raskolnikov, a man who was torn between two worlds which were being looked up to by fulfilling his ego and finding peace with himself for committing murder. Raskolinkov’s theory of ‘Self Sacrifice’ is that “[he] maintain[s] that all great men or even men a little out of the common, that is to say capable of giving some new word, must from their very nature be criminals—more or less, of course.” (Dostoyevsky, V, III). Raskolinikov’s theory is that “great men” are sometimes forced to kill others or be a part of any crime to reach great potential. This actually is self-aggrandizement, but is seen as a “self sacrifice” in the eyes of Raskolnikov because it is only to fulfill his egotistical behaviour. Raskolinkov tries to use self-aggrandizement by murdering others to better the community and Raskolnikov thought murdering others was acceptable because he was “extraordinary.” Raskolnikov tries to prove this to Sonia when he murders Alyona Ivanovna, a pawnbroker, on the excuse of getting rid of a human parasite.
127 our experts are availableright now
Raskolinikov said that “All [he] wanted to do was some daring thing, Son[ia]; that was my sole motive.” (Dostoyevsky, V, IV) In this private moment, Raskolinikov wanted to prove to Sonia that he was exceptional. In addition, Raskolinikov reiterated his own self absorption on how it fills his actions. Raskolinikov wished to prove he was somehow extraordinary and able to transgress the moral codes that bind “ordinary” people. This goes completely with Raskolinkov’s theory of killing off “ordinary” people. Raskolinikov said that he “was ambitious to become another napoleon; that was why [he] committed a murder.” (Dostoyevsky, V, III) Raskolinikov only did his version of self sacrifice to help the community around him and to get the feeling of an ego of being wanted and known or as he put it, “become another napoleon.” On the other hand, when Raskolinikov found peace within himself, he became a different person.
Raskolinikov seemed to start on a correct path of resolving what he had felt since the murders by confessing to Sonia. Raskolinikov starts his confession with “I know and will tell … you, only you. I have chosen you. I’m not coming to you to ask forgiveness, but simply to tell you.” (Dostoyevsky, V, IV) With Raskolinikov’s confession to Sonia, his pride has been given away by realizing that he is not this “napoleon” figure that he fantasizes of being. Raskolinikov came from his theory that was self-aggrandizing to a self realization from the closure and peace he experienced with the help of Sonia. Raskolinikov’s relationship with Sonia can be compared with their viewpoints on sacrifice because Sonia changed his whole mindset about reality since he lost his will to prove himself to others and became more at peace when trusting Sonia’s advice to admit to the murders.
Sonia, a character that is shown to be a shy woman, represents human hardship through her own misery by being a daughter of Semyon. Semyon Marmeledova was a jobless man who remained lost in alcohol until he passed away and then Sonia had to financially support her family. Sonia’s viewpoint of self sacrifice was found biblically rather than a theory made up, by becoming dedicated to the church and giving to others before thinking for herself. Sonia showed self sacrifice towards her family and to Raskolinkov throughout Crime and Punishment by going against her ways and sacrificing for both parties. When Sonia sacrificed to become a prostitute for her family, Sonia went against her beliefs of God to make enough money to pay for food and shelter and was staying loyal to God by still going to Church and trusted that God would provide for their family.
Sonia is introduced as a prostitute when her dad, Semyon, tells Raskolnikov in the tavern. Sonia’s drunken father said “When my own daughter went out with a yellow ticket, then I had to go… (for my daughter has a yellow passport).” (Dostoyevsky, I, II) In the 1860’s of Russia, you were required to register with the government to carry a card to identify yourself which was known as a yellow card. (“Origins of the Russian Collection at The Library of Congress”) Prostitution in Russia at this time was not illegal but it was definitely looked down on by the people in the town. The humiliation and disgrace that Sonia took upon herself by becoming a prostitute was a lot to handle, but she did it as a self sacrifice for her family to have food and shelter.
Sonia even gave sacrifices toward Raskolnikov because after the confession of the murders, Raskolnikov questions Sonia on leaving him and she cries out “No, no never, nowhere!” Sonia tells him that “I will follow you, I will follow you everywhere.” (Dostoyevsky, V, IV) Sonia’s shows self sacrifice to Raskolinikov because she promised to always be there for him, sacrificing her time and effort. Comparing Raskolnikov’s viewpoint of self sacrifice, he only wanted to kill others and give justice to the community, for him to be looked up to by others as something greater. Sonia can be compared with Raskolnikov in the versions of self sacrifice because Sonia led him from believing his theory of needing to be “extraordinary” to be looked upon, and after being able to get peace by Sonia Raskolnikov sees an ego as being unimportant.
Fyodor Dostevesky, created two characters to compare viewpoints within Crime and Punishment which were Raskolnikov and Sonia. Both characters showed self-sacrifice for different reasons and viewpoints throughout the book. Raskolinikov’s viewpoint of self-sacrifice was around his own theory which was for him to help the community by killing others to become “extraordinary” to fulfill an ego from the people that he desperately wanted to be known by. Sonia’s viewpoint of self-sacrifice was more biblical, by helping others before herself and praying that God will provide in a different time, which led her to going into prostitution to feed her family and also being there for Raskolnikov in times of need.
Works Cited
- Dostoyevsky, Fyodor, et al. Crime and Punishment. Oxford University Press, 2019.
- “Origins of the Russian Collection at The Library of Congress (1800–1906).” Origins of the Russian Collection at the Library of Congress (1800-1906) (European Reading Room, Library of Congress), www.loc.gov/rr/european/about/ruscolorig.html.
- “Self-Aggrandizement: Definition of Self-Aggrandizement by Lexico.” Lexico Dictionaries | English, Lexico Dictionaries, www.lexico.com/en/definition/self-aggrandizement.
- “Self-Sacrifice: Definition of Self-Sacrifice by Lexico.” Lexico Dictionaries | English, Lexico Dictionaries, www.lexico.com/en/definition/self-sacrifice.
