Sonya Marmeladov is one of the most fascinating characters in Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s famous novel, Crime and Punishment (1866). She is perhaps the most morally upright character in the entire novel, though she is forced to do things she finds reprehensible. Sonya provides a centering balance in the narrative of the main character, Raskolnikov, who falls in love with her despite her profession as a prostitute. Sonya’s portrayal in Crime and Punishment is integral to Dostoyevsky’s themes, since Sonya’s enduring character illustrates how human goodwill can triumph over oppressive societal forces, such as the family, the church, and one’s economic class. Sonya becomes a catalyst for change in Raskolnikov, making him a better, more sympathetic character.
Sonya is a tragic character, since she is forced into prostitution by the overarching and oppressive forces of the family. Her name literally means “divine wisdom” (2015, p. xlii) showing her central importance in Dostoyevsky’s work. Moreover, Sonya is a wise character, even at an early age. Her drunken father (Marmeladov) and cruel stepmother (Katerina) make her home life a nightmare, and when Marmeladov dies early in the text, Sonya realizes she must step in and provide for the others. Though she shows a strong family instinct (the kind of instinct Katerina should show), she has little or no way of securing gainful employment. As a young woman from a lower-class family in a 19th century society, there are few options for her except thievery or prostitution. When she chooses prostitution, it becomes evident to the reader that she chooses a higher moral path. Though neither alternative can lead to a positive outcome, prostitution is at least legal in the society in which she lives. Were she to steal and be caught, she would leave her family at risk. Therefore, even though she is a prostitute and looked down upon by society, the reader sides with her, as does Raskolnikov at the end of the narrative.
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Sonya’s character in Crime and Punishment affects Raskolnikov like no other character. Her steady influence in his life allows him to change from a cold-blooded murderer to someone capable of remorse and human understanding. Sonya looks on Raskolnikov as a kind of savior for her, someone to take her from all the horror and injustice of her life. However, at first she is not aware that Raskolnikov is a murderer. In fact, Raskolnikov struggles to tell her the truth, as shown from this quote from the text: “there lay before him the prospect — which at moments he had found quite terrifying — of seeing Sonya: he had to tell her who killed Lizaveta, and sensed in advance how agonizing it would be” (Dostoyevsky, 2015, p. 381). Sonya brings out in him the remorse for his murderous actions, a remorse he may not have felt so deeply if not for Sonya’s staunch belief in him.
Like the reader, Raskolnikov recognizes Sonya’s difficult social predicament, and though he hates her profession and judges her for it, he also recognizes that there are forces outside of her control that shape her unfortunate destiny. For instance, he says to Sonya, as he debates how to tell her about the murder, “So, you see everything hinged on ‘social status and the habits it implies?’” (Dostoyevsky, 2015, p. 381). When Sonya replies, “What would become of me, but for you?” (p. 381) Raskolnikov comprehends the effect, positive or negative, he can have in her life. He chooses to tell her the truth, and she stands by him through the resultant ordeal, showing that her strong belief in human nature triumphs over the social forces that seek to relegate her to a destiny of poverty and prostitution.
- Dostoyevsky, F. (1866). Crime and Punishment. Penguin Classics, 2015.
