Marmeladov’s inability to provide for his family compromises their autonomy and forces him to rely on other units to survive – “It is necessary that every man have at least somewhere to go. For there are times when one absolutely must go at least somewhere!” (14). Marmeladov presents society as a solace to suffering. Stricken with poverty, he realizes that he must sacrifice his pride and accept the help of others – whether it be from his daughter, a humiliating act for the head of a household, or lending agencies – in order to relieve his burdens. Instead of turning inward upon himself like Raskolnikov, Marmeladov accepts that the individual cannot live alienated from other people, especially when under distress. Even if this path to salvation from economic duress is doomed to infelicity, he explains, “knowing beforehand that he will not give anything, you still set out on your way” (14). Immediately following a description of Sisyphean suffering, we are introduced to Sonya as he remembers the moment “when my only-begotten daughter went out for the first time with a yellow pass, and I went, too, then . . . (for my daughter lives on a yellow pass, sir)” (14). In this conversation, Dostoyevsky does two things with Sonya’s character: he links her to Christ-like suffering (and thus redemption) and a criticism of the “political economy.” Marmeladov calling Sonya his
Marmeladov’s inability to provide for his family compromises their autonomy and forces him to rely on other units to survive – “It is necessary that every man have at least somewhere to go. For there are times when one absolutely must go at least somewhere!” (14). Marmeladov presents society as a solace to suffering. Stricken with poverty, he realizes that he must sacrifice his pride and accept the help of others – whether it be from his daughter, a humiliating act for the head of a household, or lending agencies – in order to relieve his burdens. Instead of turning inward upon himself like Raskolnikov, Marmeladov accepts that the individual cannot live alienated from other people, especially when under distress. Even if this path to salvation from economic duress is doomed to infelicity, he explains, “knowing beforehand that he will not give anything, you still set out on your way” (14). Immediately following a description of Sisyphean suffering, we are introduced to Sonya as he remembers the moment “when my only-begotten daughter went out for the first time with a yellow pass, and I went, too, then . . . (for my daughter lives on a yellow pass, sir)” (14). In this conversation, Dostoyevsky does two things with Sonya’s character: he links her to Christ-like suffering (and thus redemption) and a criticism of the “political economy.” Marmeladov calling Sonya his