Comparing Women In Dostoevsky's Crime And Puni

“Nothing in this world is harder than speaking the truth, nothing easier than flattery.” (Dostoevsky, Kindle Used) The novel Crime and Punishment expresses the superiority of men and the superman theory. The character Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov (“Rodya,” “Rodka”) believes he is superior to all. His murder plot evolves throughout the story and highlights his motives and belief that the women he kills are worthless and dehumanizes their very essence of life.. The women are submissive to the males in their lives and take many risks in order to save their families. Women such as Sofya Semyonovna Marmeladov(Sonya), Katerina Ivanovna Marmeladov, and Avdotya Romanovna Raskolnikov(Dunya) explicate the true meaning of sacrifices and suffering

in Saint Petersburg, Russia in the 18th century. While many believe the main theme of this novel is the superiority of men, the theme of women submissive roles influence the novel as well. Characters suffer from superior male relationships by being forced into prostitution, arranged marriages, unstable husband's, violence sexual assaults and an overall submissive choice in their actions. Some women overcome these behaviors to pursue happiness and equality.
Perhaps one of the most important reason women have a submissive role in most relationships with a superior male figure is Sonya’s forced prostitution to save her family from poverty. “Power is given only to him who dares to stop and take it ... one must have the courage to dare.” (Dostoevsky) This quotation expresses Raskolnikov’s feelings to Sonya, the woman he later comes to realize he loves. Sonya, the stepdaughter of Katerina Ivanovna Marmeladov, needs to support her family and herself. The prostitution of her body allows her to maintain a stable income but demises her morals. Her submission to this occupation and the social exception of this, expresses the society's morals as a complete work. Women's roles surround the pleasing of men the 1800s of Russia. “Despite her eighteen years, she looked almost like a little girl, much younger than her age . . . and this sometimes even appeared comically in some of her movements.” (Dostoevsky) Katerina forces Sonya to obtain a yellow card to legally be able to work as a prostitute. Women were unable to obtain jobs easily. Options were to be a housewife, do undesirable jobs that were undesirable to men(such as sewing), and to be a prostitute. Sonya and Raskolnikov have quite an odd relationship. She expresses how he is her savior. Women’s reliance on men is prevalent in this novel. Without a male figure, the women appear lost and unable to function, for example, Sonya’s step mother. Sonya's father is a drunk and her stepmother is slowly dying of an incurable illness, while losing her mind. “[Andrey Semyonovitch] Even as it is, she was quite right: she was suffering and that was her asset, so to speak, her capital which she has a perfect right to dispose of.”(Dostoevski) Sonya is forced to supply an income for her entire family, as her father steals from them constantly to satisfy his alcohol cravings. The whole family turned to shambles. When Raskolnikov first discovers Sonya’s occupation he is filled with disgust. Once Sonya runs away with Raskolnikov to wait for his imprisonment to be over, most of the family aspect is lost and Raskolnikov begins to accept her old lifestyle. Sonya eventually begins to evolve and does not answer to all of Raskolnikov's demands. She is a submissive and an innocent character, which shows in her actions at the beginning of the novel. Many of Raskolnikov’s decisions rely on her jurisdiction, for instance, following him to the police station to turn himself in. This event could have gravely affected the gender role comparison and conclusion as a whole. Not all characters have dynamic experiences, as Sonya did, many stayed static till the end of the novel.
Additionally, Katherina mercilessly uses her children and is rejected by her husband, Marmeladov, a hopeless drunk; represents her submission to the male household figure.“For that's Katerina Ivanovna's character, and when children cry, even from hunger, she falls to beating them at once.”(Dostoyevski) Katerina is ruthless with her children. She grew up in a proper household but her status has declined. Her illness and poor taste in men dominate her lifestyle. She makes her children suffer. Katerina is lazy and does not have an occupation and, therefore, Sonia and “‘Mercy on us, can he have drunk it all? There were twelve silver roubles left in the chest!’ and in a fury she seized him by the hair and dragged him into the room.”(Dostoyevski) The Marmeladov household is rather unstable. Her husband, Semyon Zakharovich Marmeladov, has a major alcohol problem. He steals from his family and drinks in the tavern. This leads to the abuse of their children. Sonia being forced to become a prostitute and the starvation of the rest of her siblings. The parental figures were unreliable and Katerina also suffered from a chronic disease for most of her life.. Her disease illness to her death much like the author Dostoyevsky's own mother passed away. She deserts her family to death and everyone suffers.
Woman have a submissive role in most relationships with a superior male figure, for instance Dunya suffers an arranged engagement to a man with money, a lustful sexual assault, but finally redeems her submission by finding a man she loves.

The suffering and submission occurs prominently in the character Avdotya Romanovna Raskolnikov, the sister of Raskolnikov. (“Dunya,” “Dunechka”) “No, it’s my fault most of all! I was tempted by his money, but I swear, brother—I never imagined he could be such an untrustworthy man!”(Dostoevsky) Raskolnikov and Dunya’s relationship has a deep connection. They rely and respect each other greatly. This relationship is not, however, the most influential of her existence in this novel. Dunya is bound by a arranged marriage to Pyotr Petrovitch Luzhin, to escape poverty. “[Raskolnikov] For one she [Dunya] loves, for one she adores, she will sell herself”(Dostoevsky) Luzhin is obsessed with Dunya and will do anything to make her subservient to him. “[Dunya] I intend to be loyal in rendering all that he expects of me”(Dostoevsky) Once breaking the marriage vows to Luzhin, Arkady Ivanovich Svidrigailov attempts to make Dunya love him. Although the death of his wife, Marfa Petrovna, made Svidrigailov more generous, his threatening presence offends both Dunya and Raskolnikov. Svidrigailov attempts to rape Dunya and to tell her about her brother's murders. She accuses him of murdering his own wife. Dunya attempts to shoot him for protection from his sexual assault. Overcoming forced relationships, Dunya eventually took control of her life and met a man she could equally love and trust. That man is Dmitri Prokofych Razumikhin, his name originates from the Russian word razum which means “reason” or “intelligence” . Dunya and Razumikhin’s love, and Razumikhin love and respect for Raskolnikov, creates a stable relationship between Razumikhin and Dunya. She overcomes her submissive behaviors for true happiness and

equality.
Society in the 1800s of Russia had little social acceptance of women. Women suffered from selling their bodies for the lusts of me to supply money to their suffering families. They were considered crazy if a female ever considered independency. Illnesses spread and families broke, and many girls were forced to elude to the immoral reliance on a male figure. Those without a sufficient dominant leader, suffered the consequences of survival. Some women were able to overcome these ailments. Females were often forced into arranged marriages to supply money for the family, often between an older man and a young female. They were often treated as an object or property to claim. The characters express the portrayal of woman with insufficient amounts of equality, therefore, conclusively the submission of women to men.