William Burnham’s article, ‘The Legal Context and Contributions of Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment,’ Michigan Law Review, 100.6 (2002), 1227-1248, suggests another dimension to Sonia’s role as a registered prostitute. Burnham states that while confession and eye-witness testimony were considered the most reliable forms of proof in Russia at the time, ‘the law disqualified several classes of people from serving as witnesses’ (p. 1234), including not only all sorts of criminals, but also, for example, people who were deaf and dumb, and foreigners who were only staying in Russia for a short time. The status of prostitutes under this law seems to be a little uncertain (p. 1237 n.), but it does seem to be clear that even if Sonia was competent to testify, she would not have been considered a reliable witness. This, I think, puts a rather different complexion on Raskolnikov’s decision to confess to her — a decision he seems to make before he has even committed the murders. It’s as though he designs it as a consequence-free act, a means of unburdening his conscience without any legal implications, which makes him look far more calculating than I am accustomed to assuming. Dostoevsky’s narrative makes it very easy for us to sympathize with Raskolnikov, but moments like this make you realize what a disturbing process that is.
New Post Alerts By Email
Syndication
Tags
A. N. Maikov archive.org art Bakunin Bulgakov Chaadaev Chekhov Chernyshevsky Crime and Punishment Crystal Palace Demons Dickens Digital Humanities Dostoevsky Fet George Kennan Gogol Google books Grossman Gulag Herzen Kharms Kropotkin Lenin London Moscow Notes from the House of the Dead Notes from Underground Ogarev Pushkin Russia Russkii vestnik Shalamov Siberia Solov'ev Solzhenitsyn Sovremennik Stalin Stepniak-Kravchinsky St Petersburg The Brothers Karamazov The Idiot Tolstoy Turgenev womenArchives
-
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
Sonia: another thought
Posted in Dostoevsky
Posted by Sarah Young on February 2, 2010
https://sarahjyoung.com/site/2010/02/02/sonia-another-thought/
Previous Post
Four short links: eat, drink and be merry
Four short links: eat, drink and be merry
Next Post
Krupskaya: an apology
Krupskaya: an apology
Search
Links
Follow me on Twitter
My TweetsCategories
Archives
- November 2019
- October 2017
- March 2017
- September 2016
- July 2016
- November 2015
- September 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- October 2014
- August 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
1 Comment