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- Image of Semyon Marmeladov (Crime and Punishment)
Semyon Marmeladov is one of the central characters of the novel, and one of the primary arbiters of the fate of the main character, Rodion Raskolnikov.
Semyon Zakharovich Marmeladov acts as a prototype of a poor man, powerless in the face of life's difficulties. A carefully shaven old man in his fifties, of heavy build and average height. A man with tired, reddened eyes and a face swollen from drunkenness. It is this image of the character’s appearance that clearly describes his lifestyle. In the past, he was an official with decent income and a titular councilor with significant social status. A man with a kind heart who marries a sad widow with three children and raises his sweet daughter Sonechka. But all this happens until Semyon is fired from his position and thrown out of work.
It doesn’t take long before he turns into an unemployed and degraded drunkard who will no longer be able to crawl out of the pit of despair and poverty. He had a chance to return to rank and the situation, it seemed, began to improve, but the “holiday,” unfortunately, did not last long, but only until the first salary. After which Semyon steals money from his family and goes on a long binge. All that remains for him is to feel sorry for himself and complain about life, which Marmeladov actively practices. It was during this activity that he met Rodion in the tavern. Telling the story of his worthless existence, the poor fellow remembers all his sins: drunkenness, theft, even his own daughter goes to the panel to help her father and the whole family, but he continues to do nothing. But the “martyr” is no longer able to deal with such great hardships of a hard lot. The only thing he can do is drink away the remnants of his unaccumulated fortune. Pouring out his soul, our hero, without realizing it, pushes Raskolnikov to test his theory about man in practice.
Despite such a pitiful state of things, Marmeladov also had good qualities, for example, love for children: he doted on his daughter and adopted children and tried to give them the best. In addition, he adored his wife and treated her with special respect.
But, unfortunately or fortunately, such a bitter life brings the incurable drunkard to the grave - he falls under the hooves of racing horses and dies in the arms of his young daughter, leaving his family alone to the mercy of fate.
The roots of the hero's alcoholism
Why is Marmeladov so dependent on booze? The hero admits: the roots of drunkenness are not in the desire for fun, but in grief, sorrow. Alcohol is an attempt at escapism, an escape from problems, a way to forget. A man craves compassion and “feeling.” The hero's daughter earns money through “humiliating”, “obscene” work. Sonya continues to work on a “yellow ticket”. The girl's father realizes that he is taking money from his daughter, pushing unfortunate Sonya onto a slippery slope. Sonya feels pity for her father, does not refuse funds, and gives her last money.
Alcoholism forces the hero to have a consumerist attitude not only towards his daughter, but also towards his wife. Katerina Ivanovna often discovers missing personal items (stockings, dresses, scarves). This is because of Marmeladov. Sin causes terrible pangs of conscience in the hero. Drunkenness, idleness, weakness are the key vices of Semyon Zakharovich. Realizing this, the man still does not struggle with sins. Marmeladov is humiliated, bestows upon himself humiliating nicknames: “pig”, “beast”, “cattle”, etc.
Marmeladov's relationships with people
The author describes Semyon Zakharovich as a pitiful, but not a bad person. The hero's vices do not prevent Marmeladov from loving and respecting his family. The writer emphasizes the man’s devotion to his family. Semyon's love for his family is painful, enthusiastic, respectful. The hero does not divide children into his own and those of others. Marmeladov loved Sonya and his adopted children equally. The adopted children called Semyon Zakharovich “daddy”, “daddy”. Marmeladov taught children to read and understand grammar, as well as the Holy Scriptures. The hero’s relationship with his youngest daughter, Lidochka, was especially tender. Even in a drunken stupor, the man did not forget about the children: he bought gingerbread cockerels for the children.
The drunken Marmeladov's return home is accompanied by scandals. Katerina, a desperate woman, beats her husband. The husband endures beatings, realizing his guilt. Semyon Zakharovich is feared not by his wife and beatings, but by red eyes, the unhealthy breathing of his sick wife, and a child’s crying. Taking care of the family fell on Sonya's shoulders. Marmeladov emphasizes that Katerina “pulls out” his hair out of grief and “pity of heart.”
Death of a Hero
Semyon Zakharovich met his death some time after meeting Rodion. A drunken retired official was hit by a horse-drawn cart. Marmeladov was crossing the street and fell under the hooves of animals. The hero's injuries turned out to be incompatible with life. In the evening, Semyon Zakharovich died in his daughter’s arms. Katerina Ivanovna was tormented by attacks of consumption. The death of a spouse is a terrible blow for an unhappy, exhausted woman. After attending the funeral of Semyon Zakharovich, Katerina fell and died of bleeding. The Marmeladov orphans were sent to an orphanage.
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Author: Bogdana Nosenok
Character traits
From the hero's confession, the reader learns the character of Marmeladov. This is an absolutely weak-willed person who has submitted to his vice - drunkenness. He realizes all his insignificance and enormous guilt before his wife and children, hungry and cold because of his drunkenness. Semyon Zakharovich understands that he is drinking away the money that the children need for food, he understands that it is a shame to live on the money that Sonya gives, he suffers from this, but continues to drink.
Semyon Zakharovich is a kind man, he married Katerina Ivanovna because he felt sorry for her, who was left with small children in terrible poverty. He respects his wife, is kind to his adopted children, teaches them grammar and reading.
"Correction" of the hero
Marmeladov is not a completely lost person to society. Thus, the hero is aware of his shortcomings, wrongness and baseness of behavior. Semyon Zakharovich is too weak to fight the vices of his personality. However, the man managed to “come to his senses.” This happened five weeks ago: before the events that open Dostoevsky's novel. Semyon Zakharovich turned to his superiors, who gave the former official a second chance. Finally, the day of the long-awaited salary comes - 23 rubles and 40 kopecks. The Marmeladov family rejoices, hoping for a better life and changes. But the miracle did not happen: Semyon stole the money, went on a drinking binge, and abandoned his service. For five days the hero wanders around the capital and does not appear at home.
Meeting Raskolnikov
This is a symbolic moment. Semyon Zakharovich meets Raskolnikov during the period of his final fall. It is noteworthy that Rodion also stood at a crossroads - before a choice. The student was tormented by the thought of committing murder. Does sin help solve problems? The writer hints: falling is not a solution to problems, but a game of hide and seek with conscience. Both heroes are weak, unable to cope with life's difficulties. The level of sin between Raskolnikov and Marmeladov is different: murder - for the first character, drunkenness, theft - for the second character.
On the sixth day of drunken wanderings around the capital, in a tavern Marmeladov met Raskolnikov. The former student was sympathetic to Semyon Zakharovich. Rodion escorts his new acquaintance home. A retired official introduces Rodion to family members. Marmeladov mentally thanks Raskolnik for his humane, kind and sympathetic attitude. Rodion listens to the life story of his new acquaintance. Semyon Zakharovich sincerely and openly reveals Raskolnikov's soul. The student learned about the financial difficulties of the Marmeladov family. However, what impressed Rodion most was Sonya's sacrifice. Thoughts about the girl convince the hero that killing the old woman is the right thing to do.
Marmeladov's philosophy
Semyon Zakharovich’s meeting with Raskolnikov is an occasion to also talk about Marmeladov’s philosophy. The writer speaks of the hero as a religious and believer. Semyon Zakharovich expresses his thoughts about the Last Judgment and the exodus of humanity. Through the hero, the author conveys his own ideas about Christianity.
The nature of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s work “The Teenager” is distinguished by the fact that, willy-nilly, you think not only about the abstract meaning of life, but about your own situation, your state of mind today. We invite readers to familiarize themselves with its summary
Marmeladov is a kind of microcosm that embodies the probable fate of humanity. Fyodor Mikhailovich latently draws the path of human spiritual development. Marmeladov is an antagonist on the path of revival of the main character, Rodion. The daughter, Sonya, is, on the contrary, the protagonist.
Dostoevsky believed that his novel “Netochka Nezvanova” could make a splash in the literary world. But this never happened. Before the novel was finished, the writer was arrested. To learn more about this story, we invite readers to read the description of this work
Marmeladov is “developing” his own version of the Last Judgment. Semyon Zakharovich’s speech is an interweaving of folk dialect and ennobled language. In monologues, the hero draws parallels between Christianity and folk beliefs. Marmeladov's speech is reminiscent of eschatological prophecies. The conversation with Rodion tires the hero: Dostoevsky hints that Marmeladov feels an upsurge of strength while the spirit is present. Critics note the tragicomic nature of the situation described. The purpose of Marmeladov’s reasoning is self-defense and self-justification.
