‘Eternal’ Sonechka: An attempt to discover an archetype

Abstract

The article discusses the transformation of the image of ‘eternal’ Sonechka, originating in F. Dostoevsky’s novel Crime and Punishment [Prestuplenie i nakazanie] and undergoing subsequent changes while preserving the stability of an archetype and acquiring new meanings in M. Tsvetaeva’s The Tale of Sonechka [Povest o Sonechke] (1938), T. Tolstaya’s short story Sonya (1984) and L. Ulitskaya’s novel Sonechka (1992). In following the logic of the heroine’s development, the author finds that all Sonechkas share such features as femininity, loyalty, and an inherent ability to ‘radiate passionate enthusiasm and give warmth:’ this talent for self-sacrifice can be realized in a family, in one’s attitude towards art or a lover, or just by mistake (as in the case of T. Tolstaya’s Sonya). It is easy to see that all female authors in focus of L. Korotkova’s article, while polemicizing with Dostoevsky in that they exaggerate the heroine’s traits to absurd proportions, fall under the spell of the charming ‘eternal Sonechka as long as the world lasts.’ The undying interest of Russian literature in this character only confirms its archetypal status in Russian culture.