Resurrection · Chapter
XLVIII explained
Nekhlúdoff visits Máslova in prison and reiterates his intention to marry her as an act of atonement.
What happens
Nekhlúdoff visits Máslova in prison and reiterates his intention to marry her as an act of atonement. Máslova, drunk and bitter, angrily rejects him, accusing him of using her for pleasure and now seeking his own salvation. She refuses his offer and sends him away, then returns to her cell and drinks with her companions.
Themes in this chapter
Moral Awakening and Redemption
Nekhlúdoff's persistent offer of marriage as atonement contrasts with Máslova's bitter refusal, highlighting the struggle for moral redemption.
Social Class and Inequality
Máslova's angry reminder of their class difference—'I am a convict, and you a prince'—underscores the insurmountable social divide.
Sexual Exploitation and Women's Position
Máslova accuses Nekhlúdoff of having used her for pleasure and now seeking to save himself, reflecting her experience of exploitation.
Characters to notice
- Prince Dmitri Ivanovich Nekhludoff
Visits Máslova in prison, declares his intention to marry her, and is harshly rejected.
- Katerina Maslova
Drunk and angry, she refuses Nekhlúdoff's marriage proposal and accuses him of selfish motives.
- Korableva
Encourages Máslova to take advantage of Nekhlúdoff's interest.
- Menshoff
Mentioned by Máslova as a prisoner whose mother seeks Nekhlúdoff's help.
Key passages
“You’ve got pleasure out of me in this life, and want to save yourself through me in the life to come.”
You used me for your enjoyment in this world, and now you want to use me to secure your own salvation in the next.
Máslova's bitter accusation reveals her view of Nekhlúdoff's proposal as selfish rather than redemptive.
“I am a convict, and you are a gentleman and a prince. There’s no need for you to soil yourself by touching me.”
I am a prisoner and you are a nobleman; you shouldn't lower yourself by associating with me.
Máslova emphasizes the social chasm between them, rejecting Nekhlúdoff's offer as inappropriate.