The Centre Of Negative Liberty: Deconstructing Commodification Of Personhood In Leigh Bardugo’S Six Of Crows Duology

Abstract

This paper explores the deconstruction of the body and the rationalization of commodification through a post-Marxist framework in Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows duology, contending that the commodification process cultivates alienation and perpetuates social inequality. Drawing on Christopher Hermann’s theory of commodification and Margaret Jane Radin’s critique of the sale of human attributes—an act that erodes individual personhood—this paper scrutinizes the exploitation of marginalized characters, particularly Inej and the Grisha soldiers, to underscore the pervasive societal issues of oppression and dehumanization. Hermann’s assertion that commodification prioritizes exchange value over use value, reducing individuals to mere instruments for profit, serves as the foundation for understanding the novel’s depiction of enslavement and the reduction of marginalized bodies to economic tools. Through its vivid portrayal of these dynamics, Bardugo’s work serves as a trenchant critique of the commodification of personal identity and agency, exposing the corrosive consequences of profit-driven ideologies on both social equality and individual dignity.

Key Words: Commodification, Marxism, Incomplete Commodification, Rationalization, Social Inequality