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A list of all the characters in Crime and Punishment. Crime and Punishment characters include: Raskolnikov, Sonya, Dunya, Svidrigailov, Razumikhin, Porfiry Petrovich.
- Part Ii: Chapters V–VII
A summary of Part II: Chapters V–VII in Fyodor Dostoevsky's...
- Raskolnikov
Raskolnikov is the protagonist of the novel, and the story...
- Svidrigailov
Svidrigailov is one of the most enigmatic characters in...
- Sonya
A detailed description and in-depth analysis of Sonya in...
- Quick Quiz
Test your knowledge on all of Crime and Punishment. Perfect...
- Part Ii: Chapters V–VII
- Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov. The novel’s protagonist, Raskolnikov murders Lizaveta and the old woman and spends the rest of the book coming to terms with his crime and with the touches of madness that follow.
- Pulcheria Alexandrovna Raskolnikov. Raskolnikov’s mother, Pulcheria writes to him early in the novel to inform him of Dunya’s engagement to Luzhin. Pulcheria loves Raskolnikov dearly and fears for his health when she meets with him in Petersburg… read analysis of Pulcheria Alexandrovna Raskolnikov.
- Semyon Zakharovich Marmeladov. A drunk and former government official, Marmeladov is later killed when run over by a wagon. His widow Katerina attempts to support their family on a very small amount of money.
- Sonya Semyonovna Marmeladov. Marmeladov’s child from his first marriage, Sonya becomes a prostitute after Katerina complains that she does nothing to help the family financially.
Dunya (Avdotya Romanovna Raskolnikov) Raskolnikov's devoted sister who was previously Svidrigailov's employee and who was propositioned by him. Razumihkin (Dmitri Prokofitch) One of Raskolnikov's student friends who will become enamored of his sister Dunya. Semyon Zakharovitch Marmeladov A dismissed government clerk who is an alcoholic.
- Raskolnikov
- Sonia
- Svidrigailov
- Porfiry Petrovitch
- Dunya
- Razumikhin
- Katerina Ivanovna Marmeladov
- Semyon Zakharovich Marmeladov
- Luzhin
- Pulcharia
Raskolnikov is the central character of the book and its anti-hero. He is a terribly poor student, burdened by the weight of great familial expectations and the guilt of seeing his family go over and beyond to help him. He has also come under the influence of a rational egoist and utilitarian philosophy that allows for the performance of acts that ...
Sonia is the daughter of Marmeledov. Her father is an irresponsible drunk and her step-mother lacks the capacity to care for the family sufficiently. This forces Sonia into a life of prostitution. Sonia is presented as a good-natured, humble and almost Christ-like woman who although conscious of the degrading nature of her profession nevertheless g...
If Sonia functions as the fullest realization of Raskolnikov’s better nature, Svidrigailov functions as the embodiment of Raskolnikov’s cold, rational egoist intellectualization. Whereas Raskolnikov tries to but cannot rise above conventional morality, Svidrigailov achieves this almost effortlessly. Svidrigailov does not believe in any higher purpo...
The lead detective in the murder case involving Raskolnikov. Like Sonia, Porfiry is a redemptive character or a character that tries to guide Raskolnikov towards redemption. An intelligent detective who deduces early on from Raskolnikov’s weird behavior that Raskolnikov was the murderer, Porfiry played the part of a more advanced sage with the insi...
Dunya is Raskolnikov’s sister. Her actions, especially her ordeal with Svidrigailov and her impending marriage with Luzhin, turn out to be powerful contributors to Raskolnikov’s own behavior and actions in the novel. Dunya shares a lot of characteristics with Sonia in terms of being good-natured, honest, and full of perseverance, although she is no...
Raskolnikov’s closest friend, Razumikhin is a poor student also who decides to work harder to support himself rather than take the route of stealing and murder like Raskolnikov. Razumikhin is a loyal and reasonable friend. He takes care of Raskolnikov during his illness unconditionally even though Raskolnikov mostly responds to his goodness and car...
The consumptive wife of Marmeladov of noble heritage, although her marriage with Marmeladov sends her deep into poverty and lack, for which she is deeply resentful. Hers is a story of complete tragedy, having to deal with a completely irresponsible drunk for a husband while catering to multiple children. She had to deal with her husband selling off...
A conflicted, self-absorbed public official who Raskolnikov meets in a tavern. He is a drunk who is well aware that his drinking was ruining his family, but is unable to stop. His addiction is serious, and he goes to great lengths, even stealing from his wife and taking proceeds meant for the family’s upkeep from Sonia’s prostituting to buy drinks....
Luzhin is the rising civil servant of some means that Sonya gets engaged to. He is a disagreeable and pompous character who deliberately seeks out Sonya because she meets the profile of a beautiful but poor bride who would be beholden to him and who he can lord over. Deeply insecure and arrogant, Luzhin is miserly and clouds his selfishness under a...
Pulcheria is Raskolnikov’s mother. A woman of little means who survives from a meager pension, from which she also supports Raskolnikov. She has high hopes for Raskolnikov and continues to believe in him throughout her life, even though he never fulfills her expectations of him. Her strong devotion and faith in Raskolnikov contribute to placing a w...
In Crime and Punishment, Dostoevsky fuses the personality of his main character, Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov, with his new anti-radical ideological themes. The main plot involves a murder as the result of "ideological intoxication," and depicts all the disastrous moral and psychological consequences that result from the murder.
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Characters. Themes. View Wikipedia Entries for Crime and Punishment…. Crime and Punishment study guide contains a biography of Fyodor Dostoevsky, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.
