Character Guide

A young, impoverished former student wandering the streets of St. Petersburg, lost in deep thought.

A cheerful and loyal former fellow student of Raskolnikov’s, known for his kindness and good humor.

Raskolnikov’s devoted mother, who writes to him with affectionate concern.

Katerina Ivanovna is the dignified and long-suffering wife of Marmeladov, known for her proud bearing and gentle upbringing.

Nastasya, the cook and sole servant of the house, is a practical and often blunt presence in the lodgings.

Pyotr Petrovitch Luzhin, a well-dressed government official of counsellor rank, is known for his connection to Marfa Petrovna and recent interest in marriage.

An old pawnbroker who lives alone on the fourth floor.

A wealthy and mysterious former employer of Dounia, Mr. Svidrigaïlov is a man whose reputation and intentions are the subject of uneasy discussion.

Porfiry Petrovitch, an intelligent and somewhat eccentric man, is the head of the local Investigation Department.

Lizaveta Ivanovna is the quiet, gentle sister of Alyona Ivanovna, known for her hard work and humble demeanor.

Zametov, Alexandr Grigorievitch, is the head clerk in the police office—a clever young man acquainted with several officials in town.

The porter, an old man who watches over the building’s entrance, sits quietly in his dim little room near the gateway.

The young man's landlady, a woman who manages the rooms in the large, five-storied house, appears only briefly as he tries to avoid her.

Mr. Lebeziatnikov, a pale and earnest young man with progressive ideas, appears in the company of Katerina Ivanovna and her family.

A young doctor, Zossimov is a friend of Razumihin and attends to Raskolnikov during his illness.

A peasant from the Zaraïsk district, Nikolay Dementyev is a fellow Ryazan native known to Dushkin since childhood.

Madame Resslich is the proprietor of a lodging house near Hay Market.

The object of Sonia’s desperate prayer and hope, invoked in her moment of fear and need.

Kapernaumov is a lame tailor with a cleft palate, the head of a poor but kind family who take in lodgers.

A visitor, Koch is a man whose youth can be guessed from his voice.

A renowned French military and political leader, celebrated for his transformational impact on Europe.

A gaily-dressed, purple-faced lady, Luise Ivanovna awaits permission to sit with the others.

Mr. Tchebarov is a man involved in a recent transaction concerning a debt owed by the widow Zarnitsyn.

The amiable and fair-whiskered district superintendent, Nikodim Fomitch, enters the scene.

Dmitri, a painter from the same village as the drunkard, works alongside him on various jobs in town.

A group of officials responsible for upholding the law and investigating crimes in the city.

The old woman's sister is a mysterious figure, rarely seen and mentioned with suspicion.

Afanasy Ivanovitch is a moneylender known for advancing loans on the security of pensions.

Vassily Ivanovitch Vahrushin is a kind-hearted local merchant and an old friend of the family.

A petty trader, standing with his wife, engaged in a lively discussion with a weary young woman.

An elderly woman in a kerchief and goatskin shoes, accompanied by a girl with a green parasol, appears with quiet generosity.

Natalya Yegorovna is the late daughter whose memory becomes a sensitive topic in the conversation.

A little, grey-haired old man, the priest arrives to administer the sacrament with quiet solemnity.

A group of onlookers, their voices rising as they discuss and confirm what they witnessed.

Philip was a former servant in the Svidrigaïlov household, whose tragic fate is etched in the family's past.

Darya Frantsovna, a notorious woman with a bad reputation and known to the police, enters the scene.

Revered as a figure of compassion and solace, Our Lady is the saintly presence to whom the faithful pray for comfort and strength.

Alexandr Grigorievitch, the head clerk, is a serious and indifferent official overseeing the crowded office.

Pestryakov, a man involved in the bureaucracy at the police station, appears amid the official commotion.

A brusque coachman, driving his carriage through the busy streets of London.

A servant employed at the lodging house, assisting with baggage alongside his fellow porter.

A ragged beggar, lost in confusion, drifts amid the chaos of the street crowd.

A man lies unconscious from drink in the middle of the road.

A silent figure among the small crowd, he stands out in a long coat, observing the scene with curiosity.

A tired and practical man, the doctor arrives to examine the wounded Marmeladov with calm professionalism.

A man in the Bible whom Jesus is said to have raised from the dead.

Raskolnikov's beloved sister, a proud and selfless young woman devoted to her family's wellbeing.

A group of well-dressed lawyers enters, their manner polished and confident.

A young woman working as a servant in the tavern.

A young man, earnest and idealistic, known to his friends as "Schiller."

The mother of Svidrigaïlov’s fiancée, a woman dutifully overseeing her daughter’s engagement.

A group of servers attending to the guests at the establishment.

A huge, stout man with a grey beard and a short, full-skirted coat, dozing drunkenly beside his friend.

A lively group of about five men and a girl with a concertina, recently left the tavern together.

A legendary folk hero famed for outwitting enormous foes.

A workingman, somewhat inebriated, sits with his companion over a pot of beer.

A disheveled, drunken man lolls in a passing wagon, loudly taunting strangers on the street.

A German clerk in the civil service, recently vacating his flat with his family.

Ivan Afanasyvitch, a high-ranking official renowned for his gentle and devout character.

Ivan Ivanitch Klopstock is a civil counsellor mentioned for his outstanding lack of consideration in personal dealings.

The tavern-keeper, a familiar figure behind the counter, moves quietly among the customers in his establishment.

An elderly onlooker in the crowd, quick to voice his disapproval.

Matvey is a servant involved with handling the horses and driving the cart.

A rough, excitable peasant, Mikolka is eager to show off his horse and cart to the jeering crowd.

Pokorev is a student acquaintance of Raskolnikov’s who once gave him the address of a pawnbroker.

Heruvimov is a bookseller and small publisher who provides natural science manuals.

Fedyaev is a local shopkeeper known for his questionable business practices.

Semyon Semyonovitch is a man entrusted with handling money matters on behalf of others.

Sharmer is a fashionable clothing shop mentioned for its stylish attire.

Tolstyakov, an acquaintance known for his distinctive and unusual pudding-basin hat, enters the scene.

Afanasy Pavlovitch, a man mentioned in conversation, appears as a source of news about recent events.

Dushkin, a local peasant and owner of a dram-shop across from the house, arrives at the police office with a jeweller’s case and an unusual story.

Kryukov, a man arriving with a lady on his arm, enters the building at the same moment as the commotion unfolds.

A group of laborers from the Kolomna district, known for their rough manners.

A local widow, known in the neighborhood, who lives with her sister.

A merchant who lets rooms in a shabby, ill-reputed lodging house.

A drunken soldier, cigarette in hand, staggers uncertainly down the road among the gathering crowd.

A lively woman, Duclida is known among her neighbors for her open manner and candid speech.

A pock-marked woman of about thirty, bearing bruises and a swollen lip, speaks quietly and earnestly.

A polite waiter at the Palais de Cristal, attentive to patrons’ requests.

A young man in a red shirt stands idly before a shop, catching the attention of passersby.

Vasya is the messenger boy who works in Afanasy Ivanitch’s shop.

A mysterious, well-dressed man who seems to be quietly observing events from the shadows.

Kepler, the renowned German astronomer, is referenced in the characters’ philosophical discussion about science and morality.

An ancient lawgiver of Sparta, known for creating strict and influential legal codes.

Mahomet, the founder of Islam, is referenced here among other great lawmakers and leaders in history.

A renowned physicist and mathematician, celebrated for his groundbreaking scientific discoveries.

A famed Athenian lawmaker, Solon is renowned for his wisdom and reforms.

Aniska, a pretty young woman and skilled dressmaker from the country, was once one of their serf girls trained in Moscow.

Berg, a practical and ambitious young officer, is mentioned as someone known in society for his interest in public entertainments and new experiences.

Filka, a serf who once served the speaker, is remembered for his devoted service.

A distant relation of the narrator, Madam Prilukov is mentioned as someone in whose album one might write about art.

A group of distinguished gentlemen of wealth and social standing.

A local denizen, reflective and aware of the bustling changes, speaks of the influx of officials and students transforming the town.

A group of refined gentlemen, poets among them, are mentioned for their good manners and presence in society.

One of our former serf girls, Aniska is a pretty country dressmaker who was trained in Moscow.

A group of young students, full of lively conversation and ambition, gather among the town’s officials.

A German woman of questionable reputation, known for her unreliability.

A wise and compassionate teacher, renowned throughout the land.

A devoted sister, Martha is present to comfort Mary during a time of mourning.

A quiet and grieving woman, Mary mourns her brother alongside her sister Martha.

A group of townspeople from Judea who visit Martha and Mary to offer comfort after the death of their brother.

A group of workers who assist customers and manage sales in the shop.

General Mack, an Austrian officer whose name comes up in conversation as an example of military misfortune.

A famous Russian writer, known for his distinctive sense of humor.

Mitka, a porter, appears as a minor character involved with the happenings at the lodging house.

A famous English naturalist known for his theory of evolution by natural selection.

Fourier is a thinker whose social and philosophical ideas are discussed with interest by some of the characters.

A renowned Russian poet and writer, celebrated for his literary genius.

Raphael is mentioned as a famous Italian painter whose work is being compared to practical, everyday labor in a philosophical discussion.

Terebyeva, a devoted member of the community, is mentioned as someone who once wrote to her parents after leaving her family.

Varents is a woman who, after seven years of marriage, left her husband and children to seek her own happiness.

Johann is Amalia Ivanovna’s father, a German burgomeister mentioned in conversation.

A proud man once of high rank, Katerina Ivanovna’s father had served as a colonel and nearly a governor.

Mangot, a teacher who once instructed Katerina Ivanovna and still resides in T----, is mentioned as a potential tutor for the boarding-school.

The cabman, an anonymous driver working the city streets at night, briefly enters the story through a tale recounted by others.

A stout, discharged officer of low rank who is known for his frequent presence at gatherings.

A well-mannered woman and her spinsterish daughter, recent lodgers in the house, known for their quiet ways and disapproval of disturbances.

A small religious image or medallion, worn for protection and faith.

A mysterious figure invoked as the embodiment of evil and temptation.

Dr. B----n is a careful and thorough physician, known for his attentive manner with patients.

A group of citizens chosen to impartially decide the outcome of a trial.

An older man, mentioned in conversation as someone whose influence has faded from the younger generation’s memories.

A boy playing a small hand organ, performing music in the lively room.

Parasha, a newly arrived and strikingly pretty girl with black eyes, appears in the house, unfamiliar to the narrator.

Two young boys, staying with their relatives and adding to the household's lively burdens.

A young soldier, slouched in a grey coat and wearing a copper Achilles helmet, regards Svidrigaïlov with a weary, discontented expression.

A cabman, a driver of a horse-drawn carriage, would normally be seen on the city streets but is notably absent in the chilly, deserted scene.

A ragged hotel attendant, often found napping amid candle-ends and all sorts of rubbish.

A group of poorly talented singers hired to entertain the guests.

A dirty, shivering dog crosses the path with its tail between its legs.

Fedosya, the household cook, bustled about in the kitchen nearby.

Small, persistent insects, the flies are drawn to the untended food and the stillness of the room.

A melancholy German clown from Munich with a red nose, performing for passersby.

A man of Jewish descent, mentioned in connection with the buying of a stolen spoon.

A devoted nurse and caretaker, Mammy watches over Valentine with gentle affection.

A man in a greatcoat lies sprawled on the pavement, apparently dead drunk.

An official witness, authorized to oversee and confirm formal acts, plays a minor but important role in legal matters in the city.

A street musician who plays a barrel organ for tips.

A group of young office workers, lively and quick to quarrel.

A weary traveler, scanning shop signs with anxious curiosity, makes his way through the uncertain streets.

A famous explorer and author known for his adventurous travels in Africa.

Nil Pavlitch is a resident who appears among the group at the tavern, contributing to the conversation with those around him.

The nomads are a distant people of the steppe, living freely in their tents far from the settled world.

A reserved and isolated convict, living among other prisoners in the harsh conditions of Siberia.

A gentle and devoted young woman, Sonia quietly prepares to follow Raskolnikov as he joins the party of convicts bound for Siberia.

A pale, brooding young man, Rodion Raskolnikov is a prisoner serving his sentence as a second-class convict.