Dostoevsky was a mess. Let’s just start there. He was a gambling addict who wrote under the crushing weight of debt, often finishing chapters just hours before they went to print. Maybe that's why Crime and Punishment characters feel so jittery. They don't read like polished literary figures; they feel like people you’d see muttering to themselves on a subway platform at 3:00 AM.
Most people think this book is just about a guy with an axe. It isn't. It’s a psychological horror show about what happens when your brain tries to outsmart your conscience.
Raskolnikov: The Man Who Thought He Was a God
Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov is basically the original "edge-lord." He’s a broke student living in a room that Dostoevsky describes as a "cupboard" or a "ship’s cabin," which is just a fancy way of saying he lived in a coffin-sized apartment that drove him crazy.
His whole deal is the "Great Man" theory. He honestly believed that the world is split into two groups. You have the "ordinary" people who have to follow the rules, and then you have the "extraordinary" people—the Napoleons of the world—who have the right to commit any crime if it serves a higher purpose.
He kills the old pawnbroker, Alyona Ivanovna, to prove he belongs to that second group. But here’s the thing: he’s terrible at being a criminal. He forgets to lock the door. He gets blood on his boots. He faints at the police station just because someone mentions the murder.
Raskolnikov is a walking contradiction. He’s capable of extreme cruelty, yet he gives his last few rubles to a grieving widow he barely knows. This duality is why he’s the most analyzed of all Crime and Punishment characters. He represents that terrifying part of the human ego that wants to be special so badly it’s willing to discard morality to prove it.
The Split Personality
The name "Raskolnikov" actually comes from the Russian word raskol, which means "schism" or "split." It’s not subtle. He is literally a man divided. On one side, you have the cold, intellectual Nihilist. On the other, you have the deeply empathetic, almost saintly young man. He spends the whole book trying to kill the empathetic side, but it’s the side that eventually saves him.
Sonya Marmeladov and the Power of Being Broken
If Raskolnikov is the brain, Sonya is the heart. But she’s not some "manic pixie dream girl" meant to fix him. Her life is objectively miserable. Her father is a hopeless alcoholic who spends the family’s rent money on green vodka, and her stepmother is literally dying of tuberculosis while screaming at the children.
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Sonya turns to prostitution to keep her siblings from starving. In the rigid social structure of 1860s Russia, she should be the "lowest" character. Yet, Dostoevsky portrays her as the strongest person in the book.
She doesn’t argue with Raskolnikov’s logic. She doesn’t try to out-debate him. She just sits with him in his filth and his madness and offers him a path back to humanity. There’s a famous scene where she reads him the story of Lazarus—the man raised from the dead. It’s heavy-handed, sure, but it works because Sonya is the only one who sees that Raskolnikov’s soul is the thing that’s actually dead.
Svidrigailov: The Dark Reflection
You can't talk about Crime and Punishment characters without mentioning Arkady Svidrigailov. He is Raskolnikov’s shadow.
While Raskolnikov feels immense guilt for his one crime, Svidrigailov has committed dozens and feels absolutely nothing. He’s wealthy, charming, and utterly depraved. He represents what Raskolnikov would become if he actually succeeded in becoming an "extraordinary man" without a conscience.
Svidrigailov is bored. That’s his defining trait. He’s done everything, seen everything, and violated every moral law. He’s the personification of nihilism taken to its logical, dead-end conclusion. His eventual fate—which I won’t spoil if you’re still reading—is the only way his story could ever really end. He’s a warning.
Porfiry Petrovich and the Mind Games
Long before Columbo or Sherlock, there was Porfiry Petrovich. He’s the lead investigator on the pawnbroker’s murder, and he is a delight to read.
Porfiry doesn't use DNA or fingerprints. He uses "psychological warfare." He knows Raskolnikov did it. He basically tells Raskolnikov he knows. But he doesn't arrest him. Instead, he plays cat-and-mouse games, visiting Raskolnikov’s "cupboard" and chatting about literature and philosophy.
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He knows that a man like Raskolnikov will eventually crumble under the weight of his own mind. Porfiry is brilliant because he understands that the punishment for a crime doesn't start in a courtroom; it starts the second the axe falls.
The Marmeladov Family: A Lesson in Chaos
Semyon Marmeladov, Sonya's father, is one of the most pathetic figures in literature. You want to shake him. He’s the guy at the bar telling you his life story while crying into a glass of cheap booze.
But his character serves a massive purpose. Through the Marmeladovs, Dostoevsky shows the "punishment" of poverty. The social decay of St. Petersburg isn't just a backdrop; it’s an active force that creates these broken people.
Katerina Ivanovna, Semyon’s wife, is arguably even more tragic. She’s a former "noble" who has fallen into the gutter. Her descent into literal madness, dancing in the streets and forcing her children to perform for pennies, is some of the most visceral writing in the 19th century. It’s uncomfortable. It’s supposed to be.
Why These Characters Matter in 2026
We live in an era of "main character syndrome." Social media encourages us to think of ourselves as the center of the universe, often at the expense of others. Raskolnikov is the patron saint of main character syndrome.
When you look at Crime and Punishment characters, you’re looking at a mirror of the modern psyche. We still struggle with the idea of whether "greatness" excuses "badness." We still wonder if some lives are worth more than others.
Dostoevsky didn't write a "whodunnit." He wrote a "whydunnit." And then he spent 500 pages explaining that the "why" is usually because we’re all a little bit broken and desperate for meaning.
What to Do If You're Diving Into the Book
If you’re planning to read (or re-read) the novel, don’t get bogged down in the long Russian names. Everyone has three names, and they change depending on who’s talking.
- Focus on the internal monologue. The real action happens inside Raskolnikov’s head.
- Watch the weather. Dostoevsky uses the stifling heat of St. Petersburg to mirror the characters' mental states.
- Check the translation. The Pevear and Volokhonsky translation is widely considered the most "accurate" to Dostoevsky’s gritty, caffeinated style, though some prefer the smoother flow of Oliver Ready.
The best way to understand these characters is to stop looking at them as "literary icons" and start looking at them as neighbors. Everyone knows a Raskolnikov—someone too smart for their own good who thinks they’ve figured out a shortcut to success. And everyone knows a Sonya—someone carrying the weight of the world without complaining.
That’s why this book stays on the shelves. It’s not about 1866 Russia. It’s about the messy, contradictory, and often terrifying reality of being a human being with a conscience.
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Actionable Insights for Readers
- Map the Foil Characters: To truly understand Raskolnikov, compare him directly to Svidrigailov (his dark side) and Razumikhin (his healthy side). These aren't just supporting cast; they are externalized versions of the protagonist's internal struggle.
- Observe the Urban Setting: Treat St. Petersburg as a character itself. Notice how the crowded, filthy, and loud environment triggers Raskolnikov’s "monomania." This helps explain why he feels pushed toward his crime.
- Note the Dreams: There are four major dream sequences in the book. They are not filler. They provide the most honest look at the characters' subconscious fears and guilt, often revealing things they won't admit in their waking dialogue.
These characters don't offer easy answers. They offer a deep, uncomfortable look into the human soul, which is exactly why we're still talking about them over a century later.