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Characters
Rodion Raskolnikov, Marmeladov, Katerina Ivanovna, Alyona Ivanovna, Lizaveta, Sonya, Dunya, Porfiry, Svidrigaïlov, Pulkheria Alexandrovna Raskolnikova, Razuminkhin, Luzkhin…
Rodion Raskolnikov
He is the main character of the novel. He is pretty, tall and has dark eyes. He is forced to live in a small room in Petersburg that reminds him of a coffin where the streets are dirty and filled with tap houses.
He is described as a law student with a sensitive character who is at the same time a criminal and a righteous man. One of the starting points of a crime novel is the clear motivation of the crime (revenge, passion, mental instability, out of use…). The enjoyed the moments in which he felt he had control over the situation and that he was pulling all the strings.
Raskolnikov is a bit more complex than an ordinary criminal. He wanted to prove a point by committing a murder, and for him, the crime was nothing else but a moral decision because he killed an old pawnbroker that harassed people. In that way, he also checked his moral and psychical strength.
The main character thinks that if he's able to kill a vermin that was causing pain to the society then he clearly belonged to the chosen ones, the moving strength that will be remembered as the creators of history.
The man can take someone's life just for a higher cause. The main character wanted to help the Marmeladov's family. He didn't think once about profiting from the murder.
He got ill in Siberia and his ego was also hurt. He wasn't tormented by taking a life away, but by not being able to achieve the higher cause. Only love was able to cure him when Sonya made him read the Gospel. The Christian way of thinking conquers his mind and he becomes another person.
A deeper psychological interpretation of Raskolnikov is available on Summary King.
Sonya
Maremeladov's daughter that started working as a prostitute to feed her family. She helped Raskolnikov to change.
Dunya
Raskolnikov's sister, described as a person capable of doing anything for her family. She was even ready to get married out of financial use.
Marmeladov
Alcoholic gone to waste whose family lives in poverty. He is the true example of a life becoming miserable due to unfortunate events and he also became the victim of his own vice.
Alyona Ivanovna
An old, greedy pawnbroker that was killed by Raskolnikov after he saw her for the first time. He wanted to kill her so he could do something good for humanity.
For a deeper pychological look at these (and all other) characters and the ideas behind their actions, read Crime and Punishment Characters Explained on Summary King.
Further study
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