Crime and Punishment – The Characters

Russians customarily have three names: a given name, a patronymic (derived from the father’s given name), and a family name. Most patronymics end in ovitch for men and ovna for women. In addition, Russians often have an “affectionate” or nickname. The usual practice among acquaintances is to address a person by his given name and patronymic, while close friends or family members use the “affectionate” name. Since characters in this novel may be addressed by a variety of names, you should know what they are. Fill in this chart with details as you go, and keep it close so that you may refer to it while reading.

Name Name meaning Description of character Rodion Romanovitch Raskolnik means The protagonist of the novel. Raskolnikov (affectionate, rebel, dissenter, or Rodya) schismatic in Russian

Avdotya Romanaovna Raskolnikov’s sister Raskolnikov (affectionate, Dounia)

Pulcheria Alexandrovna Raskolnikov’s widowed mother Raskolnikov

Sofya Semyonovna Marmelad is a kind A young woman Marmeladov (affectionate, of sweet candy Sonia)

Semyon Zaharovitch Sonia’s father Marmeladov

Katerina Ivanovna Sonia’s mother Marmeladov

Dmitri Prokofitch Razumihin Razum means reason, Raskolnikov’s fellow student and best friend. good sense, intelligence in Russian

Pyotr Petrovitch Luzhin Luzha means puddle Dounia’s fiancé

Afansy Ivanovitch Svidrigaïlov is a Dounia’s former employer Svidrigaïlov (also called Lithuanian prince Arkady) from medieval Russian history, Marfa Petrovna Svidrigaïlov Svidrigaïlov’s wife

Alyona Ivanovna (no family A pawnbroker name stated)

Lizaveta Ivanovna (no family The pawnbroker’s sister name stated)

Porfiry Petrovitch (no family Chief of the criminal investigation department name stated)

Andrey Semyonovitch A government clerk Lebezaitnikov Alexandr Grigorievitch Zametit’ means to Head clerk at the police station and a friend of Razumihin Zametov notice

Nikodim Fomitch District superintendent of police

Zossimov A doctor

Ilya Petrovitch A superintendent of police

Amalia Fyodorovna The Marmeladov’s landlady Lippevechsel Praskovya Pavlovna Raskolnikov’s landlady (affectionate, Pashenka)

Nastasya Petrovna A servant and cook