Petersburg

Main Characters and Their Development

• Nikolai Apollonovich Ableukhov - the main character of the novel, a young man and the senator's son. At the beginning of the novel, he is torn between his duty to his family and his revolutionary beliefs. His internal conflict intensifies as the plot develops, leading to a spiritual crisis and a quest to find his place in the world.
• Apollon Apollonovich Ableukhov - Nikolai's father, a senator and representative of the old order. He symbolizes authority and tradition, against which his son rebels. Throughout the novel, his relationship with his son becomes increasingly strained, reflecting the conflict between generations and ideologies.
• Sofya Petrovna Likhutina - Nikolai's beloved, a married woman also involved in the revolutionary movement. Her character embodies passion and the desire for freedom, but also the tragic fate associated with the revolution.
• Alexander Ivanovich Dudkin - Nikolai's friend and a revolutionary. His character illustrates the complexity and ambiguity of the revolutionary struggle, as well as the internal contradictions faced by the movement's participants.