Crime and Punishment

Main Characters and Their Development

• Rodion Raskolnikov: A young man, a former student living in dire economic conditions, who commits the murder of an old pawnbroker and her sister, which becomes the central event of the plot. Gradually, he is tormented by guilt and paranoia, leading to his moral and mental breakdown, and eventually to redemption and the search for atonement.
• Sonia Marmeladova: The daughter of the drunkard Marmeladov, forced into prostitution to support her impoverished family. She becomes a moral and spiritual support for Raskolnikov, embodying themes of suffering, sacrifice, and forgiveness.
• Dmitry Prokofyevich Razumikhin: Raskolnikov's best friend, an energetic and optimistic young man who helps Raskolnikov's family and tries to pull Rodion out of his moral decline. He symbolizes friendship, loyalty, and common sense.
• Avdotya Romanovna Raskolnikova (Dunya): Raskolnikov's sister, an example of resilience and willingness to make sacrifices for her family. Her relationships with Pyotr Petrovich Luzhin and later with Svidrigailov show the complex nature of personal and familial obligations.
• Pyotr Petrovich Luzhin: A minor official and Dunya's fiancé, who espouses selfish and utilitarian views on marriage and family, representing an antagonist embodying themes of social calculation and moral emptiness.
• Arkady Ivanovich Svidrigailov: Dunya's former employer, a man with a dark past and ambiguous nature, surrounded by scandals and secrets. Svidrigailov represents sophisticated evil and self-destruction, yet possesses complexity and depth, demonstrating the duality of human nature.