Crime and Punishment

The characters play the biggest role in a story. Rodion Romanovitch Raskolnikov is the main character. You figure out later on in the book that he has a split

personality, he switches from considerate to rationally discourteous, especially over Dunya's, his sister, marriage to Luzhin. In part one chapter one, it states that he cuts himself off from everyone and is reluctant towards any type of human actions. Although he is a considerably attractive young man, he maintains a repulsive appearance so no one realizes his uncommunicative behavior. Alyona Ivanovna, the pawn broker, is cantankerous, vindictive, ruthless, and heinous. She charges an unreasonably high interest rate relating to usury. She causes poverty-stricken people to lose high-priced homes and possessions by filing for foreclosure if a resident is late on their fees. She also abuses her younger half sister, Lizaveta Ivanovna. Alyona's appearance is decrepit, she has searing mischievous eyes, and oily unwashed hair. Raskolnikov encounters a man named Semyon Marmeladov, a clerk in the civil service, when meeting this man his dual persona is recognized. Marmeladov is on a drinking binge the first time he meets the main character. He is unnerved to go home to his wife Katerina Ivanovna because he is going to get pummeled and he knows it is justified. He sent his daughter, Sonya, into harlotry to help pay for the family's expenses. Marmeladov tells Raskolnikov that he stole Sonya's last thirty kopecks to pay for his overindulgence of alcohol. His appearance consists of unclean greasy red hands, his nails were grimy, and he hadn't showered or changed clothes in five days. When Raskolnikov hears of Marmeladov's troubles he is not repulsed by him like he is of the pawn broker, he retaliates with pity and concern to this apparently unproductive individual. Nastasya is Raskolnikov's minion and Praskovya Pavlovna is his property owner. Pulcheria Alexandrovna is Rasolnikov's mother. She sends him letter in part one chapter three talking about his sister Dunya's engagement to Luzhin. Secondly, Svidrigailov made obscene improper suggestions to Dunya, he slandered her and stroke fear into her as well. Finally, Pulcheria hopes to extract as little as twenty-five rubles to give to Raskolnikov. Because of this letter, he is prepared to disapprove of both Svidrigailov as well as Luzhin before he is even acquainted with them.

Raskolnikov has an illness that causes him to faint and to have vivid dreams. The night before the unlawful act took place, he had fallen asleep in the park and had a night terror about murdering Alyona. In this dream, he takes an axe and slashes her head wide open. He begins to ponder if he can get away with such a heinous crime. He goes back and forth on the thought of killing the elderly pawn broker numerous times. The next day, he is determined to go through with it. He comes to find out about a prior commitment Lizaveta has with the craftspeople at seven o'clock. This pressures Raskolnikov to contemplate about the ideal right set of circumstances to execute manslaughter towards this elderly woman. The way he sees it, an individual could murder her and use the means to save large quantities of families from seeking charity, deteriorating, and downfall. "Would not thousands of good deeds wipe out one transgression?"

Raskolnikov begins to make his arrangements. He stitches a noose into his jacket and bundles the pledge invulnerably. He goes to embezzle the axe but Nastasya is sitting in the doorway, so he goes to take an axe from the carrier. The constructions of the plan detains him until half past seven. When he gets to Alyona's apartment