Raskolnikov is an impoverished 23-year-old former university student living in squalid conditions in Saint Petersburg. He divides his time between deep empathy for others and a cold, calculating detachment from society. He develops a philosophical theory that extraordinary men have the right to step outside the law, a belief that drives him to plot a terrible crime.

Sonia is the teenage daughter of a disgraced civil servant. Due to her family's crushing poverty and her father's severe alcoholism, she works as a prostitute to provide for her stepmother and stepsiblings. Despite her circumstances and the social stigma attached to her profession, she maintains a quiet faith and an uncorrupted spirit.

Porfiry is a local police magistrate investigating the murders of the pawnbroker and her sister. He relies on psychological tactics rather than traditional police work. He takes a keen interest in Raskolnikov's published theories about criminality and uses conversation to probe the minds of his suspects.

Dunia is Raskolnikov's intelligent and proud sister. She recently endured a scandal while working as a governess in the provinces. To secure financial stability for her mother and brother, she accepts an unromantic marriage proposal from a wealthy man.

Svidrigailov is a wealthy older man from the provinces who arrives in Saint Petersburg following the sudden death of his wife. He openly embraces a debauched lifestyle, using his money to shield himself from the consequences of his actions. He represents the living embodiment of the morality-rejecting extraordinary man.

Razumikhin is a hardworking university student and an old friend of Raskolnikov. Despite facing similar poverty, he responds by taking on translation work and maintaining an optimistic attitude. He serves as a bridge connecting the isolated Raskolnikov to the outside world.

Aliona is an elderly pawnbroker operating out of her apartment in Saint Petersburg. She is strict, cautious, and exacts high interest rates from the desperate people who come to her for money. Her aggressive business practices make her widely disliked in the neighborhood.

Lizaveta is the pawnbroker's half-sister. She is a tall, awkward woman who suffers under Aliona's cruel treatment. She is well-liked by many in the community for her gentle nature and sells goods to earn a meager living.

Marmeladov is a former civil servant whose severe alcoholism has ruined his career and plunged his family into extreme poverty. He possesses a deep sense of his own degradation but lacks the willpower to stop drinking, often stealing from his own family to fund his binges.

Katerina is a proud woman from a once-respectable family who married Marmeladov out of desperation. She struggles constantly to feed her young children and suffers from severe tuberculosis, coughing up blood when she falls into a rage. Her pride often clashes with her destitute reality.

Luzhin is a wealthy, single man with government connections who recently became engaged to Dunia. He specifically sought a poor bride, believing that a destitute wife would remain forever grateful and subservient to him. He is highly concerned with his reputation and social standing.

Pulkheria is Raskolnikov and Dunia's devoted mother. She is entirely focused on the well-being of her children, often blind to the darker aspects of her son's psychological state. She travels to Saint Petersburg hoping to secure a stable future for her family through Dunia's marriage.

Zametov is the chief clerk at the local police station. He is a modern, slightly corrupt young official who interacts with Raskolnikov in a tavern, where he is subjected to a strange, hypothetical confession about how the pawnbroker's murder might have been committed.

Lebeziatnikov is a young man who considers himself an intellectual and a follower of modern, progressive ideologies. He is Luzhin's neighbor and roommate. Despite his somewhat foolish attachment to trendy philosophies, he proves to possess a strong sense of basic justice.

Doctor Zosimov is a medical professional brought in by Razumikhin to treat Raskolnikov's fever. He observes his patient's psychological symptoms closely, taking particular note of the unnatural excitement the murder investigation provokes in the young man.

Nastasia is a servant who works in Raskolnikov's apartment building. She brings him food, fetches water during his illnesses, and provides a casual, grounded presence in contrast to the student's intense intellectual torment.

Praskovia is Raskolnikov's landlord. She demands payment for his long-overdue rent and formally reports him to the authorities. Raskolnikov was previously engaged to her daughter before the young woman passed away.

Polenka is Katerina Ivanovna's young daughter and Sonia's stepsister. She represents the innocent victims of the family's poverty, and her brief interactions with Raskolnikov momentarily soften his hardened exterior.

Marfa is Svidrigailov's recently deceased wife. Before her death, she rescued her husband from a debtor's prison and tolerated his frequent infidelities. After falsely accusing Dunia of seducing her husband, she later discovers the truth and attempts to restore the young woman's reputation.