C&P: Reading Guide

[Andrew, Wound Up]

For each section of the book I hope to present a few things that will hopefully make your reading experience go smoothly.

* A character listing. This will be as spoiler free as possible. I hope to make a good quick reference in case you forget who a character is. Spelling will be based on the P&V translation which will be my primary text.
* Helpful web links. If I look anything up I'll try to give you the link I used.
* A spoiler marked plot guide so you can get a quick reminder about each chapter. Also useful if you aren't reading the book but are following along with our discussions for some reason.
* Other stuff. If you'd like something here just tell me.

Russian Civil Service Grades:

Note that ranks 1-9 are Councillors. Also "collegiate" refers to a governmental department, not a university.

Info from Wikipedia: Table of Ranks

1) Chancellor or Actual Privy Councilor, 1st class
2) Actual Privy Councilor
3) Privy Councilor
4) Actual Civil Councilor / Actual State Councilor
5) Civil Councilor / State Councilor
6) Collegiate Councilor
7) Court Councilor
8) Collegiate Assessor
9) Titular Councilor
10) Collegiate Secretary
11) Ship Secretary
12) Gubernial Secretary
13) Office Registrar or Office Registrar or Senate Registrar or Synod Registrar
14) Collegiate Registrar

[Andrew, Wound Up]

Part 1

Helpful Links:

Wikipedia: Crime and Punishment

Crime and Punishment: free Kindle version (Garnett): This is the classic Gernett translation, available for free. I am using this as an alternate text to cross reference areas where the translation confuses me.

Holy Bible: free Kindle version: Crime and Punishment has many references to the Bible. The P&V translation has the references footnoted and this link puts you a few moments away from the full associated text.

Characters:

Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov (Raskolnikov): The main character is a university student. He has not been to school in multiple months and has spent the last month babbling to himself.

Raskolnikov's Relatives:

Dunechka (Dunya): Sister. She had been working for Mr Svidrigailov and his wife Marfa Petrovna Svidrigailov as a housekeeper.

Pulcheria Raskolnikov: Mother. Lives in a small village 660 miles from Petersburg. Borrows against her small pension from a local Merchant named Afanasy Ivanovich Vakhrushin

Petersburg Residents:

Alyona Ivanovna A pawnbroker who lives near Raskolnikov. Described as an old crone and generally disliked.

Lizaveta Ivanovna: The pawnbroker's younger sister. Kindly looked upon by most people but treated very poorly by her sister.

Praskovya Pavlovna: Raskolnikov's landlady. He owes her multiple month's rent.

Nastasya: Raskolnikov's housekeeper, included with his rent.

Razumikhin: A university friend of Raskolnikov's, not met directly in this section but referred to.

Koch: A man who knocks upon the pawnbrokers door. Recognized by a second man as they recently played billiards at a business owned by Gambrinus.

Associated with Marmeladov's tale:

Semyon Zakharych Marmeladov (Marmeladov): A titular Councillor who Raskolnikov meets in a bar.

Katerina Ivanovna: Marmeladov's spouse. Educated and an officer's daughter.

Sofya Semyonovna(Sonechka or Sonya): Marmeladov's daughter (from a first marriage). Has recently been working as a prostitute to support the family.

Amalia Fyodorovna Lippewechsel: Marmeladov's landlady. Kozel is the property owner, a rich German locksmith.

Ivan Ivanovich Klopstock: A state councillor who Marmeladov claims owes his daughter Sonya money for stitchery.

Darya Frantsevna: A woman of ill repute who acts as a pimp for Sonya (according to Marmeladov).

Lebezyatnikov (Andrei Semyonovich Lebezyatnikov): Lives in the same building as Marmeladov. Supposedly tried to sleep with Sonechka and caused her eviction when spurned.

Kapernaumov: A "tongue-tied" tailor who is Sonechka's landlord after her eviction.

Ivan Afanasyevich: Hires Marmeladov for a government job five weeks before he tells his tale.

Other:

Pyotr Petrovich Luzhin: A suitor of Dunechka's. A Court Councillor who hopes to open an attorney's office in Petersburg.

Mikolka: the horse owner from Raskolnikov's dream. Matvei is also mentioned in the dream.

Pokorev: Former student who originally told Raskolnikov about the pawn broker.

Super Short Summary: Note: R = Raskolnikov.

Chapter 1: (view spoiler)[On a hot July evening R travels to a crabby pawnbrokers house to pawn an item. He babbles to himself constantly, even as he walks along, and acts as though he is plotting something. After leaving the pawnbrokers R makes his way to a nearly empty pub. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 2: (view spoiler)[A man named Marmeladov tells R his story. After being laid off from a government position M made his way to Petersburg but for a long time failed to earn any money. He has a wife and they both had children from previous marriages. She is unhappy with him and beats him. The wife eventually conspires to have M's oldest daughter prostitute herself so that the family can be fed. This apparently inspires M to get another government job. After M gets his first paycheck he comes home and his wife is loving and affectionate. M sneaks off with his pay and has spent all the money on alcohol, then went to his daughter and begged her for some money (earned illicitly) to continue his bender. R brings the drunk home, the drunk's wife proceeds to physically abuse him for wasting all their money. R leaves, putting part of the money from the pawnbroker on the windowsill on his way out. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 3: (view spoiler)[R gets a long letter from his mother. R's sister had been housekeeping for a couple. The wife overheard her husband trying to hook up with the sister but failed to hear the sister's protestations. R's sister had been fired and badmouthed by the wife for weeks. But then the wife learned the truth and went throughout their village proclaiming the goodness of R's sister. One of the wife's relatives had since proposed to the sister and she had accepted, even though they barely knew each other. The fiance is a lawyer who will be starting a business in Petersburg, R's mother hopes he can be hired on at the new firm. R's mother and sister will also be coming to Petersburg soon. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 4: (view spoiler)[R roams the streets agitated about the letter and swears he will not let the marriage take place. R mumbles and wanders about. R stumbles upon an intoxicated 14 year old girl who seems to have been sexually accosted. Another man is loitering as though he hopes to do some additional accosting. R starts to fight the loitering man when a police officer shows up. R gives the police officer some of the pawnbrokers money to see that the girl gets home safely. R contemplates going to visit his friend Razumikhin as he continues walking about. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 5: (view spoiler)[R continues wandering and mumbling, gets tired and takes a nap in the bushes along the shoulder of the road. R has an amazingly vivid and terrible dream in which he is seven years old and walking with his father. He and his father witness a horse being beat to death in graphic detail. The horribleness of this dream cannot be expressed here. R's father simply tries to keep him moving along even though R wants to confront the people who have hurt the horse. R wakes up and speaks directly of what he has been plotting - violent murder of the pawnbroker. R decides that his month of plotting is for naught as he couldn't commit the crime. R sets off to walk home when he overhears two people talking and realizes that the pawnbroker's sister will be gone at a specific time the next day and that it is the perfect opportunity for him to commit the crime that he just decided he won't be committing. R decides fate is fate and walks home to go to bed. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 6: (view spoiler)[R recalls how he originally heard about the pawnbroker. The same day he met her he also happened to overhear a conversation about her in which one man asks another why it would be wrong to murder and kill the woman as she is a "stupid, meaningless, worthless, wicked, sick old crone" who harms a multitude of people through her selfish pawn business. He adds that a thousand good deeds could be done with the money which would make up for the crime. R ponders that this is an odd thing to overhear since he had been thinking the exact same things.

R returns home and sleeps very late. He finally wakes up about one hour before the opportunity to kill the pawnbroker will arrive. He steals an axe and goes through some other clumsy preparations. R walks the short distance to the pawnbrokers, rings the bell and the chapter ends as she unlatches the door. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 7: (view spoiler)[R bashes the pawnbroker to death with the axe. As he fumbles about looking for loot her sister arrives and he also murders her. Violently. He manages only to steal some pawned items, fails to find the cash, and minimally eliminates some evidence (i.e. washes the axe and his hands). R nearly gets caught when two men come to the door but manages to sneak out as they go to get the apartment caretaker to let them into the room. R makes it home and falls sleepless onto his sofa. (hide spoiler)]

[Andrew, Wound Up]

Part 2


Characters:

At the Police Station:

Louisa/Laviza Ivanovna: A landlady being contacted by police for ongoing noise disturbances. This particular instance involved a renter Karl who is a writer and was the aggressor in drunken disorderly conduct. Victim named in the scenario is Henriette.

Alexander Grigorievich Zamyotov: A clerk who works in the police station.

Ilya Petrovich (Lt Gunpowder): The Police Chief's assistant.

Nikodim Fomich: The Police Chief.

Petersburg Residents:

Chebarov: A Court Councillor involved in the promissory note exchanged between Raskolnikov and his landlady.

Cherubimov: A bookseller in the flea market.

Pashenka: Nickname for Raskolnikov's landlady.

Vrazumikhin: Formal name for Raskolnikov's friend Razumikhin; it means "to bring to reason."

Zossimov: Physician attending to Raskolnikov.

Semyon Semyonovich (Shelopaev): A merchant agent whose office is handling disbursement of funds to Raskolnikov from his mother. Alexei Semyonovich is another agent who works for this office.

Kharlamov and Buch: Local landlords.

General Kobelev: An employee of the registration bureau where Razhumikin obtained Raskolnikov's current address.

Tolstyakov: Friend of Razhumikin.

Porfiry Petrovich: Local police inspector in the department of investigation, also a lawyer. Primary investigator of the murders.

Afanasy Pavlovich: Tavern goer, acquaintance of Mikolai.

Bakaleev: Local landlord, where Razumikhin would like Raskolnikov's mother and sister to stay.

Yushin: Local landlord, where Luzhin has arranged lodgings for Raskolnikov's mother and sister.

Duklida: A girl Raskolnikov speaks with outside a tavern.

Pochinkov: Razumikhin's landlord.

Afrosinyushka: A woman who attempts suicide by jumping from a bridge as she is standing near Raskolnikov.

At or Near the Scene of the Crime:

Pestryakov: A student seen by the gate of the residence where the crime occurred asking about lodgings for the night.

Dushkin: The owner of a tavern across the street from the house where the murders occurred.

Mikolai Dementiev: A painter working on site during the murders. He has been accused in the crime.

Dmitri/Mitrei: Nikolai's coworker, also a painter working on site during the murders.

Kriukov: Court concillor who was a witness of a fight between painters at the scene of the murder.

Alyoshka: A workman renovating the apartment where the murders occurred.

Marmeladov's Relatives:

Polenka/Polya/Polechka: His 10 year old daughter.

Lidochka/Lida: His youngest daughter, also his favorite.

Other:

Zarnitsyn: A collegiate assessor and late husband of Raskolnikov's landlady.

Natalia Yegorovna: Former fiance of Raskolnikov and his landlady's daughter, now deceased.


Super Short Summary: Note: R = Raskolnikov.

Chapter 1: (view spoiler)[R wakes up in a paranoid funk, realizing he has evidence and blood splatter all upon him. He falls back asleep. He is awoken by a knock from Nastasya who delivers a summons from the police. R responds to the police station and learns that a civil suit has been brought against him for a debt owed. He responds by explaining that he had been engaged to his landlady's daughter who died, after the death the landlady asked for a promissory note for the debt he owed her. The landlady has applied to the police so arrangements can be made on the debt.

A woman named Ilya Petrovich is also at the police station responding to a complaint of a disturbance at her residence the night before.

Also, the police start discussing the murders and R faints, arousing suspicion. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 2: (view spoiler)[R races home and grabs the stash of stolen items from his apartment. He wanders about contemplating how to get rid of this evidence. Eventually he stashes it all under a rock in a courtyard.

R keeps wandering and ends up at Razumikhin's house. R acts like a "crank" and leaves abruptly. He wanders and contemplates.

R arrives home and passes out. He wakes up hallucinating that the police are beating his landlady. He passes out again. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 3: (view spoiler)[R wakes from a four day fever dream. A representative of his mother's merchant is in his room along with Razumikhin. The representative delivers 35 Rubles sent from R's mother. Razumikhin has sorted everything out with R's landlady and made sure he was taken care of while sick. R gets agitated as everyone leaves and falls asleep again.

Razumikhin has bought R a new outfit (using the money sent by R's mother). The scene (I mean chapter) ends with doctor Zossimov arriving. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 4: (view spoiler)[ Razumikhin and Zossimov discuss the murder case. One of the painters has been charged. Razumikhin has taken up the man's cause and is working with a lawyer to free him. The man is charged because he tried to sell items that R apparently dropped while hiding in the room below the scene of the crime. Oops. Razumikhin puts forth his theory about how the murder took place, it matches the facts almost perfectly other than he doesn't name a suspect. The door opens and in walks... (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 5: (view spoiler)[Possible future brother-in-law Pyotr walks in. The four men talk philosophy in the very cramped room, the tone is strained at best. Eventually the discussion gets 'round to the murders and R gets agitated. Everyone is shooed out and R pretends to go to sleep. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 6: (view spoiler)[R gets all gussied up in his new clothes and heads out into town. He makes his way to the Crystal Palace and has a very expensive tea while he reads the last week's coverage of the murders in the newspaper. A police clerk (Zamyotov) that he met at the station approaches him and they chat. R gets progressively more crazy and eventually just starts silently whispering at the clerk, it is actually quite bad ass.

R leaves the Crystal Palace and runs into Razumikhin. Razumikhin tries to convince R to go home, when he refuses he invites him to a housewarming party at his new digs.

R stops on a bridge. A woman walks up next to him and throws herself over the side. She's apparently a suicidal drunk but survives the fall after being pulled ashore. R decides this is a sign and heads for the police station to turn himself in. R stops by the apartment where the murder took place and acts crazy. R continues towards the police station. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 7: (view spoiler)[Oh my god a person has been run down by a carriage! It's our favorite drunkard Marmeladov and he's f'd up. R gets all good Samaritan and arranges for him to be carried to his house just down the street. Marmeladov's wife and family have a tearful time as he quickly expires. A doctor and priest turn up. So does Marmeladov's prostitute daughter (Sonya). Marmeladov dies. R gives his remaining money to the widow and promises to return the next day to try and help further.

R, covered with Marmeladov's blood, turns up at Razumikhin's party. Razumikhin sees that R is weak and agrees to take him home. Drunk Razumikhin explains that the doctor and others suspect R may be involved somehow with the murders. They arrive at R's house and find his mother and sister there. R faints. (hide spoiler)]

[Andrew, Wound Up]

Part 3


Characters:

Petersburg Residents:

Dmitri Prokofych: Razumikhin's aka.

Gertrude Karlovna Resslich: A foreign woman living in St. Petersburg who is a small-time money-lender. Svidrigailov's acquaintance and landlady.

Other:

Vasya: An errand-boy in Afanasy Ivanovich's shop.

Lieutenant Potanchikov: Raskolnikov's father's friend.


Super Short Summary: Note: R = Raskolnikov. Raz = Razumikhin.

Chapter 1: (view spoiler)[ R wakes up. He tries to get his mother and sister to leave for the night, but they try to stay with him. He tells them he forbids his sisters impending marriage. They decide to leave for the night after all while R warns dramatically that "It's either me or Luzhin!"

Razumikhin has fallen hard for Dunya. As he walks the woment home he promises to run around all night making sure R is well cared for and to report back to R's family ASAP.

Raz is so intoxicated he basically just blurts out his love for Dunya. He rambles quite a lot in his drunken state. Raz is true to his word and runs around like a drunk man on a mission. He eventually brings Zossimov to the women to make a direct report on R's condition.

Zossimov is very frank about R's condition and promises to return with an update in the morning. Upon leaving Raz asks Zossimov to start romancing R's landlady so that she stops pursuing him (and also to keep Zossimov away from Dunya!). Both men return to R's house to spend the night. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 2: (view spoiler)[Raz wakes up bemoaning to himself his actions during the "thrice-cursed yesterday". After internally debating how to avoid worsening the situation with Dunya... Raz decides to just move forward as though nothing happened the night before. Having solved that problem Raz starts primping vigorously.

Raz talks to the Dr and then goes in for a long check in with R's family. The family shows Raz a letter sent by Pyotr to them that morning. Pyotr asks to meet with them that night but demands that R not be present. He also tattles on R for giving all his money to Marmeladov's family - specifically Sonya (wink wink nudge nudge your son gave all his money to a prostitute).

Dunya thinks R should come to the meeting. R's mom relays a dream about Marfa Petrovna - who we now learn died recently. More about that later. The chapter closes with the trio going to meet R in his cupboard. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 3: (view spoiler)[Everyone piles into R's room including Zossimov and Nastasya (the housekeeper). R is looking healthier and is not crabby. Zossimov believes the cure lies in resolving the original cause of the illness... good luck with that R!

R eventually relays the story of the night before including the fact that he gave all his $$ to Marmeladov's widow. R's mom relays the story of Marfa's sudden death which came shortly after a supposed beating by her husband. Dunya is wearing a large watch which she explains was a gift from Marfa.

The often uncomfortable conversation finally veers back to Pyotr. R and his sister debate the merits of the marriage proposal and the reasons for her accepting it. Dunya jokingly exclaims she "hasn't put a knife in anyone yet!" which sends sends R into one of his swooning fits. Just a tiny one.

They show R the letter from Pyotr. R agrees to come to the meeting at eight o'clock that night. Raz also gets invited by Dunya. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 4: (view spoiler)[ The overcrowded bedroom door opens and in walks... Sofya. Sofya invites R (on behalf of her mother) to the funeral and the post-funeral meal on the morrow. R introduces Sofya to his family and shortly after his mother and sister leave.

R tells Raz that he had pawned items to Alyona including some important mementos. Raz is related to the investigator Porfiry and R wants to set up a meeting. R asks Sofya where she lives and tells her he will be visiting later in the day. As Sofya leaves a man follows her home from R's house. He stops her as she goes inside and tells her he is her new neighbor, having only been in town 3 days.

R and Raz make their way to Porfiry's house. R calls out Raz for having a crush on his sister and they enter Porfiry's house full of laughter.
(hide spoiler)]

Chapter 5: (view spoiler)[ Zamyotov is at Porfiry's house when the two R's arrive laughing. Apparently Zamyotov (the clerk) met Porfiry the day before at Raz's party. R gets straight to the point about the mementos. Much recounting of events occurs as R and Porfiry dance and banter about who knows what, R suspects Porfiry suspects him.

A political/social discussion ensues regarding the existence of crime. Eventually Porfiry brings up an article that R wrote which had been published in a periodical. R didn't know that the article he had submitted to one magazine had been forwarded and eventually published.

The crux of the article is about how crime is always accompanied by illness (ha). Porfiry says he is more interested in a lesser point near the end of the article - an idea that certain people are entitled to commit crimes and who law does not apply to. R expounds on the idea using Newton as an example - if Newton had to shiv a few people (or even a few hundred) the benefit to humankind would still be so great that the murders would be irrelevant. If the law applied to mass murdering Newton then his punishment would prevent him from making his famed discoveries. Additionally R explains that certain people who forwarded societies had to do so by smashing down the old society, disregarding and rewriting the laws during the process.

Porfiry steers the discussion to religion, specifically Lazarus, but then seems to move back to the original topic abruptly. They talk about how any society could distinguish between normal citizens and those who would be above the law. Porfiry asks if R thinks of himself as one of the people above the law, R answers that "it's quite possible".

Zamyotov steers the conversation headlong into the murder investigation. Porfiry tries to throw a trick question towards R but the trap is avoided. R is scheduled to come in for an official interview the following day and then Raz (quite irritated with Porfiry) and R leave. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 6: (view spoiler)[ Raz is riled up about Porfiry's implications and admits that they have suspected R had some involvement in the murders. The two Rs arrive at the boarding house where R's family is staying - but he begs off to run a quick errand.

R runs home and searches his apartment to verify there is no evidence lying around. R is then leaving his apartment when a man is seen inquiring about him, R gives chase.

R catches up to the man who calls him a murderer. R returns home flustered and takes a nap. R doesn't really sleep but spends a long time philosophizing about his actions and situation.

R has a bad dream. R wakes up and finds an unknown man sitting in his bedroom. The man speaks: "Allow me to introduce myself: Arkady Ivanovich Svidrigailov...".

And so the section ends. (hide spoiler)]

[Andrew, Wound Up]

Part 4


Characters:

From Svidrigailov's Story

Aniska:Marfa Petrovna's dressmaker.

Filka/Filipp:A household serf; Svidrigailov saw his ghost.

Prince Svirbey:A distant relation of Svidrigailov's.

Marmeladov's Relatives :

Lenya: Marmeladov's son.


Super Short Summary: Note: R = Raskolnikov. Raz = Razumikhin.

Chapter 1: (view spoiler)[Svidrigailov tells R his version of recent events including an outline of his history of spousal abuse. Nice guy. He's also a card sharp who basically sold himself to his (now deceased) wife when she payed off a gambling debt of his.

Svidrigailov explains that his deceased wife's ghost has visited him three times. He has had previous experience with ghosts.

Svidrigailov's primary request is that R convince his sister to not marry Pyotr in exchange for 10,000 Rubles. His wife also left her 3,000 rubles in her will. Svidrigailov leaves as Raz comes in. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 2: (view spoiler)[R confesses to Raz that he fears Svidrigailov as they walk back to the boarding house his sister and mother are staying at. They arrive at the same time as Pyotr and the meeting begins.

Pyotr talks about Svidrigailov. R sums up his meeting with Svidrigailov but leaves out the specific offer. Dunya asks Pyotr to explain how her brother insulted him and assures him that any appropriate apology will be forthcoming. Pyotr makes one of the dumbest statements ever: "Love for one's future life-companion, a future husband, ought to exceed the love for one's brother". It generally goes downhill from there for Pyotr who leaves, blaming R for his current miserable state. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 3: (view spoiler)[Pyotr broods and decides he must work to win back Dunya the very next day. End scene.

Dunya, mom, Raz, and R celebrate their tossing out of Pyotr. R explains Svidrigailov's offer. (On a side note, Dunya really gets involved with some winners...). Raz offers to protect Dunya from Svidrigailov.

Raz proposes a business partnership between him and Dunya, starting a publishing company. R endorses the proposal and then dubiously says he has to leave. R goes all crazy and tells his family they must stay away from him for a while - or he'll hate them! Raz chases after him.

Raz returns to the women after having a stare off with crazy R. Raz promises to do everything he can to help R stay united with his family. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 4: (view spoiler)[R goes straight to Sofya's. After small talk Sofya explains that she thought she saw her father's ghost while she was out walking. More small talk, R seems to be intentionally acting like an ass.

R picks up Sofya's Bible which had been a gift to her from Lizaveta (one of R's murder victims). R makes Sofya read him the story of Lazarus. R asks Sofya to run away with him since they are "cursed together". Sofya strongly suspects R is batshit crazy. R says that he will either never see her again or see her tomorrow at which time he'll tell her who killed Lizaveta.

R leaves and we find out that Svidrigailov is Sofya's neighbor and he has been eavesdropping on the preceding conversation. Svidrigailov brought a chair to the doorway so he will be prepared to listen to the follow up conversation on the morrow! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 5: (view spoiler)[11 a.m. the next day - R arrives at police HQ for his official interview with Porfiry. R turns over his property claim slip and submits to Profiry's questioning. Porfiry proceeds to talk and talk and talk some more. R gets more and more nervous. Porfiry explains there is a surprise behind his office door. R is afraid and calls Porfiry a punchinello (my dictionary says this may be a diminutive of a word that means "a young turkey cock with a hooked beak"). There is a commotion in the hallway and!!! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 6: (view spoiler)[Porfiry's office door (not the one with the surprise behind it, the main door) opens. Porfiry is pissed. Nikolai (the painter Raz was defending) has been brought in and he drops to his knees and confesses to having committed the murders.

Nikolai has clearly been coached regarding what to say. Porfiry is very pissed and quickly shooes R out of the office, the "surprise" remaining a mystery.

R rushes home. Remember the man at the end of Part 3 who accused him of murder? He shows up. He confesses that he had witnessed R the day R asked to rent the apartment where the murders had taken place. He had told the police about the incident and HE was the surprise hiding behind Porfiry's door.

R realizes the police have nothing but guesswork behind their accusations. R leaves his apartment grinning and saying "The struggle's not over yet". (hide spoiler)]

[Andrew, Wound Up]

Part 5


Characters:

From Lebezyatnikov's Story :

Terebyeva/Varents: A commune member who walked out on her family; now on her second civil marriage.

Petersburg Residents :

Kobylyatnikov ladies: Tenants of Mrs. Lippewechsel.


Super Short Summary: Note: R = Raskolnikov. Raz = Razumikhin.

Chapter 1: (view spoiler)[Pyotr is staying with Lebezyatnikov at the same boarding house as Marmeladov's family. Pyotr broods and plots. Pyotr gives Sofya some money ($10) and tells her he will find a way to help support her family but insists she keep his involvement a secret. This chapter is quite long as Lebezyatnikov natters on about politics in the background - Pyotr ignores him. The memorial meal for Marmeladov is about to begin. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 2: (view spoiler)[Marmeladov's widow (Katerina) has set up his memorial meal with the help of her landlady (Amalia) and an unnamed Polish tenant. She's invited all the tenants but only those of the lowest social classes show up, presumably because Sofya is a prostitute. Katerina acts drunk as she haughtily slanders Amalia to R. At first the remarks are made quietly but get louder as the meal goes on. By the end of the main course Katerina and Amalia are chasing each other around the table yelling "yo poppa" insults like "yo poppa was a milkman" or the awesome "yo poppa was never a Burgomeister". Pyotr walks in. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 3: (view spoiler)[Pyotr accuses Sofya of stealing $100 from him during chapter 1. Sofya's mom turns out her pockets and the money is found. Lebezyatnikov proclaims that he saw Pyotr put the money into Sofya's pocket. R explains that Pyotr is trying to slander Sofya in a convoluted attempt to win back Dunya. The landlady blames Sofya's mom for the general chaos and disarray this scene has caused. Everyone (except Sofya's young siblings) storms out of the apartment. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 4: (view spoiler)[ R goes to Sofya's and confesses. There is a lot of talk. Sofya embraces and kisses him, R cries two tears. Sofya thinks R should confess. Lebezyatnikov arrives. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 5: (view spoiler)[Lebezyatnikov explains that Sofya's mother has apparently gone mad and is taking the young children into the streets to begin a life of dancing and singing for money. Sofya runs out, followed by the two men. They pass R's house and he leaves them.

Dunya shows up and explains how Raz told her about the suspicions against him and how she'll stand by him. R endorses Raz as a great chap then starts acting aloof. Dunya leaves. R goes out for a stroll.

Lebezyatnikov catches back up to R and explains that Sofya's family is acting bonkers in the middle of the street near Sofya's house. R responds to find the mother banging on a pan and forcing her children (who she has dressed up in piecemeal costumes) to dance in the street for alms. The police show up and the youngest children take off running. Everyone gives chase but then mom falls down in a bloody vomit consumptive fit.

Everyone goes back to Sofya's apartment. Sofya's mom dies. In the commotion a bunch of people have crowded into the apartment including Svidrigailov who now pulls R aside. Svidrigailov offers to use the $10,000 he had wanted to give to Dunya to instead take care of Sofya's family. He explains how he is Sofya's neighbor and overheard R's confession!

The section ends with a very dramatic "...". (hide spoiler)]

[Andrew, Wound Up]

Part 6


Characters:

Petersburg Residents :

The public: They are everywhere!

Katya: An eighteen year old singer in the tavern Svidrigailov frequents.

Filipp: A tavern lackey in the tavern Svidrigailov frequents.

From Svidrigailov's story :

Parasha: A dark eyed serving girl.

Achilles: Svidrigailov's nickname for the guard posted at the watchtower where Svidrigailov committed suicide.

At the Police Station :

Nil Pavlych: Employee at the Police Station who assists Lt. Gunpowder in relaying information about Svidrigailov's suicide.



Super Short Summary: Note: R = Raskolnikov. Raz = Razumikhin.

Chapter 1: (view spoiler)[R broods, suffers panic attacks, and is generally apathetic. He loiters in random taverns, wanders out of the city gates, wakes up in a hedge. He worries much about Svidrigailov. He goes to a prayer service for Sofya's mother but misses the funeral.

Raz visits. R's family misses him. People are speculating on R's level of madness. Raz doesn't believe R is mad. Raz is going to leave when R mentions that Dunya stopped by a few days ago. Raz talks about a mysterious letter Dunya received a few days ago. Raz tells R that the murderer has confessed, per Porfiry. Raz leaves thinking that R is a political conspirator and that Dunya may also be involved.

R is about to leave but in the hallway he finds... Porfiry! They go back into R's cupboard for a chat. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 2: (view spoiler)[Inspector Porfiry explains that he knows that Mikolka is innocent and that Rodion is the murderer. He uses many words to say this. He alludes to come clue or evidence he has in support of this.

Porfiry explains that R should surrender and confess and that his sentence will be reduced if he does so. If he does not than he will be arrested in the next few days. The inspector requests that if R should happen to commit suicide before surrender or arrest that he leave an explicit note confessing to the murders. Porfiry leaves. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 3: (view spoiler)[R rushes out to find Svidrigailov. He doesn't believe the man has turned him in but hopes to resolve the situation. R decides that if Svid's plans involve a plot to force a marriage with Dunya then he will be forced to kill him. R gets lost but somehow sees Svid in a tavern window. Svid has a private room at the tavern and the two men sit down for a chat. Svid claims he has spoken to R multiple times these past two days and actually told him to meet him at this tavern, but R forgot, but remembered subliminally.

The two start out by calling each other names and bandying about insults. Svid convinces R to sit down and listen to his tale. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 4: (view spoiler)[Svidrigailov's tale: Svid and his deceased wife had an open relationship. Marfa set up some rules but essentially Svid was allowed to sleep with their serving staff. I think Svid implies that Marfa had a lesbian crush on Dunya... but it's only implied in a few sentences and could be a translation confusion.

Svid admits he had a super-crush on Dunya but didn't woo her properly so the whole thing fizzled. Svid keeps sipping champagne and says he is saying more than he should due to intoxication. Svid admits that he proposed an elopement with Dunya which she turned down.

Svid is engaged to marry a young girl next month (he has to wait a whole month since she won't be 16 til then and it's not legal to marry a 15 year old). Svid is 50 years old. The arrangement was facilitated by a woman named Resslich. Earlier in the book we heard a rumor that this same Resslich had a 14 or 15 year old niece who died mysteriously after being "cruelly abused" by Svid. Svid now explains how cool he thinks being a child predator is. He even guffaws "I like children generally; like them very much". Eww.

Svid starts to tell about this lady and her 13 year old daughter who he met upon arriving in Petersburg. R tells him to stop talking filthy and calls Svid some well deserved names. They prepare to leave and R still doesn't know what Svid's intentions are in relation to his overheard confession. R decides to follow Svid as they leave the bar. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 5: (view spoiler)[ R actually just walks with Svid back to Svid's apartment. Svid says he's going to the Islands for the afternoon and gets into a carriage, R decides to stop following him. R wanders to a bridge and water gazes.

Dunya is loitering near the same bridge but R doesn't see her. She is meeting Svid (who lied about the Islands)! Svid and Dunya (reluctantly) go back to his apartment. Svid tells Dunya about the overheard confession.

Dunya and Svid's conversation implies a higher level of intimacy between the two then we've been privy to previously. Svid explains that Dunya can save R by becoming "involved" with him. Dunya tries to leave and discovers the door is locked. Svid's words escalate in a threatening manner and things start to feel rapey.

Dunya pulls out a revolver. The revolver was Svid's deceased wife's. Dunya took it when she realized how evil he is. Dunya explains that she knows Svid killed his wife. Dunya pops some caps but only manages to graze Svid. Svid realizes the depths of her anger and hatred and lets Dunya leave. She leaves, then Svid takes the revolver and also leaves. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 6: (view spoiler)[ Svid goes out on the town but eventually returns home and visits his neighbor Sofya. Svid gives Sofya money and explains that it is essentially a gift for R. Svid believes R will turn himself in and that Sofya will need the money to follow him to Siberia (land of cold prisons). Svid insists that Sofya relay the following message to R: Arcady Ivanovich Svidrigailov bows to you.

Svid now visits his fiance and gives her a wad of cash. Svid goes to a hotel and has a troubled night's sleep. Svid wakes up, walks to a public place, and shoots himself in the head. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 7: (view spoiler)[ Later the same day: R visits his mother. R returns home and finds Dunya there. R explains he contemplated suicide but instead intends to turn himself in. They both leave the apartment and go their separate ways. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 8: (view spoiler)[ R goes to Sofya's. R gets a cross from Sofya. R leaves and heads towards the police station - stopping to give a beggar $5 and to bow and kiss the earth. R goes up to the third floor of the police station and finds Gunpowder on duty. Before a confession can be made Gunpowder tells R of Svid's suicide. R leaves.

R sees Sofya in the courtyard and turns around, going back up to Gunpowder's office. R confesses. (hide spoiler)]

[Andrew, Wound Up]

Epilogue


Super Short Summary: Note: R = Raskolnikov. Raz = Razumikhin.

Chapter 1: (view spoiler)[R has been incarcerated in Siberia for 9 months. He was sentenced to a very lenient 8 years of hard labor. R's mother gets "ill", possibly having a nervous breakdown.

Dunya marries Raz. Sofya followed R to Siberia. R's mother died. R falls ill and is put into the prison hospital. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 2: (view spoiler)[R ponders many things while sick. Sofya has become beloved by the convicts who she brings gifts to. R is hated by the other convicts. Sofya gets sick.

R gets better. Sofya gets better. Sofya visits R during his workday. R realizes (and Sofya simultaneously realizes he realizes) that he loves Sofya "infinitely". R realizes the power of love overshadows everything else. The end. (hide spoiler)]