We have changed our privacy policy. In addition, we use cookies on our website for various purposes. By continuing on our website, you consent to our use of cookies. You can learn about our practices by reading our privacy policy.

Rodion Romanovitch Raskolnikov Timeline and Summary

More

Rodion Romanovitch Raskolnikov Timeline and Summary

  • Raskolnikov goes to the pawnbroker's house to rehearse a terrible but undisclosed plan he has.
  • Afterward, he goes to a bar and meets Marmeladov, who tells him about Sonia.
  • He helps Marmeladov home and leaves money on the windowsill to help the desperate family.
  • The next day, he gets a letter from his mother explaining the whole Svidrigaïlov mess and breaking the news that Dounia is engaged to Pyotr Petrovitch Luzhin. It also announces her impending arrival in St. Petersburg.
  • Enraged, he vows to stop the marriage but feels powerless to do so. He finds himself at Razumihin's but doesn't go up.
  • It's clear that he plans to kill the pawnbroker and steal her money.
  • After drinking vodka, he falls asleep in some bushes and has a terrible dream about a horse being beaten.
  • When he wakes up, he decides not to kill the old woman after all.
  • But, when he learns Lizaveta won't be home on the day and time he planned, he changes his mind.
  • He steals an axe and puts his plan into action. He kills the pawnbroker.
  • Since he forgot to lock the door and took too long to depart, Lizaveta walks in on the bloody scene.
  • So, she gets the axe, too.
  • Then, he goes home and falls asleep but keeps waking up and trying to hide evidence.
  • He is summoned to the police station about a debt to his landlady. While there, he hears about the murder and faints.
  • Afterward, he hides the items he stole from the pawnbroker under a big rock.
  • He is sick for a few days and, when he wakes up, he has new clothescourtesy of Razumihin and money from mom.
  • Luzhin comes over, and Raskolnikov threatens him.
  • At the Crystal Palace, he meets Zametov and confesses to the murders but says he is just kidding.
  • Afterward, he finds Marmeladov dying in the street, having been run over by a horse-drawn carriage. He helps him home.
  • There, he sees Sonia for the first time and gives Katerina all his money for the funeral.
  • When he gets home, Dounia and Pulcheria are waiting for him.
  • Not being able to deal with them, he gets Razumihin to take care of them and goes to sleep.
  • He's doing better the next day and, when his mom, sis, and Razumihin arrive, he's showered and wearing his new clothes. He's nice and apologetic to everybody.
  • After reading Luzhin's letter to Dounia, he agrees to go to his mother and sister's rooms for their meeting with him.
  • With Razumihin, he visits Porfiry and learns that his article about crime was published in a journal.
  • He begins to hate and fear Porfiry, though he is unsure if the man suspects him.
  • After a weird man calls him a murderer, Raskolnikov wakes up to find Svidrigaïlov in his room.
  • Svidrigaïlov has money for Dounia from Marfa, but he also wants to see her, to give her even more money. But Raskolnikov says no to all counts.
  • Raskolnikov attends the dinner with Luzhin and is happy because Dounia finally sees that the man is a creep.
  • After the dinner, Raskolnikov tells everybody to leave him alone until he looks for them because he has important stuff to do.
  • Then, he goes to Sonia's, is rather rude to her, and promises to soon return with information on Lizaveta's killer.
  • The next day, he goes to Porfiry's office, to file a report on the items he left with the pawnbroker, and is interrogated by Porfiry.
  • They are interrupted by Nikolay, who confesses to the murders.
  • Raskolnikov attends Marmeladov's funeral dinner. He later goes to Sonia's and reveals himself to be the murderer.
  • Afterward, Dounia comes to visit him, and he tells her he wants her to marry Razumihin.
  • After this, he joins Sonia on the street and tries to help her get Katerina and the kids into a safe place.
  • At Sonia's, after Katerina dies, Svidrigaïlov tells Raskolnikov that he heard him confess to Sonia.
  • Eventually, he meets Svidrigaïlov in a bar and learns that the man really is a child molester and abuser of women.
  • He tries to follow him but loses him.
  • Meanwhile, he goes back to Sonia, saying he's ready to turn himself in to the cops, which he does.
  • He's sentenced to eight years in a Siberian prison.
  • At first, he seems like the same old conflicted guy, but after being sick and recovering, he begins to see Sonia with new eyes. He feels love and begins to change.