Crime and Punishment · Character
Arkady Ivanovich Svidrigailov
A wealthy, charming landowner with a rumored past of cruelty and a habit of appearing exactly where he is least wanted, smiling.
major
Also known as Svidrigaïlov, SvidrigaГҜlov, Mr. Svidrigaïlov
First appearance: part iii i
As a major figure in Crime and Punishment, Arkady Ivanovich Svidrigailov is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
A constant, menacing presence in Raskolnikov's thoughts.
Svidrigailov drifts into Petersburg with money, leisure, and a story about his wife's death that no one quite believes, and immediately begins circling Dounia. He is courteous, generous, and utterly unnerving — he speaks of his own vices with the calm of a man who has stopped arguing with himself. As a mirror of what Raskolnikov might become without guilt, he gives the novel its coldest and most fascinating alternative ending.
Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.
Character Web
18 connectionsA slice of how Arkady Ivanovich Svidrigailov sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Psychological
- Other
Character groups
- Central Characters
- Marmeladov Family Circle
- Minor Plot Catalysts
- Protagonist
+13 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This is the emotional peak where Katerina Ivanovna's desperate, final appeal for respect and protection is pub…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingRelationships
- Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov
psychological · negative
Svidrigailov is Raskolnikov's dark double and manipulator, reflecting the ultimate… How this plays out →
- Avdotya Romanovna Raskolnikova
psychological · negative
- Marfa Petrovna Svidrigailova
psychological · negative
- Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov
psychological · negative
Svidrigailov is Raskolnikov's dark double and manipulator, reflecting the ultimate… How this plays out →
- Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov
psychological · negative
Svidrigailov is Raskolnikov's dark double and manipulator, reflecting the ultimate… How this plays out →
- Avdotya Romanovna Raskolnikova
psychological · negative
- Avdotya Romanovna Raskolnikova
psychological · negative
- Marfa Petrovna Svidrigailova
psychological · negative
Relationship notes
How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.
See Arkady Ivanovich Svidrigailov in part iii iIn the story
Arkady Ivanovich Svidrigailov appears across 2 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for Arkady Ivanovich Svidrigailov unlock in the free preview.
See Arkady Ivanovich Svidrigailov in part iii i