Character List

In Dostoevsky’s ‘The Idiot,’ the characters are portrayed with a profound depth and complexity that reflect the author’s exploration of the human psyche and moral dilemmas. Dostoevsky’s characters in this novel are not mere caricatures but rather intricate representations of various facets of human nature and societal conflicts.

Prince Lev Nikolayevich Myshkin

The protagonist and title “idiot” of the book is Prince Myshkin. Myshkin, characterized as having blond hair and blue eyes with a “quiet but weighty” stare, is depicted as 26 years old as the novel opens. After receiving treatment from Professor Schneider in a Swiss facility for over five years for his epilepsy, he returned to Russia. Myshkin is profoundly kind, innocent, and morally “perfect,” charming almost everyone, but finds it difficult to follow the social norms that govern life in Russia. Because of his naivety and childish innocence, he is frequently misinterpreted and used by others around him.

Others (such as Gánya, Agláya, and Mrs. Epanchin) misinterpret his upstanding morality for ignorance and dismiss him as an “idiot” anytime he makes a mistake, rather than seeing it as a sign of knowledge. Myshkin, who represents Christ, follows a version of Christianity that emphasizes forgiveness, humility, and love. His pure nature attracts numerous of the characters in the book, especially the Epanchin family, with whom Myshkin stays following his return from Switzerland and with whom he has a close relationship.

Early on, he learns that he is scheduled to inherit 1.5 million roubles (which ultimately falls through), which makes people even more attracted to him. Myshkin finds Agláya Epanchin to be particularly wonderful, and they briefly become engaged before she breaks it off. Nastasya, a lady who terrifies him with her cunning and blatant social nonconformity but whom he yet wants to love and protect from those who would try to take advantage of her, is also twice engaged to Myshkin. Rogózhin kills Nastasya after she abandons Myshkin at the altar to flee with him. Myshkin experiences a relapse of his disease as a result of this trauma. He goes back to the Swiss asylum at the end of the book, where Schneider says he probably has an incurable disease.

Nastasya Filippovna Barashkov

Tótsky’s dishonoring Nastasya, causes her to dwell in self-blame and triggers her propensity for self-destruction. She is prepared to give up her own life to punish her attacker. Ptitsyn uses the example of the Japanese practice of performing hara-kiri in front of one’s offenders after Part I. Nastasya Filippovna’s psychology is exactly this. She is ready to lose her life to show that Tótsky is to blame for her turbulent history and that she is a shameless woman by fleeing with Rogózhin. She even goes to her death willingly in the end because she knows Rogózhin is where she will meet Nastasya. Nastasya is unable to go past her resentment and indignation.

Prince Myshkin tries to heal her by offering his love out of compassion, but she ultimately rejects his offer. She doesn’t just believe she is undeserving of his love; she also finds it difficult to be with someone who is in a relationship with another woman. Nastasya Filipovna essentially stands for brilliance and beauty that has been corrupted.

Agláya Ivánovna

The youngest and most attractive of her sisters, Alexándra and Adelaída, Agláya is the daughter of General and Mrs. Epanchin. She has lofty goals and is intelligent, vivacious, and rebellious. She frequently finds living with her family to be difficult, and she once had intentions to leave them. When the story starts, she has already declined a marriage proposal from Gánya, a charming young man who works for Agláya’s father and is drawn to her lavish dowry. Myshkin grows attached to Agláya, but she frequently mocks him, claims she doesn’t love him, and treats him harshly.

She does this because, like Myshkin, she is quite naive and finds it difficult to comprehend the intense feelings she has for him. She and Myshkin attempt to date and get engaged as adults, but at best, their feelings for one another are on-again, off-again. Agláya develops a neurotic belief that Myshkin still has feelings for Nastasya, and as a result of her relief, she eventually abandons Myshkin completely. She marries a charlatan who becomes a Catholic convert, distances himself from her family, and presents himself as a wealthy Polish refugee.

Parfyón Semyónovich Rogózhin

Rogózhin, who has dark hair and eyes, is a representation of all the darkness in the story’s world that stands in contrast to the light that Prince Myshkin delivers. Rogózhin’s intense obsession with Nastasya Filipovna is driven by envy and anger, and it results in excessive obsessional behavior. After beating her, he kills her with a knife. As Rogózhin comes from a long line of merchants, he approaches Nastasya with an offer of money to win her over.

Another indication of his character’s depravity and moral decay is his relationship with money. Rogózhin is the Russian equivalent of the devil if Prince Myshkin is a Russian Christ. The word “rog” in his last name means “horn” in Russian. Fyodor Dostoevsky contrasts Myshkin’s sympathy with Rogózhin’s ravenous zeal. Even if the prince’s compassion outweighs Rogózhin’s unrelenting devotion, it is eventually powerless to prevent Nastasya Filipovna from passing away.

Mrs. Lisavéta Prokófyevna Epanchin

the mother of Agláya, Alexandra, and Adelaida and the spouse of General Epanchin. Her distant relative, Myshkin, stays with the Epanchin family when he returns to Russia after receiving epileptic treatment in Switzerland. Mrs. Epanchin is a compassionate person, but she has a propensity to become frantic about small things and dramatically exaggerate her troubles. She grows very close to Myshkin; however, at several points in the story, she pushes him away because of the way he acts, which doesn’t fit with the refined, correct life she wants for herself in high society.

She also fears that Myshkin will wed Agláya since those around him think that his innocence disqualifies him from having a loving connection. Myshkin’s friendship with Mrs. Epanchin ultimately has a significant impact on her. This is best illustrated by her composed, sympathetic response at the book’s conclusion, when Myshkin unintentionally destroys a pricey Chinese vase that was presented to her as a gift.

Gánya 

In his late 20s, Gánya resides in a sizable apartment with his parents, sister, and brother, as well as boarders. Gánya’s income is also a necessity for the household. Gánya quits his work as General Epanchin’s secretary and lives off his brother-in-law Ptitsyn when he agrees to marry Nastasya and she rejects him. Then, even though he has never loved any of them, he tries to become friends with Agláya, another wealthy woman.

Ippolít Teréntyev

Ippolít is a nihilist who nevertheless has some faith in the afterlife. At Prince Myshkin’s unplanned birthday party, he once read a lengthy manifesto to a group of friends in which he expressed his sorrow over passing away early and made an effort to come across as heroic. He feels that no one loves him, which is why he is cruel and angry.

Lébedyev 

Lébedyev, who is around 40 years old, is a stooge of the powerful and wealthy who meddles in everyone else’s affairs. He recently lost his wife, and he has a big family. He starts lending money to supplement his salary. Prince Myshkin is the victim of several cruel pranks from him, yet he is quickly pardoned.

Antíp Burdóvsky

a young man who falsely pretends to be Pavlishchev, the late benefactor of Myshkin. Burdóvsky makes an effort to get a piece of the prince’s wealth using the bogus claim.

General Ardalión Alexándrovich Ívolgin 

Friendly intoxicated General Ívolgin is prone to inventing grandiose lies. He is the father of Gánya, Kólya, and Várya, as well as Nina’s husband. He borrows money frequently from Mrs. Teréntyev, with whom he is having an affair. After entering the debtor’s prison, he had a stroke that ultimately resulted in his death.

Nikolay Ardaliónovich Ívolgin (Kólya )

The youngest child of General and Nina Ívolgin is a teenager named Kólya. He is the brother of Várya and Gánya. Deep down, he is an innocent, dedicated young guy who is somewhat comparable to his good friend Myshkin, although he occasionally toys with nihilism and harbors fantasies of fleeing his house.

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