The Brothers Karamazov

List of Characters

The following list comprises the names of the novel’s main characters, with variants and pronunciation. Russian names are composed of first name, patronymic (from the father’s first name), and family name. Formal address requires the use of first name and patronymic; diminutives are commonly used among family and friends and are for the most part endearing, but in a certain blunt form (Katka, Mitka, Alyoshka, Rakitka) can be insulting and dismissive. Stressed syllables are indicated by italics. N.B. The z in Karamazov is pronounced like the z in zoo, not like the z in Mozart.

Karamazov, Fyodor Pavlovich

Dmitri Fyodorovich (Mitya, Mitka, Mitenka, Mitri Fyodorovich) Ivan Fyodorovich (Vanya, Vanka, Vanechka)

Alexei Fyodorovich (Alyosha, Alyoshka, Alyoshenka, Alyoshechka, Alexeichik, Lyosha, Lyoshenka)

Smerdyakov, Pavel Fyodorovich

Svetlov, AgrafenO Alexandrovna (Grushenka, Grusha, Grushka)

Verkhovtsev, Katerina Ivanovna (Katya, Katka, Katenka)

Zosima (Zinovy before he became a monk)

Snegiryov, Nikolai Ilyich Arina Petrovna Varvara Nikolaevna (Varya) Nina Nikolaevna (Ninochka) Ilyusha (Ilyushechka, Ilyushka)

Krasotkin, Nikolai Ivanov (Kolya)

Khokhlakov, Katerina Osipovna Liza (Lise) List of Characters

Kutuzov, Grigory Vasilievich (also Vasiliev) Marfa Ignatievna (also Ignatieva)

Rakitin, Mikhail Osipovich (Misha, Rakitka, Rakitushka)

Paissy

Ferapont

Ippolit Kirillovich (no family name)

Nelyudov, Nikolai Parfenovich

Fetyufcovich

Herzenstube

Maximov (Maximushka)

Kalganov, Pyotr Fomich (Petrusha)

Perkhotin, Pyotr Ilyich

Miusov, Pyotr Alexandrovich

Trifon Borisovich (also Borisich)

Fedosya Markovna (Fenya, also Fedosya Markov)

Samsonov, Kuzma Kuzmich

Lizaveta Smerdyashchaya (Stinking Lizaveta; no family name)

Makarov, Mikhail Makarovich (also Makarich)

Mussyalovich

Vrublevsky

Maria Kondratievna (no family name)

Varvmsky

THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOV

Dedicated to Anna Grigorievna Dostoevsky

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of

wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth

alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

John 12:24

From the Author

Starting out on the biography of my hero, Alexei Fyodorovich Karamazov, I find myself in some perplexity. Namely, that while I do call Alexei Fyodorovich my hero, still, I myself know that he is by no means a great man, so that I can foresee the inevitable questions, such as: What is notable about your Alexei Fyodorovich that you should choose him for your hero? What has he really done? To whom is he known, and for what? Why should I, the reader, spend my time studying the facts of his life?

This last question is the most fateful one, for I can only reply: perhaps you will see from the novel. But suppose they read the novel and do not see, do not agree with the noteworthiness of my Alexei Fyodorovich? I say this because, to my sorrow, I foresee it. To me he is noteworthy, but I decidedly doubt that I shall succeed in proving it to the reader. The thing is that he does, perhaps, make a figure, but a figure of an indefinite, indeterminate sort. Though it would be strange to demand clarity from people in a time like ours. One thing, perhaps, is rather doubtless: he is a strange man, even an odd one. But strangeness and oddity will sooner harm than justify any claim to attention, especially when everyone is striving to unite particulars and find at least some general sense in the general senselessness. Whereas an odd man is most often a particular and isolated case. Is that not so?

Now if you do not agree with this last point and reply: “Not so” or “Not always,” then perhaps I shall take heart concerning the significance of my hero, Alexei Fyodorovich. For not only is an odd man “not always” a particular and isolated case, but, on the contrary, it sometimes happens that it is precisely he, perhaps, who bears within himself the heart of the whole, while the other people of his epoch have all for some reason been torn away from it for a time by some kind of flooding wind.