The Idiot Character Analysis

Prince Lev Nikolaevich Myshkin

Prince Myshkin is the central character, and the novel’s eponymous “idiot.” Myshkin is 26 years old at the time the novel begins, and is described as having blond hair and blue eyes with a “quiet… read analysis of Prince Lev Nikolaevich Myshkin

Aglaya Ivanovna Epanchin

Aglaya is the youngest daughter of General and Mrs. Epanchin, and most beautiful of her sisters, Alexandra and Adelaida. She is bright, lively, and rebellious, with big ambitions. She often finds life with… read analysis of Aglaya Ivanovna Epanchin

Nastasya Filippovna Barashkov

Nastasya is a young woman with a dark, haunting beauty. Orphaned as a child and sexually abused by her guardian, Totsky, she believes that she is now permanently corrupted and does not deserve lasting… read analysis of Nastasya Filippovna Barashkov

Parfyon Semyonovich Rogozhin

Rogozhin is a cruel, greedy, and corrupt young man, the opposite of Myshkin. Though he is a non-noble, at the beginning of the novel he inherits an enormous sum of money. When Myshkin is… read analysis of Parfyon Semyonovich Rogozhin

Mrs. Lizaveta Prokofyevna Epanchin

The wife of General Epanchin and the mother of Aglaya, Alexandra, and Adelaida. Myshkin is distantly related to her, and goes to stay with the Epanchin family when he returns to Russia… read analysis of Mrs. Lizaveta Prokofyevna Epanchin

Gavrila Ardalionovich Ivolgin (Ganya)

Ganya is a handsome young man who works for General Epanchin. He is the son of General and Nina Ivolgin and the brother of Kolya and Varya. Arrogant, greedy, and proud, he knows… read analysis of Gavrila Ardalionovich Ivolgin (Ganya)

Lukyan Timofeevich Lebedev

Lebedev is a comic character, a clerk who prides himself on knowing all the society gossip. Even in the midst of tragic things that happen to him, such as the death of his wife, he… read analysis of Lukyan Timofeevich Lebedev

Ippolit Terentyev

Ippolit is a 17-year-old boy who is dying of tuberculosis. An ardent nihilist, he yearns to be taken seriously and attempts to dramatically leave the world. He delivers rambling, self-absorbed, nihilistic speech entitled “A Necessary… read analysis of Ippolit Terentyev

Varvara Ardalionovna Ivolgin (Varya)

23-year-old Varya is the only daughter of General and Nina Ivolgin. She is Ganya and Kolya’s sister. A practical person, she marries the wealthy Ptitsyn just when her family’s finances fall to a… read analysis of Varvara Ardalionovna Ivolgin (Varya)

General Ardalion Alexandrovich Ivolgin

General Ivolgin is a friendly drunkard who is prone to telling elaborate lies. He is Nina’s husband and Ganya, Kolya, and Varya’s father. He is having an affair with Mrs. Terentyev… read analysis of General Ardalion Alexandrovich Ivolgin

Nikolai Ardalionovich Ivolgin (Kolya)

Kolya, a teenage schoolboy, is the youngest child of General and Nina Ivolgin. He is Ganya and Varya’s brother. Although he occasionally flirts with nihilism and dreams of running away from home, deep… read analysis of Nikolai Ardalionovich Ivolgin (Kolya)

Afanasy Ivanovich Totsky

Totsky is an extraordinarily rich and high-ranking middle-aged man who was previously the guardian of Nastasya after she was orphaned as a young girl. Beginning when she was 16, it is implied that Totsky sexually… read analysis of Afanasy Ivanovich Totsky

Antip Burdovsky

Antip Burdovsky is a young nihilist who tries to trick Myshkin out of his inheritance by claiming to the be the illegitimate son of Pavlishchev. Myshkin exposes Burdovsky as a fraud, though out of… read analysis of Antip Burdovsky

Princess Belokonsky

The grandmother of Aglaya, Alexandra, and Adelaida Epanchin. Though Belokonsky looks down on Mrs. Epanchin and treats her poorly, her opinions still matter to Mrs. Epanchin, since Belokonsky is highly influential in their… read analysis of Princess Belokonsky

Minor Characters

General Ivan Fyodorovich Epanchin

General Epanchin is a wealthy and well-respected figure in his mid-50s. The son of a “common soldier,” Epanchin received little education but nonetheless managed to rise to high status within Russian society. He is a slightly calmer influence when compared to his wife, Lizaveta.

Alexandra Ivanovna Epanchin

Alexandra is the oldest child of General and Mrs. Epanchin, and the sister of Aglaya and Adelaida. At the beginning of the novel she is set to marry Totsky. However, after Totsky fails to marry off Nastasya, their engagement is cancelled.

Adelaida Ivanovna Epanchin

Adelaida is the middle child of General and Mrs. Epanchin, and the sister of Aglaya and Alexandra. She marries Prince Shch.

Pavlishchev

Pavlishchev was a friend of Myshkin’s father who became Myshkin’s benefactor, paying for his treatment at the Swiss institute.

Professor Schneider

Professor Schneider is the doctor who treats Myshkin for epilepsy in Switzerland.

Ferdyshchenko

Ferdyshchenko is a vulgar, immoral 30-year-old man who Nastasya always has hanging around. Most people cannot stand him.

Marie

Marie was a poor woman who lived in the same village in Switzerland as Myshkin when he was being treated for epilepsy there. She suffered from tuberculosis and was ostracized by the other villagers, but Myshkin was kind to her.

Mrs. Nina Alexandrovna Ivolgin

Nina is the long-suffering wife of General Ivolgin. She is 50 years old.

Ivan Petrovich Ptitsyn

Ptitsyn is a wealthy young man of about 30 who is a close friend of Ganya and who later becomes Varya’s husband. Formally homeless, he built a fortune in the financial industry.

Mrs. Terentyev

Mrs. Terentyev is an immoral woman who neglects her children, including Ippolit.

Darya Alexeevna

Darya is a wealthy, beautiful friend of Nastasya’s.

Salazkin

Salazkin is a lawyer who informs Myshkin about his 1.5 million rouble inheritance.

Prince Shch.

Prince Shch. is a handsome, high-ranking young man who becomes Adelaida’s husband.

Evgeny Pavlovich Radomsky

Evgeny is a handsome, high-ranking, intelligent and charming man who has is eye on Aglaya, but is ultimately rejected by her. At the end of the novel he becomes Myshkin’s new benefactor, paying for Myshkin’s epilepsy treatment back at the Swiss institute.

Vera Lukyanovna Lebedev

Vera is Lebedev’s adult daughter. A sweet, slightly simple girl, she becomes fond of Myshkin while he is living at Lebedev’s dacha in Pavlovsk.

Keller

Keller is a young man who is part of the band of nihilists that includes Burdovsky, Ippolit, and Doktorneko.

Chebarov

Chebarov is the lawyer Burdovsky uses to try and claim Myshkin’s fortune.

Prince N.

Prince N. is a wealthy and high-ranking 45-year-old man who has the reputation of being a heartbreaker.

Ivan Petrovich

Ivan Petrovich is Pavlishchev’s cousin. He attends the fancy party hosted by the Epanchins. (His last name is not provided, but he is not the same person as Ptitsyn, although they share a first name and patronymic.)

Vladimir Doktorenko

Doktorenko is a young nihilist and Lebedev’s nephew.

The Idiot

Fyodor Dostoevsky

The Idiot Characters