Crime and Punishment Chapter 5 Summary

Summary

Raskolnikov follows Svidrigaïlov into the street, accuses him of pursuing his sister and spying, and threatens to keep watch over him. Svidrigaïlov parries with mockery and hints of knowledge about Raskolnikov's private affairs, then invites Raskolnikov to his rooms; Raskolnikov goes away disgusted. Shortly afterward Svidrigaïlov approaches Avdotya Romanovna (Dounia) clandestinely and persuades her to come into his flat to talk. He reveals that he believes Rodion confessed a double murder to Sofya Semyonovna and claims to possess evidence and a knowledge of motives and theories that led to the crime.

Inside Svidrigaïlov's secluded lodging, the conversation escalates: Svidrigaïlov alternately cajoles, blackmails, and confesses admiration and dangerous intentions. He tries to cajole Dounia with offers of money and escape for her brother while implying he can control the situation. Dounia reacts with outrage, produces a revolver and fires at him twice—first grazing his temple, second misfiring. Svidrigaïlov taunts her, closes the door by claiming the key is lost, and attempts to dominate her; she ultimately flees when he returns the key and lets her go. After she bolts, Svidrigaïlov examines the revolver, pockets it, cleans his wound, and leaves, his expression a curious blend of despair and relief.

Key events

1. Raskolnikov confronts Svidrigaïlov on the street about his designs on Dounia.
2. Svidrigaïlov mocks Raskolnikov, hints at knowledge of his secrets, and leaves for his flat.
3. Dounia meets Svidrigaïlov; he claims Rodion confessed a double murder to Sofya Semyonovna.
4. Svidrigaïlov pressures Dounia with offers of money and escape, implying he can 'save' Rodion if she complies.
5. Dounia draws a revolver and shoots twice; first shot grazes Svidrigaïlov, second misfires.
6. Svidrigaïlov returns the key and lets Dounia escape; he pockets the revolver and departs.

Analysis

This chapter is a pivot in the novel's psychological tension and power dynamics. Svidrigaïlov operates as an invasive, destabilizing force: his insinuations about Rodion's confession intensify paranoia and threaten the family's integrity. The scene develops Dounia's agency and courage—she confronts Svidrigaïlov, attempts violent resistance, and then flees—while also exposing her vulnerability. Svidrigaïlov's alternating mockery, tenderness, and menace reveal a complex antagonist whose motives are ambiguous; his mixture of theatrical persuasion and practical schemes underscores themes of manipulation, moral ambiguity, and the dangerous intersections of desire and power.

Narratively, the chapter uses close, escalating dialogue and confined physical space (the flat and adjoining empty rooms) to create claustrophobia and suspense. The locked rooms and the secret listening point Svidrigaïlov shows suggest surveillance and invasion of privacy as recurring motifs. The revolver incident dramatizes the moral limit-testing that characters undergo: Dounia nearly crosses an irreversible threshold but ultimately retreats, underscoring the novel's concern with conscience, desperation, and the consequences of extreme choices. The chapter also foreshadows ongoing investigations and the weight of secrets—Svidrigaïlov’s claim to hold a “curious secret” about Rodion will influence characters' actions and trust.

Important quotes

“It means that I am not going to lose sight of you now.”

Rodion Romanovich RaskolnikovRaskolnikov declares to Svidrigaïlov that he will watch him and protect his sister, initiating the tense confrontation.

“He was almost beginning to rave.... Something seemed suddenly to go to his head.”

NarratorNarrative description of Svidrigaïlov's rising emotion as he pleads and tries to manipulate Dounia.

“The wasp has stung me. She aimed straight at my head. What’s this? Blood?”

Arkady Ivanovich SvidrigailovSvidrigaïlov reacts after Dounia fires a shot that grazes his temple, revealing his mix of amusement and injury.

Characters in Chapter 5

• Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov
• Arkady Ivanovich Svidrigailov
• Avdotya Romanovna Raskolnikova
• Sofya Semyonovna Marmeladova
• Dmitri Prokofych Razumikhin
• Madame Resslich
• Madame de Kapernaumov
• Alyona Ivanovna
• Lizaveta Ivanovna
• Katerina Ivanovna Marmeladova
• Semyon Zakharovich Marmeladov
• Marfa Petrovna
• Pulcheria Alexandrovna Raskolnikova
• Pyotr Petrovich Luzhin
• Andrey Semyonovich Lebezyatnikov
• Porfiry Petrovich
• Zosimov
• Nastasya Petrovna