Alyona Ivanovna

The old pawnbroker and Raskolnikov's primary victim

Description: A tiny, desiccated little woman about sixty years old, with sharp, spiteful eyes, a pointed little nose and bareheaded. Her fair, slightly greying bristly hair was liberally smeared with old. Some kind of flannel rag was wrapped around her long thin neck, which resembled a chicken leg. Despite the heat, a frayed fur cape, yellow with age, hung round her shoulders. She stood there, constantly coughing and grunting. 
Sister of Lizaveta Ivanovna.

Pronunciation

Part One

Chapter 1

Raskolnikov brings his father’s watch to pawn as a pretext for scoping out the apartment for his crime. His former pledge has expired and he owes interest, which Alyona Ivanovna deducts from what she offers him for the watch. He almost leaves in disgust before remembering that he’s not really there about the watch.

As he's leaving, he asks after Alyona Ivanovna’s sister, Lizaveta, to ascertain when she might be out, but Alyona Ivanovna tells him it’s none of his business.

Part One

Chapter 7

Raskolnikov comes to commit the murder. Lizaveta is also murdered because she comes home while Raskolnikov is still on the premises.