• The underground man (Name is not mentioned in the novel, this is just how we will call him):

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He is the narrator of the novel. He is described as a solitary being, and unable to make lasting relationships with others. Even though he is poor, he has an extremely high opinion of himself and despises others when they do not recognize his moral superiority to them. Despite being against reason, he rationalizes everything. In part 1, (“Underground”), he shows the distress of a man who accepts that his own emotions and hidden urges are stronger than reason. In Part II (“Apropos of the wet snow”), the narrator recalls his youth and explains how his failure to relate and create relationships with others is a consequence of his overly extensive education and culture. He is incapable of handling reality and lives inside books and dreams. Lastly, it is clear that every time he meets someone, he attempts to dominate them and imagines duels with them when he fails and despises them whenever he succeeds.

 

• The officer:

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He was first introduced in this novel when the Underground Man walks into a tavern and a tall officer moved him aside and passed by without noticing him. The officer has a tendency to walk straight toward people and unconsciously expects them to move aside. The Underground Man is humiliated by this treatment and decides to spend the next two years following him and gathering information. Finally, the Underground Man decides that his revenge will come by refusing to move aside when the officer walks straight to him so that he would notice his existence. Therefore, he makes an elaborate plan in which he dresses up with quality clothes to be “socially equal” to the officer. However, two years later, when he finally gets the opportunity to execute his plan, the officer does not even seem to notice him. 

 

• Liza:

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Liza is a prostitute at a brothel, forced to work there possibly because her parents sold her into the profession. Liza is somewhat shy and innocent despite her profession, and she responds emotionally to the Underground Man’s efforts to convince her of the error of her ways. Therefore, she comes to him seeking help. In spite of the fact that he offends her, she realizes that he is truly unhappy and decides to comfort him, despite the earlier occurrence. However, when she realizes that the Underground man will never return her love, she leaves him and throws away all of the bills that the Underground Man gave her as “payment” for her visit. 

 

• Apollon:

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Apollon is the Underground Man's old servant. He has an enormously high sense of self-esteem, which is why he looks down on everyone, including the Underground Man. He only works for the Underground Man for the money, but usually refuses to do any actual work. Also, when he does do his work, he acts as if he is doing the underground man a favour. The Underground Man attempts to dominate Apollon but fails miserable and surrenders in the end. 

 

• Anton Antonych Setochkin:

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 Anton Antonych Setochkin is an office chief who frequently lends money to the Underground Mans, even though he never lends money to anyone else. He is the Underground Man's only lasting acquaintance or friend.

 

• Zverkov:

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 Zverkov is an old former classmate of the narrator. During school, he was attractive, lively, and rich, and everybody looked up to him. Lastly, he brags and talks about his future conquests to everyone's amusement.

 

• Simonov:

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Simonov is also an old classmate of the narrator. In school, they even seemed friends at a certain point. Simonov is described as decisive, and the others decide to put him in charge of planning Zverkov's dinner. The Underground Man believes that Simonov can see right through him and finds him repulsive just because of the fact that he understands him so well.

 

• Ferfichkin:

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 Another old classmate of the narrator. He is stupid and made fun of everybody. The Underground Man sees him as his worst enemy from the lower grades in school, though he is certain that Ferfichkin is a coward.

 

• Trudolyubov:

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 Trudolyubov is yet another old classmate of the narrator. He is a military man who is cold and honest. Moreover, he worships success and was respected by his classmates because he was a distant relative of Zverkov.

 

• Olympia:

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Olympia is a prostitute who works in the same brothel as Liza. She is the most popular in the place and sleeps with Zverkov. However, she refuses to be with the Underground Man and makes fun of his face.