Dead Souls · Characters
Character guide
Key figures in Dead Souls by Nikolai Gogol.
Chichikov
major
Also known as Paul Ivanovitch Chichikov, Paul Ivanovitch, Ivanovitch, Monsieur Chichikov, young Chichikov, Pavlushka
A mysterious gentleman who travels across Russia buying dead serfs for a dubious scheme.
Sobakevitch
supporting
Also known as landowner Sobakevitch, villain Sobakevitch
A bear-like landowner who drives a hard bargain selling dead souls to Chichikov.
Nozdrev
supporting
Also known as Monsieur Nozdrev
A boisterous, lying gambler and landowner who nearly exposes Chichikov's scheme.
Andrei Ivanovitch Tientietnikov
supporting
Also known as Tientietnikov, young Tientietnikov, Andrei Ivanovitch
A lazy, melancholic young landowner who becomes a key figure in Part II.
Platon Mikhalitch
supporting
Also known as Platon
A wealthy, apathetic landowner who accompanies Chichikov on his travels.
Khlobuev
supporting
Also known as Poor Khlobuev
A ruined landowner who desperately tries to sell his estate to Chichikov.
Plushkin
supporting
Also known as landowner Plushkin
An impossibly miserly old landowner whose estate is falling to ruin.
Selifan
supporting
Also known as the reluctant Selifan
Chichikov's drunken, philosophical coachman who often gets them lost.
Manilov
supporting
Also known as landowner Manilov, the smiling Manilov
A saccharine, impractical landowner who lives in a world of fantasy.
Murazov
supporting
A wise and wealthy tax-farmer who advises Chichikov in Part II.
Kostanzhoglo
supporting
Also known as Constantine Thedorovitch, Constantine Thedorovitch Kostanzhoglo, Constantine
An ideal, hardworking landowner whose estate is a model of efficiency.
General Betristchev
minor
A retired general and Tientietnikov's proud, domineering neighbor.
Captain Kopeikin
minor
Also known as Kopeikin, friend Kopeikin
A war veteran turned robber, whose story is told as a digression by the postmaster.
Korobotchka
minor
Also known as Madame Korobotchka, the window Korobotchka
A superstitious, thrifty old widow landowner who sells dead souls out of fear.
Samosvitov
minor
A dashing, unscrupulous official who helps Chichikov escape trouble.
Vassili Thedorov
minor
Also known as Vassili, the perplexed Vassili
A bewildered peasant or servant encountered during Chichikov's travels.
Ivan Antonovitch
minor
A minor official in the town administration who processes documents.
Thedor Thedorovitch Lienitsin
minor
Also known as Lienitsin
A young, foppish official who assists Chichikov with legal matters.
Alexander Petrovitch
minor
Also known as Alexander
A former teacher of Tientietnikov, remembered as an ideal educator.
Ivan Potapitch
minor
A servant or minor character in the later chapters of the book.
Peter Petrovitch Pietukh
minor
Also known as Peter Petrovitch, Pietukh
A hospitable, gluttonous landowner who loves to feast his guests.
Porphyri
minor
A servant or minor character mentioned in the narrative.
Semen Semenovitch
minor
A minor official or landowner encountered in the story.
Themistocleus
minor
Manilov's young son, named after an ancient Greek general.
Grigory
minor
A peasant or servant mentioned in passing.
Michiev
minor
Also known as wheelwright Michiev, the said Michiev
A skilled wheelwright owned by Sobakevitch.
Colonel Koshkarev
minor
Also known as Koshkarev
A mad landowner who runs his estate like a bureaucratic office.
Athanasi Vassilievitch
minor
A minor character, possibly a landowner or official.
Moki Kifovitch
minor
A character from a brief philosophical digression in the narrative.
Alkid
minor
Manilov's other young son, brother to Themistocleus.
Pimenov
minor
A peasant or worker mentioned in the story.
Lieutenant Kuvshinnikov
minor
Also known as Kuvshinnikov, that Kuvshinnikov
A dashing officer known for his social exploits, mentioned by Nozdrev.
Ivan Grigorievitch
minor
A minor official, possibly the chief of police.
Ponomarev
minor
A wine merchant or trader mentioned in the story.
Uncle Mitai
minor
Also known as the lean, long, and red-bearded Uncle Mitai
A peasant who helps in a comical scene involving tangled horses.
Mavra
minor
A servant in Plushkin's household.
Theodulia Ivanovna
minor
Sobakevitch's wife, a tall and dignified woman.
Aleksasha
minor
A young man or servant mentioned in the narrative.
Kifa Mokievitch
minor
A character from a philosophical digression, father of Moki Kifovitch.
Fetinia
minor
Also known as Clearly Fetinia
A servant woman in Korobotchka's household.
Andrusha
minor
A young boy or servant mentioned in the story.
Probka Stepan
minor
Also known as Probka, Stepan
A dead serf, a skilled carpenter, listed among Sobakevitch's souls.
Proshka
minor
A young servant boy in Plushkin's household.
Varvar Nikolaievitch Vishnepokromov
minor
Also known as Vishnepokromov
A neighbor and friend of Tientietnikov who visits him.
Thoma Bolshoy
minor
A dead serf mentioned in a list of souls sold to Chichikov.
Eremi Sorokoplechin
minor
A dead serf mentioned in a list of souls sold to Chichikov.
Elizabeta Vorobei
minor
Also known as Vorobei, Elizabeta
A dead female serf mistakenly listed as male by Korobotchka.
Antip Prochorov
minor
A dead serf mentioned in a list of souls sold to Chichikov.
Derebin
minor
A landowner mentioned as a potential buyer of an estate.
Perfilievna
minor
A female servant or character mentioned in passing.
Nikolasha
minor
A young man or servant mentioned in the narrative.
