Disenchantment · Characters
Character guide
Key figures in Disenchantment by C. E. Montague.
Unknown Narrator
major
Also known as myself, I
The unnamed first-person narrator and focal character, a British officer reflecting on the war.
Sir Douglas Haig
supporting
Also known as IV Many, Douglas Haig, IV, Haig, IV Sir Douglas Haig
The British commander-in-chief, often criticized for his tactics and distant command.
Williams
minor
A recurring soldier character, possibly a subordinate or fellow officer of the narrator.
Little Flanigan
minor
Also known as Flanigan
A soldier or junior officer, mentioned in the narrative with some familiarity.
Bates
minor
A character, possibly a soldier or servant, appearing in the narrator's account.
L⸺
minor
A partially named officer or acquaintance, likely a real figure anonymized.
The British Regular Officer
minor
A type or representative figure of the professional British officer class.
Sinon
minor
A classical allusion used as a sustained metaphor for deception in war.
Shakespeare
minor
The playwright, referenced as a cultural touchstone and occasional character in discussion.
Tomkins
minor
A soldier or minor figure, possibly a common name for a typical man.
The Presiding Officer
minor
An official figure, possibly in a court-martial or inquiry scene.
Looker
minor
A named individual, possibly a journalist or observer of the war.
Garibaldi
minor
The Italian revolutionary, used as a historical comparison or allusion.
Burke
minor
A named individual, possibly a politician or writer referenced in the text.
Kitchener
minor
Also known as Roberts and Kitchener
Field Marshal Lord Kitchener, the British war minister, a key historical figure.
A⸺
minor
A partially named person, possibly an officer or official anonymized.
Foch
minor
The French Supreme Allied Commander, a major historical figure in the war.
Mr. Andrew Lang
minor
Also known as Lang
A writer and critic, referenced as a contemporary literary figure.
Mr. Rider Haggard
minor
Also known as Mr. Haggard
The adventure novelist, mentioned as a cultural reference.
Masters
minor
A named character, possibly an officer or soldier.
The Unguarded Duncan
minor
Also known as Duncan
A Shakespearean allusion (from Macbeth) used as a metaphor for vulnerability.
Satan
minor
The devil, used as a symbolic or rhetorical figure in the narrative.
Court
minor
A named person, possibly a soldier or official.
Prometheus
minor
The Titan from Greek myth, used as an allusion for suffering or rebellion.
Sir Edward Carson
minor
A British politician and Unionist leader, referenced in the text.
Harry
minor
Also known as Henry V, V Nobody, V
Shakespeare's King Henry V, used as a symbol of heroic leadership.
Sam Hughes
minor
The Canadian Minister of Militia, a controversial political figure.
The Pious Aeneas
minor
The Trojan hero from Virgil, used as a classical allusion.
Napoleon
minor
The French emperor, a frequent historical comparison for military leaders.
Lucifer
minor
The fallen angel, used as a symbol of pride or rebellion.
Burne-Jones
minor
The Pre-Raphaelite painter, referenced as a cultural figure.
Matthew Arnold
minor
Also known as Arnold
The poet and critic, used as a literary reference.
Hotspur
minor
Shakespeare's Henry Percy, a symbol of hot-headed valor.
Dickens
minor
The novelist, referenced as a cultural touchstone.
Bacon
minor
The philosopher and statesman, used as an allusion.
Antony
minor
Mark Antony from Shakespeare, a figure of passion and tragedy.
Alexander the Great
minor
Also known as Alexander
The ancient conqueror, used as a measure of ambition.
Hamlet
minor
Shakespeare's prince, a symbol of indecision and introspection.
Corot
minor
The French landscape painter, referenced as an artist.
Keats
minor
The Romantic poet, used as a literary allusion.
Arry
minor
A colloquial name, possibly representing a common soldier.
Mr. Tappertit
minor
A character from Dickens, referenced as a literary type.
Kipling
minor
Also known as the wittier Kipling, Bret Harte
Rudyard Kipling, the writer, referenced as a contemporary figure.
Tolstoy
minor
The Russian novelist, used as a literary and philosophical reference.
Rossetti
minor
The Pre-Raphaelite poet and painter, a cultural reference.
Einstein
minor
The physicist, referenced as a modern intellectual figure.
Ariel
minor
The spirit from Shakespeare's The Tempest, a poetic allusion.
Colonel Repington
minor
A British military correspondent and diarist, a real figure.
Thomas
minor
A common name, possibly a soldier or generic figure.
Mr. Dempsey
minor
A named individual, possibly a civilian or officer.
Queen Victoria
minor
The former British monarch, a historical reference.
Hardy
minor
Also known as T. B. Hardy
A named person, possibly a soldier or writer.
Christ
minor
Jesus Christ, used as a religious or symbolic reference.
The Kaiser
minor
Wilhelm II, the German Emperor, a key enemy figure.
Poppo
minor
A named character, possibly a soldier or nickname.
Gideon
minor
A biblical figure, used as an allusion for leadership.
David
minor
The biblical king, a reference to courage against odds.
Lovely Phoebe
minor
A character from Shakespeare's As You Like It, a literary allusion.
St. George
minor
The patron saint of England, a symbolic figure.
Jack
minor
A common name, possibly a soldier or generic figure.
Buller
minor
Also known as Sir Redvers Buller
A British general from the Boer War, a historical reference.
Prospero
minor
The magician from Shakespeare's The Tempest, a literary allusion.
Caesar
minor
Julius Caesar, a historical figure used for comparison.
Old Fritz
minor
A nickname for Frederick the Great, or a generic German soldier.
Gough
minor
Also known as Sir Hubert Gough
A British general, a real military figure.
Hamilton
minor
Also known as General Sir Ian Hamilton
A British general, known for the Gallipoli campaign.
Bellona
minor
The Roman goddess of war, a mythological allusion.
Ancient Pistol
minor
A character from Shakespeare's Henry V, a braggart soldier.
