Character guide

Ivan Ilyitch Golovin

major

Also known as Ivan Ilyitch, Pyotr Ivanovitch, Ivan Ilyitch Pyotr Ivanovitch

A high-court judge whose terminal illness leads him to confront the meaning of his life and death.

Eugène Irténev

major

Also known as Eugène, old Irténev

A landowner who struggles with his attraction to a peasant woman, leading to moral conflict.

Nikíta

major

Also known as Nikíta of Mukhórty, Mukhórty

A peasant servant who accompanies his master on a fateful journey through a blizzard.

Father Sergius

major

Also known as Sergius, Stepán Kasátsky, Prince Stepán Kasátsky

A proud aristocrat turned monk who struggles with spiritual pride and temptation.

Mr. Albert

major

Also known as Albert

A gifted but impoverished and alcoholic violinist in Lucerne.

Iván Stcherbakóf

major

Also known as Iván the Fool, The fool Iván, daddy Iván

A simple peasant, considered a fool, whose kindness and simplicity contrast with worldly wisdom.

Julius

major

A wealthy man who questions his life of luxury after a conversation with a poor carpenter.

Zhílin

major

A Russian officer captured by Tartars in the Caucasus who repeatedly attempts to escape.

Polikéy

major

Also known as II Polikéy

A disgraced household servant given a chance at redemption with an important errand.

Simon Nefyórdof

major

Also known as Simon, Simon the Soldier

A soldier who, after a life of sin, seeks redemption and learns what men live by.

Stepan Pelageushkine

major

Also known as Stepan

A foundling taken in by a childless couple, whose arrival changes their lives.

Prince Nekhliudof

supporting

Also known as Nekhliudof

A nobleman who appears in multiple stories, often as a reflective observer or protagonist.

Vasíli Andréevich Brekhunóv

major

Also known as Vasíli Andréevich, Brekhunóv

A greedy merchant who, with his servant Nikíta, gets lost in a blizzard.

Efím Tarásitch Shevélef

major

Also known as Efím

One of two old men who make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem; he is practical and skeptical.

Albína

supporting

A woman involved with Eugène Irténev, central to the moral conflict in 'The Devil'.

Simeon Doútlof

supporting

Also known as Old Doútlof, Doútlof

A serf and village elder who struggles to buy his son out of military conscription.

Iván Dmítritch Aksyónof

major

Also known as Aksyónof

A merchant wrongly convicted of murder who spends decades in Siberian prison.

Elisha Bódrof

major

Also known as Elisha

One of two old men on a pilgrimage; he is charitable and spiritually focused.

Delesof

supporting

A wealthy man who tries to help and reform the alcoholic violinist Albert.

Volódya Kozeltsóf

supporting

Also known as Volódya, Kozeltsóf

A young, enthusiastic officer arriving at besieged Sevastopol.

Nikíta Sierpukhovskoï

major

Also known as Uncle Nikíta, Sierpukhovskoï

An old horse who narrates his life story, reflecting on fortune and human nature.

Emelyán

major

A poor drunkard taken in by a kind couple, who tests their patience and charity.

Peter Ivánovich

supporting

Also known as Peter, Prince Peter Ivánovich

A colleague and friend of Ivan Ilyitch who attends his funeral.

Liza

supporting

Also known as Liza Golovin, Lise

The wife of Ivan Ilyitch Golovin.

Gerasim

supporting

The cheerful, strong peasant servant who attends the dying Ivan Ilyitch.

Pahóm

major

A peasant whose greed for land leads him on a fatal bargain with the Bashkirs.

Anna Fyódorovna Záytsef

supporting

Also known as Anna Fyódorovna, Záytsef

A widow who hosts officers, including Count Toúrbin, in 'Two Hussars'.

Akoulína

supporting

Also known as Aunty Akoulína

A peasant woman involved in a village quarrel that escalates in 'A Spark Neglected...'.

Martin Avdéitch

major

Also known as Martin

A cobbler who finds spiritual purpose through dreams and helping others.

Kornéy Vasílyef

major

Also known as Kornéy

A peasant on trial for murder, whose story reveals deeper social and moral truths.

Anatole Svetlogoúb

minor

Also known as Svetlogoúb

A character in 'The Forged Coupon', part of the story's chain of consequences.

Sergéy Mikháylych

major

The older love interest and eventual husband of Márya in 'Family Happiness'.

The Young Tsar

major

A newly crowned tsar who, after a prophetic dream, grapples with the burdens of rule.

Alyosha

major

Also known as Alyosha the Pot

A simple, good-natured servant boy nicknamed 'the Pot'.

Michael Ivanovich

minor

Also known as Prince Michael Ivanovich, Michael

A character appearing in various stories, often as a nobleman or official.

Vassily Dmitritch

supporting

Also known as Vassily

The husband of Márya in 'Family Happiness'.

Praskóvya Fyódorovna

supporting

Also known as Praskovya Fyodorovna Golovin

The wife of Ivan Ilyitch Golovin.

Kostílin

supporting

A fellow officer captured with Zhílin; he is overweight and pessimistic.

Dina

supporting

A young Tartar girl who secretly helps Zhílin during his captivity.

Ilyás

major

A once-wealthy man who finds greater happiness after losing his fortune.

Pamphilius

major

A Christian in the early Church, central to the parable 'Walk in the Light While There is Light'.

Count Fyódor Toúrbin

major

Also known as Count Toúrbin, Count, Toúrbin

A dashing, reckless hussar officer in 'Two Hussars'.

Márya

major

Also known as Márya Ivánovna

The young heroine who narrates her courtship and marriage in 'Family Happiness'.

Fedia

supporting

A character in 'The Forged Coupon' whose actions initiate the story's chain of events.

Styópa

minor

Also known as Styóshka

A character in 'The Forged Coupon', involved in the story's criminal plot.

Mitia Smokovnikov

major

Also known as Mitia, Smokovnikov

A central character in 'The Forged Coupon', a schoolboy who forges a banknote.

Iván Petróvich Apýkhtin

minor

Also known as Apýkhtin

A character in 'The Forged Coupon', a landowner affected by the forged note.

Fedor Kusmich

major

A mysterious hermit rumored to be the Tsar Alexander I in disguise.

King Esarhaddon

major

Also known as Esarhaddon

An Assyrian king who learns empathy through a mystical experience.

Joseph Migoúrski

supporting

Also known as Migoúrski, young Migoúrski

A Polish noble and political prisoner in Siberia in 'The Forged Coupon'.

Páshenka

supporting

A former acquaintance of Father Sergius, representing humble, ordinary life.

Mary Pávlovna

supporting

Also known as St. Mary, Mary

A devout woman in 'Walk in the Light While There is Light'.

Kátya

supporting

Also known as kindhearted Kátya, poor Kátya

The daughter of Anna Fyódorovna in 'Two Hussars'.

Sónya

minor

Also known as little Sónya, Sónya Petróvna

A character in 'Family Happiness', the younger sister of the narrator Márya.

Churis

minor

A peasant from Nekhliudof's estate in 'A Russian Proprietor'.

Ilyushka

minor

Also known as Iliusha

A peasant character in 'Two Old Men' and other village stories.

Matryóna

supporting

The wife of the cobbler Martin Avdéitch.

Búlka

minor

The author's dog, featured in several short animal stories.

Milton

minor

The author's pointer dog, featured in animal stories alongside Búlka.

Ermák Timoféich

minor

Also known as Ermák

A legendary Cossack ataman who conquered Siberia for Russia.

King Croesus

major

Also known as Croesus

The wealthy king of Lydia who learns a lesson from Solon about happiness.

Solon

supporting

The Athenian lawmaker who teaches King Croesus about true happiness.

The Old Devil

minor

Also known as the Devil, Devil

A personification of evil who tempts characters in parables like 'The Imp and the Crust'.

Pózdnyshev

major

Also known as P ├│ zdnyshev

The narrator of 'The Kreutzer Sonata', who confesses to murdering his wife.

Father Vasily

major

Also known as Vasily

A village priest who appears in the story named for him.

Yukhvanka

minor

A peasant from Nekhliudof's estate in 'A Russian Proprietor'.

Adjutant Kaloúgin

supporting

Also known as Kaloúgin

A staff officer in the Sevastopol sketches, concerned with appearance and advancement.

Lieutenant-Captain Miháylof

supporting

Also known as Miháylof

A modest, brave officer in the Sevastopol sketches.

Captain Praskoúhin

minor

Also known as Praskoúhin

An officer killed during the bombardment in the Sevastopol sketches.

Velenchuk

minor

Also known as the fussy Velenchuk

A soldier in 'The Wood-Felling' who is killed in action.

Captain Trosenko

minor

A brave, seasoned old captain in the Caucasian stories.

The Stranger

minor

Also known as the stranger in the sheepskin coat

A mysterious figure who appears in parables, often representing Christ or a moral teacher.

The Captain

minor

A generic officer figure appearing in several military sketches.

The Doctor

minor

A medical professional attending to characters like Ivan Ilyitch.

The Master

minor

A generic landowner or authority figure in peasant stories.

The Priest

minor

A village priest appearing in various stories and parables.

The General

minor

A high-ranking officer in the military sketches.

The Tartars

minor

Also known as Tartars

The Caucasian tribesmen who capture Zhílin and Kostílin.

The Bashkirs

minor

The nomadic people who make a land deal with Pahóm.

The Cossacks

minor

Also known as Don Cossacks

Frontier warriors appearing in Caucasian stories like 'The Cossacks' (not in this collection) and 'A Prisoner in the Caucasus'.