Character guide

Jim Burden

major

Also known as Jim, James Burden, Mrs. James Burden, Jimmy, James O'Neill, young Burden

The narrator and protagonist, an orphan who moves to Nebraska and grows up with Ántonia.

Ántonia Shimerda

major

Also known as Ántonia, Ántonia Shimerda, XII, XII After Ántonia, Poor Ántonia

A spirited Bohemian immigrant girl who becomes Jim's lifelong friend and symbol of pioneer resilience.

Lena Lingard

major

Also known as Lena, Book III Lena Lingard, Lingard, Miss Lingard

A beautiful hired girl who becomes a successful dressmaker and Jim's romantic interest in Lincoln.

Otto Fuchs

supporting

Also known as Otto, Fuchs, Formerly Fuchs, XV Otto Fuchs, XV

The Burdens' hired hand, a rough but kind Austrian immigrant who helps the family.

Grandmother Burden

supporting

Also known as grandmother, II Grandmother

Jim's loving and practical grandmother who raises him on the Nebraska farm.

Ambrosch Shimerda

supporting

Also known as Ambrosch, Presently Ambrosch

Ántonia's hardworking and sometimes surly older brother who manages the family farm.

Jake Marpole

supporting

Also known as Jake, Jacob

A hired hand who travels with Jim from Virginia and remains a loyal family friend.

Anton Jelinek

supporting

Also known as Tony, Anton Jelinek, Jelinek, young Jelinek, Handsome Anton Jelinek, Tony Shimerda

A Bohemian neighbor and friend of the Shimerdas who helps them adjust to America.

Ántonia Cuzak

supporting

Also known as Ántonia Cuzak, Cuzak

Ántonia as a married woman and mother, content on her farm with her large family.

Mrs. Harling

supporting

The warm, energetic mother of the Harling family who employs Ántonia as a hired girl.

Mrs. Shimerda

supporting

Also known as young Shimerda, Old Mrs. Shimerda, old Mrs. Shimerda

Ántonia's demanding and often complaining mother who struggles with pioneer life.

Tiny Soderball

supporting

Also known as Tiny, Miss Tiny

A Swedish hired girl who later becomes wealthy from gold mining in Alaska.

Grandfather Burden

supporting

Also known as grandfather

Jim's stern but fair grandfather who owns the farm and guides the family.

Peter Krajiek

supporting

Also known as Krajiek, Peter, Rooshian Peter, poor Russian Peter

A Russian immigrant who sells the Shimerdas their poor farm and cheats them.

Mr. Shimerda

supporting

Also known as old Mr. Shimerda, Old Mr. Shimerda, XVI Mr. Shimerda, poor Mr. Shimerda, Mr. ¬ÝShimerda

Ántonia's gentle, cultured father who struggles with homesickness and takes his own life.

Pavel

minor

Also known as Presently Pavel

A Russian immigrant who tells a grim story about wolves and dies shortly after arriving.

Mrs. Cutter

minor

Also known as Cutter, Mrs. Cutter⁠—locked

The suspicious wife of Wick Cutter who helps Jim escape a dangerous situation.

Johnnie Gardener

minor

Also known as Johnnie, Johnnie Gardener

A local man who runs the hotel in Black Hawk and is friendly with the hired girls.

Gaston Cleric

supporting

Also known as Cleric, Gaston

Jim's inspiring Latin teacher at the University of Nebraska who encourages his studies.

Yulka

minor

Also known as Yulka (Julka)

Ántonia's younger sister who helps with the family and later marries.

Wick Cutter

supporting

Also known as Cutter, XI, XI Wick Cutter

A predatory moneylender in Black Hawk who tries to assault Ántonia.

Samson

minor

Also known as blind Samson

A blind horse owned by the Shimerdas that Ántonia cares for tenderly.

Miss Nellie d'Arnault

minor

Also known as Lena, Miss Nellie d'Arnault, Miss Nellie

A young woman who plays piano at the dances in Black Hawk.

Leo

minor

Also known as Master Leo

One of Ántonia and Cuzak's lively sons in the later part of the book.

Frances Harling

supporting

Also known as Frances, Frances Harling, Miss Frances

The capable eldest daughter of the Harling family who helps run the household.

The Shimerdas

supporting

Also known as Shimerdas

The immigrant family from Bohemia who become the Burdens' neighbors and friends.

Mr. Harling

minor

The stern but fair father of the Harling family who runs a grain business.

Russian Peter

minor

Also known as Peter

A Russian immigrant who lives with Pavel and later disappears after Pavel's death.

Ole Benson

minor

Also known as Ole, Poor Ole

A Norwegian farmhand who is infatuated with Lena Lingard and later drowns.

Ordinsky

minor

Also known as Mr. Ordinsky

A temperamental Russian violinist who lives in the same boarding house as Jim in Lincoln.

Mr. Cutter

minor

Also known as Cutter

Another name for Wick Cutter, the predatory moneylender.

Nina Harling

minor

Also known as Nina, Nina Harling, Little Nina, little Nina

The youngest Harling daughter, a playful and affectionate child.

Norwegian Anna

minor

Also known as Anna, Norwegian

A hired girl from Norway who works for the Harlings and is known for her strength.

Larry Donovan

minor

Also known as Donovan, Larry

A charming but unreliable train conductor who courts and abandons Tiny Soderball.

Charley Harling

minor

Also known as Charley, Charley Harling

The eldest Harling son who goes to college and becomes a successful businessman.

Chris Lingard

minor

Also known as Chris

Lena's younger brother who works on the family farm and later moves away.

Rudolph

minor

One of Ántonia and Cuzak's sons who helps on the farm.

Martha

minor

A hired girl who works for the Burdens and helps with household chores.

Mrs. Gardener

minor

The wife of Johnnie Gardener who runs the hotel in Black Hawk.

Anna Hansen

minor

Also known as Anna, Norwegian Anna, Anna Hansen

A Norwegian hired girl who works for the Harlings and later marries.

Marek

minor

Also known as poor Marek, Poor Marek

A mentally disabled Bohemian man who lives with the Shimerdas and is harmless.

Sylvester Lovett

minor

Also known as Sylvester, young Lovett

A young man from Black Hawk who is infatuated with Lena Lingard.

Genevieve Whitney

minor

A wealthy young woman Jim meets at a party in Lincoln who is sophisticated and aloof.

Mr. Burden

minor

Jim's grandfather, also referred to as Grandfather Burden.

Widow Steavens

minor

Also known as The Widow Steavens

A neighbor who tells Jim about Ántonia's life after he leaves Black Hawk.

The Harlings

minor

The family for whom Ántonia works as a hired girl in Black Hawk.

Mrs. Steavens

minor

Also known as Steavens

A neighbor who provides news about Ántonia to Jim after his return.

Sally

minor

A hired girl who works in Black Hawk and is friends with Ántonia and Lena.

Crazy Mary

minor

Also known as Mary

A mentally unstable woman who lives near Black Hawk and is known for her outbursts.

Mary Dusak

minor

Also known as Mary, Molly

A Bohemian woman who marries and lives near the Shimerdas.

Mrs. Thomas

minor

A woman who runs a boarding house in Black Hawk where some hired girls live.

Annie Iverson

minor

Also known as Nina

A Swedish hired girl who works in Black Hawk and is known for her beauty.

James Quayle Burden

minor

Also known as Jim Burden, Jim, young Burden

The full name of the narrator, Jim Burden, as an adult reflecting on his past.

Jan Bouska

minor

Also known as Jan

A Bohemian immigrant who works as a farmhand and is friends with the Shimerdas.

Nick Svendsen

minor

Also known as Nick

A Norwegian farmhand who works in the area and is known for his strength.

Mrs. Vanni

minor

An Italian woman who runs a dancing pavilion in Black Hawk.

The Cutters

minor

Also known as Mrs. Cutters

The married couple Wick and Mrs. Cutter, known for their troubled relationship.

The Russians

minor

Also known as Russians

Pavel and Peter, the two Russian immigrants who live near the Shimerdas.

d'Arnault

minor

Also known as D'Arnault, Blind d'Arnault

A blind pianist who performs at a dance in Black Hawk and impresses the crowd.

Marguerite Gauthier

minor

Also known as Marguerite

A character from a play that Jim and Lena attend in Lincoln.

Young Harry Paine

minor

A young man from Black Hawk who is involved in a scandal with a hired girl.

Selma Kronn

minor

Also known as Selma

A Swedish girl who works as a hired girl and is friends with Tiny Soderball.

Brother William

minor

Also known as brother William

A monk or religious figure mentioned briefly in the narrative.

Mr. Bushy

minor

A man who works at the hotel in Black Hawk and is known for his gossip.

Anson Kirkpatrick

minor

Also known as Kirkpatrick

A lawyer in Black Hawk who is involved in local affairs.

Ole Iverson

minor

Also known as Ole

A Norwegian farmhand who works in the area and is known for his strength.

The Vannis

minor

Also known as Vannis

An Italian family who run a dancing pavilion in Black Hawk.

Prince

minor

A horse owned by the Burden family that Jim rides.

Virgil

minor

Also known as Virgil To Carrie

The Roman poet whose works Jim studies with Gaston Cleric.

Mary Svoboda

minor

Also known as Mary

A Bohemian woman who lives near the Shimerdas and is friends with the family.

Armand

minor

A character from a play that Jim and Lena attend in Lincoln.

The young Cuzaks

minor

Also known as Cuzaks

Ántonia and her husband's children who appear in the final book.

Emmaline

minor

A hired girl who works for the Burdens and helps with household chores.

Dude

minor

A horse owned by the Burden family that Jim rides.

Josiah

minor

A man mentioned briefly in the narrative as a neighbor or acquaintance.

Willy O'Reilly

minor

Also known as O'Reilly

A young man from Black Hawk who is known for his mischievous behavior.

Mr. Paine

minor

The father of Young Harry Paine, a respected man in Black Hawk.

Nanine

minor

A French maid who works for Mrs. Vanni at the dancing pavilion.