On the Art of Reading · Characters
Character guide
Key figures in On the Art of Reading by Arthur Quiller-Couch.
Unknown Narrator
major
Also known as mine, me, myself
The unnamed narrator or focal character whose perspective guides the reader through the lectures.
Milton
supporting
The poet John Milton, frequently referenced as a literary touchstone for reading and criticism.
Job
supporting
Also known as patient Job
The biblical figure Job, discussed as an example of suffering and literary character.
Socrates
supporting
The classical philosopher, invoked in discussions of dialectic and the art of reading.
Longinus
minor
Also known as Dionysius Longinus, Dionysius
The ancient critic Longinus, cited for his treatise on the sublime in literature.
Aristotle
supporting
The Greek philosopher Aristotle, referenced for his Poetics and rhetorical principles.
Sir Thomas Browne
supporting
Also known as Browne
The 17th-century writer Sir Thomas Browne, admired for his prose style and meditative works.
Homer
supporting
Also known as old Homer
The epic poet Homer, central to discussions of classical literature and reading.
Shakespeare
supporting
William Shakespeare, the playwright, frequently cited as a master of character and language.
John Earle
minor
The English bishop and author John Earle, referenced for his character sketches.
Phaedrus
minor
A character from Plato's dialogues, used as an example in discussions of rhetoric.
Satan
minor
The biblical and literary figure of Satan, discussed in relation to Milton and evil.
Plato
supporting
The Greek philosopher Plato, cited for his dialogues and theory of forms.
Chaucer
supporting
Also known as merry Chaucer
The medieval poet Geoffrey Chaucer, praised for his vivid characters and storytelling.
Isaiah
minor
The biblical prophet Isaiah, discussed for his poetic and prophetic writings.
Bacon
minor
Also known as Bacon of Studies
Francis Bacon, the philosopher and essayist, referenced for his essays and scientific method.
David
minor
Also known as King David
The biblical King David, cited as a poet and figure in the Psalms.
Ajax
minor
The Greek hero Ajax, mentioned in discussions of Homeric epic and tragedy.
Wordsworth
minor
The Romantic poet William Wordsworth, discussed for his views on poetry and nature.
Dr. Johnson
minor
Also known as Johnson, Dr.
Samuel Johnson, the lexicographer and critic, cited for his literary judgments.
Philip Gilbert Hamerton
minor
Also known as The late Philip Gilbert Hamerton
The 19th-century artist and writer, referenced for his works on art and literature.
Apollo
minor
Also known as Delian Apollo, the Delian Apollo
The Greek god Apollo, invoked in classical and poetic contexts.
Gibbon
minor
Edward Gibbon, the historian of the Roman Empire, cited for his style.
Lucifer
minor
The fallen angel Lucifer, discussed in relation to Milton and evil.
Pope Adrian VI
minor
Also known as VI, Pope
The 16th-century pope, mentioned as a historical figure in discussions of reading.
Shelley
minor
Also known as Shelley the Jehovah
The Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, referenced for his poetry and radical ideas.
M. Maeterlinck
minor
The Belgian playwright Maurice Maeterlinck, cited for his symbolic works.
St. Paul
minor
Also known as Paul
The apostle Paul, discussed for his epistles and influence on Christian thought.
Matthew Arnold
minor
Also known as Arnold
The Victorian poet and critic Matthew Arnold, cited for his literary and cultural criticism.
Napoleon
minor
Napoleon Bonaparte, mentioned as a historical figure in discussions of power and reading.
Chatham
minor
William Pitt the Elder, Earl of Chatham, cited as an orator and statesman.
Queen Athaliah
minor
Also known as Athaliah
The biblical queen Athaliah, discussed as a dramatic character.
Dante
minor
The Italian poet Dante Alighieri, referenced for his Divine Comedy and allegory.
Donne
minor
The metaphysical poet John Donne, cited for his wit and religious poetry.
Jacob
minor
The biblical patriarch Jacob, discussed in relation to his story and character.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
minor
Also known as Browning
The Victorian poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning, cited for her poetry and sonnets.
Jesus
minor
Jesus Christ, discussed as a central figure in the Bible and Christian tradition.
Prometheus
minor
Also known as Prometheus Unbound, the Prometheus Unbound
The Titan Prometheus, referenced in Aeschylus and Shelley as a symbol of rebellion.
Burke
minor
Edmund Burke, the statesman and philosopher, cited for his writings on the sublime.
Charles Lamb
minor
Also known as Lamb, Charles
The essayist Charles Lamb, praised for his personal and humorous style.
Cardinal Newman
minor
Also known as Newman
John Henry Newman, the theologian and writer, cited for his prose and ideas.
Christ
minor
Jesus Christ, discussed in biblical and literary contexts as a central figure.
Solomon
minor
The biblical King Solomon, cited for his wisdom and writings.
Odin
minor
Also known as Lidskialf Odin
The Norse god Odin, mentioned in discussions of mythology and literature.
Aeschylus
minor
Also known as the Prometheus of Aeschylus
The Greek tragedian Aeschylus, referenced for his Prometheus Bound.
Adam Smith
minor
Also known as Adam
The economist Adam Smith, cited for his works on moral sentiments and wealth.
Bunyan
minor
John Bunyan, author of The Pilgrim's Progress, discussed as a literary figure.
Ruskin
minor
John Ruskin, the art critic and social thinker, cited for his views on reading.
Hans Christian Andersen
minor
Also known as Christian
The Danish author of fairy tales, referenced for his stories for children.
Zeus
minor
The king of the Greek gods, mentioned in classical and mythological contexts.
Esau
minor
The biblical figure Esau, discussed in relation to his brother Jacob.
Poseidon
minor
The Greek god of the sea, mentioned in Homeric and mythological references.
Carlyle
minor
Thomas Carlyle, the essayist and historian, cited for his style and ideas.
King Lear
minor
Also known as Lear
The tragic Shakespearean king, discussed as a character in literary analysis.
Euripides
minor
The Greek tragedian Euripides, referenced for his plays and characters.
Emerson
minor
Ralph Waldo Emerson, the transcendentalist writer, cited for his essays.
Pindar
minor
The Greek lyric poet Pindar, mentioned for his odes and poetic style.
Gray
minor
Thomas Gray, the poet of the Elegy, cited for his literary contributions.
Keats
minor
John Keats, the Romantic poet, referenced for his odes and poetic theory.
Ruth
minor
The biblical figure Ruth, discussed for her story and character in the Bible.
