# Short Fiction — Character guide

> Key figures in Short Fiction by Nikolai Gogol.

- [Ivan Ivanovitch](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/ivan_ivanovitch.md): A respectable landowner in Mirgorod who quarrels with his neighbor over a gun.
- [Ivan Nikiforovitch](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/ivan_nikiforovitch.md): A landowner whose insult to Ivan Ivanovitch sparks a long legal feud.
- [Taras Bulba](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/taras_bulba.md): A fierce Cossack colonel who leads his sons into battle against the Poles.
- [Akaki Akakievitch](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/akaki_akakievitch.md): A poor copying clerk whose overcoat is stolen, driving him to despair.
- [Andrii](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/andrii.md): Taras Bulba's younger son who betrays the Cossacks for love of a Polish girl.
- [Ostap](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/ostap.md): Taras Bulba's elder son, a brave Cossack who is captured and executed.
- [Major Kovaloff](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/kovaloff.md): A vain civil servant who wakes up to find his nose has vanished.
- [Tchartkoff](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/tchartkoff.md): A struggling artist who becomes corrupted by a mysterious portrait.
- [Thomas Brutus](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/the_philosopher_thomas.md): A seminary student sent to pray over a witch's body in a haunted church.
- [Afanasii Ivanovich Tovstogub](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/afanasii_ivanovich.md): An elderly, kindly landowner living a quiet life with his wife.
- [Pulcheria Ivanovna](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/pulcheria_ivanovna.md): The devoted wife of Afanasii Ivanovich, who dotes on him and her home.
- [Levko Makohonenko](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/levko.md): A young Cossack who wins his love with help from a drowned maiden.
- [Oxana](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/oxana.md): A proud beauty who demands the slippers from the Tsaritsa as a wedding gift.
- [Blacksmith Vakoola](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/vakoola.md): A blacksmith who rides the devil to St. Petersburg to win Oxana's love.
- [Solokha](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/solokha.md): A witch and mother of Vakoola who entertains several suitors in sacks.
- [Yankel](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/yankel.md): A Jewish merchant who negotiates with Taras Bulba and knows the Cossacks.
- [Koschevoi](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/the_koschevoi.md): The elected leader of the Zaporozhian Cossack camp.
- [Pythagoras Pythagoravitch Tchertokoutski](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/pythagoras_pythagoravitch.md): A landowner who borrows a calash and gets into a comical predicament.
- [Andrei Petrovitch](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/andrei_petrovitch.md): A young man whose sanity unravels in his diary entries.
- [Ivan Jakovlevitch](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/ivan_jakovlevitch.md): A barber who finds Major Kovaloff's nose in his breakfast bread.
- [The General](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/the_general.md): A high-ranking officer who rebuffs Kovaloff's attempts to report his missing nose.
- [The Artist](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/the_artist.md): A painter who creates the mysterious portrait that corrupts its owner.
- [The Colonel](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/the_colonel.md): A Cossack commander in Taras Bulba's campaign.
- [The Constable](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/the_constable.md): A local official involved in the quarrel between the two Ivans.
- [The Judge](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/the_judge.md): The district judge of Mirgorod who presides over the Ivans' lawsuit.
- [Anton Prokofievitch Pupopuz](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/anton_prokofievitch.md): A friend of Ivan Ivanovitch who tries to mediate the quarrel.
- [Hanna Petritchenka](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/hanna.md): The beautiful girl loved by Levko in the May Night story.
- [The Village Headman](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/the_headman.md): The stern headman of the village in May Night, father of Levko's rival.
- [The Drowned Girl](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/the_drowned_girl.md): A ghostly maiden who helps Levko in exchange for finding her witch-stepmother.
- [The Fat Patzuck](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/patzuck.md): A Cossack magician who eats dumplings magically and advises Vakoola.
- [The Devil](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/the_devil.md): A mischievous demon who steals the moon and is ridden by Vakoola.
- [Basavriuk](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/basavriuk.md): A demonic figure who tempts a man to sell his soul for gold.
- [Peter](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/peter.md): A poor man who makes a pact with Basavriuk for treasure.
- [Pidorka](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/pidorka.md): Peter's beloved, who grieves after his mysterious disappearance.
- [Ivan Pererépenko](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/ivan_pererepenko.md): A landowner who testifies in the quarrel between the two Ivans.
- [The Czarina](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/the_czarina.md): The Empress who gives Vakoola the slippers for Oxana.
- [Kalenik](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/kalenik.md): A drunken Cossack who wanders into the wrong house at night.
- [The Lyakhs](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/the_lyakhs.md): Polish nobles and soldiers who fight against the Cossacks.
- [Kukubenko](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/kukubenko.md): A brave Cossack leader who dies in battle against the Poles.
- [Demid Popovitch](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/demid_popovitch.md): A witty Cossack who taunts the enemy during the siege.
- [Borodaty](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/borodaty.md): A Cossack known for his beard, killed in battle.
- [Schilo](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/schilo.md): A Cossack who escapes from Polish captivity.
- [Balaban](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/balaban.md): A Cossack who dies heroically in the final battle.
- [Stepan Guska](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/stepan_guska.md): A Cossack who is captured and executed by the Poles.
- [Osaul Tovkatch](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/tovkatch.md): A Cossack officer who brings news to Taras Bulba.
- [Bovdug](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/bovdug.md): An old Cossack who gives advice before the final battle.
- [The Waiwode of Dubno](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/the_waiwode.md): The Polish governor of Dubno, father of the beautiful Pole.
- [The Beautiful Pole](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/the_beautiful_pole.md): A Polish noblewoman loved by Andrii, who betrays the Cossacks for her.
- [Terentiy Korzh](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/korzh.md): A wealthy Cossack who opposes his daughter's love for a poor blacksmith.
- [The Doctor](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/the_doctor.md): A physician who examines the madman in Memoirs of a Madman.
- [Sophie](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/sophie.md): The daughter of a general, loved by the mad clerk Poprishchin.
- [Madame Podtotchina](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/madame_podtotchina.md): A woman suspected by Kovaloff of causing his nose to vanish.
- [The Officer](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/the_officer.md): A police officer who returns Kovaloff's nose to him.
- [The Servants](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/the_servants.md): Household staff in various stories, often comic figures.
- [A Maidservant](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/a_maidservant.md): A maid in the Tovstogub household who helps with chores.
- [Gapka](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/gapka.md): A servant in the household of the two Ivans.
- [Agafya Fedosyevna](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/agafya_fedosyevna.md): A gossipy woman who fuels the quarrel between the two Ivans.
- [Mr. Notary](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/the_notary.md): A notary involved in the legal proceedings of the two Ivans.
- [Cheptchicha](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/cheptchicha.md): A woman who appears in the quarrel narrative.
- [Mikita](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/mikita.md): A Cossack mentioned in passing during the battle scenes.
- [Jew](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/jew.md): A Jewish merchant who appears briefly in Taras Bulba.
- [The Tatar](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/the_tatar.md): A Tatar servant who brings news to the Cossack camp.
- [The Viy](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/the_viy.md): A monstrous creature summoned by the witch in the church.
- [Father Kondrat](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/father_kondrat.md): A priest who performs rites in the Viy story.
- [Thoma Grigorovitch](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/thoma_grigorovitch.md): A church elder who tells stories in the Dikanka cycle.
- [Meggy](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/meggy.md): A dog mentioned in the story of the two Ivans.
- [The Stranger](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/the_stranger.md): A mysterious figure who appears in St. John's Eve.
- [The Colonel's Wife](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/the_colonel_wife.md): The wife of a colonel in the quarrel story.
- [Lise](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/lise.md): A young woman in the Memoirs of a Madman.
- [Petrovitch](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/petrovitch.md): A tailor who makes Akaki's new overcoat.
- [The Important Personage](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters/the_important_personage.md): A general who rebukes Akaki and later feels remorse.

HTML index: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_40_se/characters