Character guide

Peredonov

major

Also known as Varvara Peredonov, Varvara, Councillor Peredonov, General Peredonov

A paranoid schoolteacher whose delusions drive the plot.

Sasha Pilnikov

major

Also known as Sasha, Pilnikov, Aleksandr Pilnikov, Mademoiselle Pilnikov

A young student who becomes the object of affection and intrigue.

Pavel Volodin

supporting

Also known as Volodin, Pavel Vassilyevitch Volodin, Pavel Vassilyevitch, Vassilyevitch

Peredonov's friend and frequent foil, often mocked.

Liudmilla

supporting

Also known as Liudmilla Platonovna, Liudmillotchka

A flirtatious young woman who pursues Sasha.

Varvara

supporting

Also known as Varvara Dmitrievna, Varvara Dmitrievna Maloshina, Varya, Vara

Peredonov's wife, scheming and discontented.

Natalya Vershina

supporting

Also known as Natalya Afanasyevna Vershina, Vershina, Natalya

A landowner and matchmaker in the town.

Marta

supporting

Also known as Marta Stanislavovna

A young woman involved in local social circles.

Grushina

supporting

Also known as Marya Ossipovna Grushina, Marya Ossipovna, Marya

A gossipy and often drunken woman.

Valeria Routilov

supporting

Also known as Routilov, Valeria

One of the Routilov sisters, known for her cunning.

Nadezhda Adamenko

supporting

Also known as Nadezhda Vassilyevna Adamenko, Nadezhda Vassilyevna, Adamenko

A young woman courted by several men.

Ardalyon

supporting

Also known as Ardalyon Borisitch, Borisitch, Ardasha

A local landowner and friend of Peredonov.

Olga Kokovkina

supporting

Also known as Olga Vassilyevna, Olga Vassilyevna Kokovkina, Kokovkina

A respectable woman in town, mother of a student.

Nikolai Khripatch

supporting

Also known as Nikolai Vlasyevitch, Nikolai Vlasyevitch Khripatch, Khripatch

A local official and father of a student.

The Headmaster

supporting

The school headmaster, a figure of authority.

Misha Koudryavtsev

supporting

Also known as Misha, Mishenka

A young student and friend of Sasha.

Prepolovenskaya

supporting

Also known as Efimovna Prepolovenskaya

A matchmaker and busybody in the town.

Aleksandr Veriga

supporting

Also known as Aleksandr Mikhailovitch Veriga, Veriga, Aleksandr

A local nobleman and landowner.

Vladya

minor

Also known as Vladislav

A young boy, often seen with other children.

Darya

minor

Also known as Dashenka

A servant in the Peredonov household.

Skouchayev

minor

Also known as Yakov Anikyevitch Skouchayev, Yakov Anikyevitch

A local merchant and acquaintance of Peredonov.

Mourin

minor

A mysterious figure who haunts Peredonov's thoughts.

Julia Goudayevskaya

minor

Also known as Julia, Goudayevskaya

A young woman, daughter of the notary.

Antosha

minor

A young boy, possibly a student.

Klavdia

minor

Also known as Klavdiushka

A young woman, possibly a servant.

Madame Khripatch

minor

Also known as Khripatch

Wife of Nikolai Khripatch.

Ershova

minor

A local woman, possibly a servant.

Goudayevsky

minor

Also known as Nikolai Mikhailovitch Goudayevsky, Nikolai Mikhailovitch

The town notary.

Machigin

minor

A local man, possibly a tradesman.

Bengalsky

minor

A local official or merchant.

Avinovitsky

minor

Also known as Aleksandr Alekseyevitch, Aleksandr Alekseyevitch Avinovitsky

A teacher at the local school.

Ekaterina Pilnikova

minor

Also known as Ekaterina Ivanovna Pilnikova, Ekaterina Ivanovna

Sasha Pilnikov's mother.

Ivan Kirillov

minor

Also known as Ivan Stepanovitch Kirillov, Kirillov

A local man, possibly a teacher.

The Headmaster's Wife

minor

Wife of the school headmaster.

Tishkov

minor

A local man, possibly a servant.

Minchukov

minor

Also known as Semyon Grigoryevitch, Semyon Grigoryevitch Minchukov

A local man, possibly a teacher.

Inspector Bogdanov

minor

Also known as Bogdanov, Sergey Potapovitch Bogdanov

A school inspector.

Pavloushka

minor

A young boy, possibly a student.

Kramarenko

minor

Also known as Yosif Kramarenko, Yosif

A local man, possibly a tradesman.

Princess Volchanskaya

minor

Also known as The Princess, Princess

A noblewoman who visits the town.

Cherepnin

minor

A local man, possibly a landowner.

Roubovsky

minor

Also known as Lieutenant-Colonel Nikolai Vadimovitch Roubovsky

A military officer stationed in town.

Prepolovensky

minor

Husband of Prepolovenskaya.

Larissa

minor

A young woman, possibly a servant.

Falastov

minor

A local man, possibly a merchant.

Trepetov

minor

Also known as Georgiy Semenovitch Trepetov, Georgiy Semenovitch

A local official.

Madame Shteven

minor

A local woman, possibly a widow.

Skobotchkina

minor

A local woman, possibly a servant.

Vladimir Boultyakov

minor

Also known as Vladimir

A local man, possibly a student.

Avdeyev

minor

A local man, possibly a servant.

Kashtanova

minor

A local woman.

Sofya Efimovna

minor

Also known as Sofya

A local woman, possibly a servant.

Vitkevitch

minor

A local man, possibly a student.

Sourovtsev

minor

Also known as Evgeny Ivanovitch, Evgeny Ivanovitch Sourovtsev

A local man, possibly a teacher.

Nika

minor

A young boy, possibly a student.

Nartanovitch

minor

A local man, possibly a student.

Marfushka

minor

A servant girl.

Anna Mikhailovna

minor

A local woman, possibly a relative of a character.

Ignaty

minor

A local man, possibly a servant.