CAST OF CHARACTERS*

ARISTÁRKH VLADÍMIRYCH VYSHNÉVSKY, a decrepit old man with symptoms of the gout.

ANNA PÁVLOVNA VYSHNÉVSKY (MME. VYSHNEVSKY), his wife, a young woman.

VASÍLY NIKOLÁICH ZHÁDOV, a young man. Vyshnevsky’s nephew.

AKÍM AKÍMYCH YÚSOV, an old official serving under Vyshnevsky.

ONÍSIM PANFÍLYCH BELOGÚBOV, a young official under Yusov.

FELISÁTA GERÁSIMOVNA KUKÚSHKIN (MME. KUKUSHKIN), widow of a collegiate assessor (a rank in the civil service giving the right to hereditary nobility).

JULIE and PAULINE, her daughters.

ANTÓN (ANTÓSHA, ANTÓSHKA), a servant in Vyshnevsky’s home.

STÉSHA, a maidservant in Mme. Kukushkin’s home.

MÝKIN, a teacher. A friend of Zhadov.

DOSÚZHEV.

GRIGÓRY and VASÍLY, waiters.

FIRST and SECOND OFFICIALS.

A BOY SERVANT.

GUESTS and WAITERS in another room (in Act Three).

* Meanings which might be suggested to Ostrovsky’s contemporaries by some of the family names: Vyshnevsky—high; Zhadov—avid, eager; Yusov—legal chicaner; Belogubov—white-lipped; Kukushkin—cuckoo; Mykin—living in need; Dosuzhev—clever.