Characters[edit]

Barynja- The lady of the house. An old, lonely and bitter widow who adheres to everything in the ancient ways. She cruelly decides and manipulates the fate of her serfs. In the story, she is the contrast to Gerasim, but she too is without love and has grown cruel and isolated (5).

Tatiana – A household laundress. Described as a meek and timid women, with few relations and abundant suffering. Like Gerasim, she is orphaned and alone. She becomes the object of Gerasim’s desire, to which she responds with fear (5). She is ultimately forced by the lady to marry Gavrila.

Kapiton Klimov- The shoemaker in the household, and resident drunkard. He is absorbed by self-pity, and forced by the lady of the house to marry Tatiana, whom he does not love.

Gerasim - The porter in the household and protagonist of the story. Of remarkable size and strength, but deaf and dumb since birth. Gerasim is portrayed as a classical Russian folk figure, as both terrible and wonderful: mighty and sympathetic. He is also a symbol of the peasantry, while also very much his own person. (5)

Mumu- The dog rescued, raised, and pampered by Gerasim. The dog is an orphan, like Tatiana, but unlike her is not afraid of Gerasim, but rather loves him unconditionally (5). She serves as an excellent watch-dog and devoted companion to her master. Ultimately, Gerasim is forced by the lady to drown Mumu in the river after she becomes angered by her rejection and barking. Volchok - The old guard dog that sits chained on the property: he does not try to obtain freedom, unlike Mumu, nor is he ever censured: He is meant to represent the downtrodden peasant (5).

Gavrila Andreevic- The head steward of the household who does his mistress’ bidding while also stealing from her (5).

Liubov Lubimovna - A household maid, who attends to the mistress, as well as an old companion of Gavrila’s who helps him steal from the mistress.

External Links[edit]

Story Text (Russian)
1987 Animated Movie (Russian)
1998 Live-Action Movie (Russian)
Song: "Why did Gerasim Drown Mumu" (Russian)