The Lower Depths (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: Maxim Gorki
- First Published: 1902
- Type of Work: Play
- Type of Plot: Naturalism
- Time of Work: Late nineteenth century
- Setting: Russia
- Genres: Naturalistic literature, Drama
- Subjects: Freedom, Nineteenth century, Social issues, Yards or backyards, Poverty or poor people, Alcoholism or alcoholics, Substance abuse, Russia or Russian people, Predestination
- Locales: Russia
Characters Discussed
Mikhail Kostilyoff (mih-hah- IHL kohs-tih-LYOHF), the greedy and corrupt landlord of the flophouse in which the characters live and the action takes place. Suspicious of his wife, he trails her constantly. A superstitious hypocrite, he says pious platitudes and then raises the rent on Kleshtch, an impoverished tenant. He cowers before Pepel, to whom he owes money for stolen goods, and he bullies his sister-in-law, Natasha. No one misses him in the slightest when he is killed during a brawl.
Vassilisa Karpovna (vah-sih- LIH-sah kahr-POHV-nah), his...
[The entire page is 1145 words long]
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