Characters Discussed
Josef Gross
Josef Gross, the managing director of an anonymous administrative department in a large bureaucratic organization. Stymied by the paralyzing amount of paperwork required by the bureaucracy to effect even the smallest actions, he authorizes the purchase of a new mail register without going through the proper channels. Manipulated by the conniving deputy director for taking this initiative, he gradually becomes enmeshed in a bureaucratic nightmare, in which he will be perceived as guilty of illegal conduct no matter what course of action he chooses. A major source of frustration during this process is his struggle to stem the introduction of a new bureaucratic language called “Ptydepe.” Ostensibly intended to make office communications more accurate and precise, this nonsensical artificial language represents the supreme symbol of a faceless, insensitive bureaucratic order with instructions that have the effect of dehumanizing individuals and reducing them to mindless automatons. Outsmarted by his deputy, Gross is coerced first into changing jobs with the deputy and then into resigning because of his hostile attitude toward Ptydepe. After a short stint as the “staff watcher,” whose duties consist of monitoring the actions and words of the staff from a secret vantage point, Gross is restored to his original post by the collapse of the pro-Ptydepe movement. Having been returned to his position, however, Gross finds that his authority is essentially a matter of form and not of substance. As the play closes, he finds himself unable to help the sole member of his organization who had shown kindness to him, a secretary named Maria.
Jan Ballas
Jan Ballas, Gross’s manipulative deputy director. Having introduced Ptydepe into the organization surreptitiously, Ballas succeeds in blackmailing Gross to resign from his position, yet he too discovers that power is a fleeting illusion. When Ptydepe proves to be an utter failure, Ballas hands over the reins of power to Gross but continues to use the twin levers of coercion and zeal to remain firmly entrenched in the bureaucracy.
Maria
Maria, a secretary at the translation center. Her faithful devotion to the regulations introduced by others finally gives way to simpler and deeper emotions of kindness and sympathy for her harassed superior Gross. After she helps Gross by illegally translating an official memorandum denouncing Ptydepe, she is forced to leave the office staff. Gross feels too cowed by the weight of the bureaucracy to resist her dismissal.
George
George, the original staff watcher whose position Gross temporarily occupies. He denounces Maria after he overhears her making the unauthorized translation.
Mark Lear
Mark Lear, a teacher of Ptydepe. Obsessed with the language and its strange rules, Lear tries to instruct his hapless pupils in the nuances of Ptydepe. A stern instructor, he dismisses anyone who makes a mistake. As a consequence, he eventually ends up teaching to an empty classroom.
Otto Small
Otto Small, the head of the translation center. He will not translate any document written in Ptydepe without authorization from Dr. Savant, the Ptydepe expert. He and Dr. Savant spend much of their time discussing food and women.
Alex Savant
Alex Savant, the staff Ptydepe expert. He will not authorize any translation without proper registration documents from Helena, the chair of the translation center.
Helena
Helena, the chair of the translation center. She will not issue any registration documents unless a staff member has a memorandum already translated from Ptydepe; thus, the vicious circle of bureaucratic paralysis closes.
Characters
Jan Ballas
Jan Ballas serves as the deputy director of the organization, working under managing director Josef Gross. Accompanied by his quiet and constant ally, Ferdinand Pillar—who is later replaced...
(This entire section contains 936 words.)
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by Mr. Column—Ballas works to undermine Gross's authority. He is a cold and strategic individual, always looking to expand his influence. Ballas initiates the introduction of Ptydepe and, by resorting to blackmail, dismisses Gross's objections. This maneuver secures Ballas the position of managing director. However, once in power, Pillar begins to betray him, leading Ballas to become increasingly paranoid. He also becomes entangled in the bureaucratic complexities of translating documents in Ptydepe. After Gross regains his original role, Ballas manages to retain his position due to his previous strategic moves. Although Gross would prefer to remove him entirely, Ballas's blackmail ensures he remains deputy director.
Mr. Column
Mr. Column steps in as Ballas’s loyal companion and silent supporter in scene 10, following Pillar’s outburst.
George
George functions as the office's staff observer. Positioned in the space between the offices, he monitors everyone's activities. George can communicate with staff members through a small opening in the wall. After Ballas dismisses Gross, George temporarily assumes the role of deputy director. Gross takes over as staff observer for a period as well. When Gross is reinstated as managing director, George returns to his role as staff observer. It is George who discovers Maria translating the memorandum for Gross, which results in her dismissal.
Josef Gross
Josef Gross is the primary character in The Memorandum. He holds the position of managing director within the organization, though his authority is frequently challenged and seems limited. Gross receives a memorandum written in the new artificial language, Ptydepe, and becomes frustrated when organizational bureaucracy and staff apathy prevent its translation. His authority is further undermined by his deputy director, Ballas, who introduces the language without Gross's consent. Gross agrees to step down to the deputy position and is subsequently dismissed by Ballas. He later reclaims the managing directorship by persuading Maria to translate the memorandum, which commends Gross's human approach in the office. At the play's conclusion, Gross refuses to reverse Ballas’s decision to fire Maria, allowing her dismissal even though she helped him reclaim his position. Gross's authority is firmly established.
Hana
Hana serves as the managing director's secretary. She accomplishes little actual work, spending most of her time brushing her hair and running errands for food. Although Hana occasionally provides information to Gross and later to Ballas, her contributions are minimal.
Helena
Helena holds a position at the translation center as a chairperson of an unspecified committee. Like Stroll and Savant, she is a detached part of the bureaucratic system, adhering to rules to secure her job. Helena often sends Maria to fetch food and attends birthday parties while flirting with colleagues. She declines to assist Gross in translating his memorandum.
Mark Lear
Mark Lear teaches Ptydepe in the language classroom. He extensively discusses the language's background in an attempt to educate his clerk-students. He offers to translate Gross’s memorandum as a class exercise, but only if Gross demonstrates genuine interest in learning. Lear decides Gross lacks sincerity and refuses to translate the document.
Maria
Maria serves as a secretary in the translation center and is frequently tasked by Helena to run errands for food. Though she aims to keep her job, Maria is more compassionate and humane than most of her colleagues. When Gross loses his position, she secures a theater job for him, showcasing her kindness, even though he does not accept it. Sympathetic to Gross’s plight, Maria eventually translates the memorandum for him, despite it being against the rules. George, the staff observer, overhears her. After Gross regains his role as managing director, he does not reverse Ballas’s decision to fire Maria for translating the document. Encouraged by Gross's "kind" words, Maria leaves the organization cheerfully.
Ferdinand Pillar
Ferdinand Pillar is the silent, ever-present companion of Ballas, appearing to be his loyal ally. After Ballas takes over as managing director, Pillar departs with several employees from the translation center, seemingly plotting against Ballas. This perceived betrayal disturbs Ballas. When Gross reassumes the managing director role and Ballas is about to expose Pillar’s betrayal regarding the decline of Ptydepe, Pillar speaks for the first time, advocating for natural human speech. He then exits and does not return, with Mr. Column taking his place as Ballas’s silent partner.
Alex Savant
Alex Savant, a graduate Ptydepist, is part of the translation office. Similar to Stroll and Helena, Savant is an indifferent component of the bureaucracy, following rules to maintain his employment. He enjoys having lunch, attending office parties, and discussing women. Savant refuses to translate Gross’s memorandum without the necessary authorization. He frequently speaks in Ptydepe but eventually admits that no one truly knows the language well.
Otto Stroll
Otto Stroll leads the organization's translation center. Similar to Savant and Helena, he is an apathetic bureaucrat who strictly adheres to the rules, prioritizing his own job security. Stroll does not assist Gross in his attempts to have the memorandum translated, aside from outlining the regulations. Additionally, he refuses to share his cigars with Gross. Stroll is more interested in enjoying lunch, attending office birthday celebrations, and discussing women.
Peter Thumb
Peter Thumb is an enthusiastic clerk and student in Lear's language class. Thumb frequently asks questions and, at one point, is expelled from the class for disrupting the learning of other students. By then, he is the only one remaining. Thumb may not be particularly intelligent, but he is very eager.
