Famous Characters in Literature

Famous Characters in Literature

Adam – (1) A character in the Bible; also in ‘Paradise Lost’ by Milton. (2) In Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like It’ – an aged servant of Orlando. (3) In Shakespeare’s ‘Comedy of Errors’ – Officer is known by his dress, a skin coat.

Aladdin – A well known character in the ‘Arabian Nights’, in possession of the magic ring and lamp.

Alice – A little girl in ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and ‘Through the Looking Glass’ by Lewis Carrol.

Ariel – In ‘The Tempest’ by William Shakespeare, an airy Spirit which is controlled by Prospero.

Anna Kerenina – The heroine of the novel of the same name by Leo Tolstoy.

Ancient Mariner – A character in the poem of the same name by S.T. Coleridge, who describes his supernatural experiences to the wedding guests.

Antonio – A character in ‘The merchant of Venice’ by Shakespeare, Shylock the cruel money lender, is bent on taking one pound of flesh from his body.

Bassanio – A friend of Antonio in ‘The Merchant of Venice.’

Beatrix – Heroine in W. M. Thackeray’s novel ‘Henry Esmond.’

Beatrice – Heroine of Shakespeare’s ‘Much Ado about Nothing.’ She plays a delightful role and is famous for her witty dialogues.

Brutus Mercus – The historic character in ‘Julius Caesar’ of Shakespeare. He assassinates his friend Julius Caesar, the Emperor of Rome.

Christian – An allegorical character and hero of ‘The Pilgrim’s Progress’ of John Bunyan.

Clare – Hero of ‘Tess’ by Thomos Hardy.

Cleopatra – The heroine of ‘Antony and Cleopatra’ of Shakespeare. She was the beautiful queen of Egypt. G. B. Shaw also has dramatized her in his ‘Caesar and Cleopatra.’

Cordelia – The faithful and youngest daughter of Lear in Shakespeare’s play ‘King Lear’.

Desdemona – Faithful wife of Othello in Shakespeare’s drama ‘Othello’.

Don Quixote – A famous character in Cervente’s novel of the same name. He is an eccentric figure striking at a wind mill taking it for a giant.

Don Juan – A character in the poem of the same name by Lord Byron.

Dushyanta – Husband of Shakuntala and the hero of the play in Kalidasa’s Abhigyan Shakuntlam.’

Frankenstein – The monster character in the novel of the same name by Mrs. Shelley. His counterpart in Indian mythology is Bhasmasur.

Gora – Hero of the novel of the same name by Dr. Rabindra Nath Tagore.

Hawkins – The hero of R.L. Stevenson’s novel ‘Treasure Island’.

Hyde – The terrifying characters in ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ by R. L. Stevenson.

Macbeth – A model of overweening ambition in Shakespeare’s play the same name.

Micawber – A comic character in Charles Dickens novel ‘David Copperfield.’ He is a type of the optimist for whom something may turn up.

Oliver Twist – A poor orphan boy and hero of Charles Dickens novel of the same name.

Dr. Zhivago – The hero of the novel of the same name by Boris Pasternak. He is shown as a critic of Bolshevism.