Shadows on the Hudson

Main Characters and Their Development

• The characters in "Shadows on the Hudson" are complex and multifaceted figures, each bearing the imprint of the time and place in which they live. Boris Makover, the central figure of the narrative, appears to the reader as a man torn by inner contradictions and the search for meaning in a world where old values have lost their power. His spiritual wanderings and philosophical reflections become the leitmotif of the entire book.
• Anna, his wife, embodies feminine wisdom and patience, yet she is not free from doubts and anxieties that sometimes overshadow her clear view of life. Her character is a symbol of resilience and loyalty, but also of hidden inner struggle.
• Levin, a family friend, represents an intellectual whose ideas and beliefs are tested in confrontation with reality. His development in the novel is a journey from confidence in his views to the realization of their fragility and relativity.
• Miriam, a young woman whose fate intertwines with the fates of other characters, embodies a thirst for freedom and a desire for self-expression. Her inner world is full of contradictions, but it is these that make her character vivid and dynamic.
• Each of Bashevis Singer's characters is not just a participant in events but also a bearer of deep philosophical and moral questions that the author poses to the reader. Their development is not only personal dramas but also a reflection of the complex processes occurring in society and the world.