The Knot of Vipers

Main Characters and Their Development

• Louis - an old and wealthy merchant who experiences a spiritual and moral crisis. Realizing his proximity to death, he begins to keep a diary, through which his inner world is revealed, filled with resentment towards his own family and society. Over time, he increasingly contemplates the meaning of life and gradually comes to the idea of sincere repentance.
• Isabelle - Louis's wife, a patient and faithful woman who has lived her life in the shadow of her husband, unaware of his true feelings and thoughts. As the plot develops, it becomes clear that her patience and calmness play a key role in Louis's spiritual transformation.
• Louis's children - presented as objects of Louis's resentment and irritation, he sees them primarily as greedy heirs, eager only to seize his wealth. However, by the end of the story, under the influence of changes in Louis's soul, the relationships between him and his children begin to change.