A Profitable Position

Main Characters and Their Development

• Vasily Nikolayevich Zhadov - the main character, a young man striving for an honest and just life. At the beginning of the play, he is an idealist who believes in the possibility of earning a living honestly. However, when faced with reality, he must choose between his principles and material well-being.
• Yulia Pavlovna Tyurina - Zhadov's wife, who supports his pursuit of an honest life but gradually begins to doubt the correctness of this path. Her internal conflict between love for her husband and the desire for material comfort becomes one of the central points of the play.
• Polina Ivanovna Kukushkina - a wealthy widow who offers Zhadov a «profitable position», attempting to seduce him with money and power. She symbolizes the corrupt and cynical side of society.
• Akim Akimovich Vyshnevsky - an official who embodies the careerist and opportunist. He is willing to do anything for his own well-being and serves as a contrast to Zhadov's idealistic views.
• Ivan Ivanovich Belovodov - a friend of Zhadov, who also strives for an honest life, but unlike Zhadov, he is more pragmatic and willing to make compromises.