The Devil

Main Characters and Their Development

• Yevgeny Irtenyev - the main character, a young landowner who returns to his family estate after his father's death and begins managing the property. He faces an internal conflict between duty and passion when he falls in love with the peasant woman Stepanida. His struggle with temptation and moral dilemmas leads to tragic consequences.
• Stepanida - a peasant woman with whom Yevgeny has an affair. She symbolizes both temptation and the simplicity of rural life for him. Her relationship with Yevgeny significantly influences his inner world and decisions.
• Liza - Yevgeny's fiancée, with whom he plans to start a family. She represents the ideal of virtue and family happiness, but her image pales in comparison to Yevgeny's passion for Stepanida.