Mumu

Main Characters and Their Development

• Gerasim - the main character, a deaf-mute janitor with immense physical strength and a kind heart. He serves the lady faithfully, but his life changes after meeting the dog Mumu, whom he rescues and raises. Gerasim becomes attached to Mumu but is forced to drown her on the lady's orders, which becomes a tragedy and a symbol of his powerlessness.
• The Lady - a wealthy and authoritative landowner, Gerasim's mistress. She is capricious and cruel, and her whims dictate the lives of all her subordinates. The lady orders Gerasim to get rid of Mumu, demonstrating her despotism and indifference to others' feelings.
• Tatyana - a laundress whom Gerasim loves. She is kind and modest, but she is married off to another man by the lady's order, breaking Gerasim's heart and highlighting his powerless position.
• Mumu - the dog rescued and raised by Gerasim. She becomes his only friend and source of joy. Mumu symbolizes purity and loyalty, but her tragic fate underscores the cruelty and injustice of the surrounding world.