# Professor Silenus — Decline and Fall character guide

> Professor Silenus in Decline and Fall by Evelyn Waugh.

**Role:** minor

**Also known as:** Otto Friedrich Silenus, Otto Silenus

**First appearance:** 0015-part-ii-ii-interlude-in-belgravia

## Who they are

A modernist architect who designs Margot's house.

## Relationships

### [Margot Beste-Chetwynde](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/characters/margot_beste_chetwynde)

_professional_

Margot hires Professor Silenus as the eccentric architect for her modernist house, King's Thursday, treating him as a fashionable novelty.

### [Paul Pennyfeather](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/characters/paul_pennyfeather)

_social_

Paul meets Professor Silenus at Margot's house, finding him bizarre and intellectually intimidating.

### [Margot Beste-Chetwynde](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/characters/margot_beste_chetwynde)

_professional_

Margot hires Professor Silenus as the eccentric architect for her modernist house, King's Thursday, treating him as a fashionable novelty.

### [Margot Beste-Chetwynde](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/characters/margot_beste_chetwynde)

_professional_

Margot hires Professor Silenus as the eccentric architect for her modernist house, King's Thursday, treating him as a fashionable novelty.

### [Paul Pennyfeather](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/characters/paul_pennyfeather)

_social_

Paul meets Professor Silenus at Margot's house, finding him bizarre and intellectually intimidating.

### [Paul Pennyfeather](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/characters/paul_pennyfeather)

_social_

Paul meets Professor Silenus at Margot's house, finding him bizarre and intellectually intimidating.

## In the story

### [I: King’s Thursday](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/chapters/part-ii-i-king-s-thursday)

Avant-garde architect hired to rebuild King's Thursday; advocates for eliminating the human element from architecture.

### [II: Interlude in Belgravia](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/chapters/part-ii-ii-interlude-in-belgravia)

Mentioned as the architect of King's Thursday, praised for his imaginative work.

### [Pervigilium Veneris](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/chapters/part-ii-iii-pervigilium-veneris)

Expresses disgust at his own architectural creation and interacts with guests.

### [Resurrection](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/chapters/part-ii-iv-resurrection)

Leaves King's Thursday after Potts's visit, eventually collecting his belongings in stages.

### [Resurrection](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/chapters/part-iii-vii-resurrection)

Professor Silenus arrives at the villa, discusses his wheel-of-life philosophy, and later stays for a time.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/characters/professor_silenus
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/characters