Erewhon · Characters
Character guide
Key figures in Erewhon by Samuel Butler.
Skim names here — open a free preview to see character cards and Character Web beside the page as you read.
Narrator
major
Also known as I, myself, my master
An unnamed adventurer who stumbles into Erewhon and records its customs with a straight face, letting absurdity do the work of satire.
Erewhonians
supporting
Also known as the Erewhonians, Erewhonians, the Unborn
A nation that jails the sick, banks with music, and abolished machines for fear of being out-evolved — earnest, pious, and utterly upside down.
Chowbok
supporting
The narrator's sullen native guide, whose superstitious terror of the forbidden pass hints at something worse than statues on the far side.
Arowhena
major
Also known as XVI Arowhena
A young Erewhonian woman whose quiet disregard hides a devotion strong enough to risk death, disgrace, and a one-way flight to England.
Zulora
supporting
The eldest unmarried daughter of the Nosnibors, a devotee of Ydgrun determined to claim the narrator as her rightful husband.
Mrs. Nosnibor
supporting
A wealthy Erewhonian matron whose hospitality comes with expectations — Musical Bank deposits, family alliances, and a daughter married off in order.
Ydgrun
minor
The goddess worshipped by the Erewhonians, representing conventional morality.
Yram
supporting
The jailer's daughter whose quiet decency toward a captive stranger exposes the gap between Erewhon's harsh laws and its people's private kindness.
The Judge
minor
Also known as the judge
A magistrate who presides over Erewhonian trials for illness and misfortune.
Mr. Nosnibor
supporting
A prosperous Erewhonian merchant whose respectable household becomes the narrator's refuge, and whose daughters pull him toward the country's strangest customs.
The Doctor
minor
Also known as the doctor
An Erewhonian physician who treats the narrator during his illness.
Erewhon
minor
The fictional country itself, often personified in discussions of its customs.
The Nosnibors
minor
The family household of Mr. and Mrs. Nosnibor and their daughters.
Thims
minor
Also known as Mr. Thims
An Erewhonian man who hosts the narrator during his stay.
Professors of Unreason
minor
Also known as the Professors of Unreason, Unreason
Academics at the Colleges of Unreason who teach hypothetical logic.
Paley
minor
Also known as Archbishop Paley
A historical figure referenced in discussions of natural theology.
Solomons
minor
Also known as the Solomons
A family or group mentioned in passing in Erewhonian society.
Marquis of Normanby
minor
A historical figure briefly alluded to in the narrative.
Samuel Butler
minor
Also known as Butler
The author, mentioned in the preface and endnotes.
Moses
minor
A biblical figure referenced in the context of Erewhonian beliefs.
Mr. Habakkuk
minor
A minor character mentioned in the Erewhonian legal system.
Mahaina
minor
Also known as XIV Mahaina, the Mahaina
A woman who claims to suffer from alcoholism as a disease.
The Captain
minor
Also known as the captain
The ship captain who transports the narrator at the beginning of his journey.
