# Dom Manuel — Figures of Earth character guide

> Dom Manuel in Figures of Earth by James Branch Cabell.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Manuel, young Manuel, Squinting Manuel, Count Manuel, Messire Manuel, Tall Manuel, el jove Manuel, Manuel the Redeemer

**First appearance:** 0008-i-how-manuel-left-the-mire

## Snapshot

A squinting swineherd bound by a geas to carve himself into a figure the world will remember, whatever the cost to those who love him.

## Who they are

Manuel rises from pig-keeper to Count of Poictesme, yet the old romancers narrate him always at arm's length, as though his cool water-demon blood kept even his admirers from wholly trusting him. His driving obsession is the geas laid on him to make an admirable and significant figure in the world, and he pursues it through image-making, marriage, and conquest with a stubborn, unloquacious egotism. That ambiguous hunger, and the question of what he will sacrifice to it, is the engine of the whole comedy.

## Relationships

### [Freydis](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/characters/freydis)

_romantic_

A passionate and tumultuous love affair, marked by intense desire and eventual betrayal, as Freydis is a supernatural being who both aids and challenges Manuel.

### [Niafer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/characters/niafer)

_family_

Manuel's loyal and long-suffering wife, who endures his absences and infidelities while remaining the anchor of his domestic life.

### [King Ferdinand](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/characters/king_ferdinand)

_professional_

Manuel serves as King Ferdinand's champion and later son-in-law, a relationship of feudal obligation and political maneuvering.

### [Alianora](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/characters/alianora)

_romantic_

A brief but intense romantic entanglement with the Queen of Provence, driven by mutual attraction and political ambition.

### [Miramon Lluagor](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/characters/miramon_lluagor)

_rivalry_

A sorcerer and antagonist who competes with Manuel for power and control over magical forces, often opposing his goals.

### [The Head of Misery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/characters/the_head_of_misery)

_psychological_

A mystical, severed head that torments Manuel with prophecies and existential dread, representing his inner guilt and fate.

### [Sesphra of the Dreams](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/characters/sesphra_of_the_dreams)

_psychological_

A dream-like figure who embodies Manuel's subconscious desires and fears, guiding him through surreal visions.

### [Melicent](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/characters/melicent)

_family_

Manuel's daughter, whom he loves deeply but often neglects due to his quests, creating a strained paternal bond.

### [Sister Math](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/characters/sister_math)

_professional_

A wise nun who serves as Manuel's advisor and spiritual guide, offering counsel on matters of morality and destiny.

### [Grandfather Death](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/characters/grandfather_death)

_psychological_

A personification of death who haunts Manuel, representing his mortality and the inevitable end of his heroic journey.

### [Ruric](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/characters/ruric)

_friendship_

A loyal companion and fellow knight who fights alongside Manuel, sharing adventures and dangers.

### [Horvendile](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/characters/horvendile)

_friendship_

A mysterious, otherworldly figure who acts as a guide and ally, helping Manuel navigate magical realms.

## In the story

### [Epigraph](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/epigraph)

Referenced in the epigraph as 'jove Manuel,' the young and most valiant of the worthy.

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/i)

Looms obscurely in the background of the Popular Tales, dispensing justice and arranging the future for survivors of other stories.

### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/ii)

The central figure of the legends, a historical chieftain of Poictesme whose story is blended with the Dirghic Manu-Elul.

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/iii)

Compared to Achilles; portrayed from the outside with aloofness and ambiguity; his nature is tinctured with the cool unhumanness of his father the water-demon.

### [Figures of Earth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/figures-of-earth)

Introduced as a young swineherd, driven by an unexplained obligation to leave his home and pursue greatness.

### [Part I: The Book of Credit](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/part-i-the-book-of-credit)

Manuel is the recipient of the magician's offer, being shown the books of necromancy.

### [I: How Manuel Left the Mire](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/i-how-manuel-left-the-mire)

Introduced as a young swineherd, content and well-liked, but bound by a geas from his mother to make a figure in the world. He leaves his pigs to seek adventure.

### [II: Niafer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/ii-niafer)

Manuel, young and confident, initiates the adventure to rescue Lady Gisèle and repeatedly praises Niafer's cleverness.

### [Ascent of Vraidex](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/iii-ascent-of-vraidex)

Reveals his parentage to Niafer, claiming Oriander the Swimmer as his father and Dorothy of the White Arms as his mother. Praises Niafer's cleverness and dreads their future fight.

### [IV: In the Doubtful Palace](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/iv-in-the-doubtful-palace)

Arrives at the doubtful palace, brandishes Flamberge, and renounces wealth for Niafer.

### [V: The Eternal Ambuscade](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/v-the-eternal-ambuscade)

Manuel chooses to let Niafer die rather than sacrifice himself, revealing his self-preservation and ambition. He later weeps for her, showing deep love and regret.

### [VI: Economics of Math](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/vi-economics-of-math)

Returns to Math after his encounter at the pool, brooding over his adventures and his desire for something beyond pig-keeping.

### [VII: The Crown of Wisdom](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/vii-the-crown-of-wisdom)

Manuel sells a goose feather as the Zhar-Ptitza's feather, receives ten thousand sequins, and sculpts a figure of King Helmas, but is driven by a geas to seek his own ideal figure.

### [VIII: The Halo of Holiness](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/viii-the-halo-of-holiness)

Arrives at King Ferdinand's court, cleverly uses a goose feather to gain the title Count of Poictesme, and models a clay figure of Ferdinand, but remains inwardly questioning.

### [The Feather of Love](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/ix-the-feather-of-love)

Manuel returns to Alianora with a goose-feather, successfully deceiving the court. He marries Alianora, but feels misery despite his triumph.

### [Part II: The Book of Spending](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/part-ii-the-book-of-spending)

Manuel is driven by hearsay and desire, using his cunning to cross through fire to meet the Queen.

### [X: Alianora](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/x-alianora)

Betrothed to Alianora but still preoccupied with his geas and the memory of Niafer; he models a third clay image combining his and Alianora's features.

### [XI: Magic of the Apsarasas](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/xi-magic-of-the-apsarasas)

Seeks wisdom from the birds and the Zhar-Ptitza, driven by a geas to create a splendid young man.

### [Ice and Iron](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/xii-ice-and-iron)

Manuel coldly accepts Alianora's marriage to the King of England, focusing on his geas to create images. He bids her a sad farewell, calling their love 'lust, not love,' and resolves to seek King Helmas's help.

### [XIII: What Helmas Directed](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/xiii-what-helmas-directed)

Seeks King Helmas's advice on his images and performs the summoning ritual for Queen Freydis.

### [XIV: They Duel on Morven](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/xiv-they-duel-on-morven)

Traps Freydis, seeks the secret of animating images, destroys the enclosure's protections, and declares his love for Freydis.

### [XV: Bandages for the Victor](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/xv-bandages-for-the-victor)

Reveals his love for Freydis is genuine despite the prearranged scheme; burns his hand in a noble gesture and accepts her care.

### [Part III: The Book of Cast Accounts](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/part-iii-the-book-of-cast-accounts)

Manuel speaks to Misery, declaring the divine and unchangeable nature of his love.

### [XVI: Freydis](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/xvi-freydis)

Lives with Freydis on Upper Morven, shows reluctance to pursue political ambitions, and struggles to express love in a way that satisfies Freydis, still comparing her unfavorably to Niafer.

### [XVII: Magic of the Image-Makers](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/xvii-magic-of-the-image-makers)

Manuel wrestles with the price of image-making magic, fears acquiring the traits of the enchanters, and reveals profound loneliness and doubt about his own identity and the possibility of genuine connection.

### [XVIII: Manuel Chooses](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/xviii-manuel-chooses)

Explains his disuse of Schamir and image-making, questions Freydis about raising the dead, and secretly departs from Freydis.

### [XIX: The Head of Misery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/xix-the-head-of-misery)

Manuel encounters a knight, kills him, then summons and feeds the Head of Misery.

### [XX: The Month of Years](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/xx-the-month-of-years)

Serves Misery for a month of days that pass as years, aging rapidly; debates the nature of misery and the immortality of the soul.

### [XXI: Touching Repayment](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/xxi-touching-repayment)

Manuel negotiates with Misery for Niafer's return, using knowledge from Alianora and Freydis to fashion a new body for her.

### [XXII: Return of Niafer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/xxii-return-of-niafer)

Sits at the feet of an image playing a flageolet, experiencing a vision of Niafer and Misery.

### [Manuel Gets His Desire](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/xxiii-manuel-gets-his-desire)

Now an aging nobleman, Manuel uses the tune from Suskind to resurrect Niafer, but pays the price of his youth. He becomes pragmatic, cautious, and self-complacent, yet retains his lordliness and desire to see the world.

### [XXIV: Three Women](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/xxiv-three-women)

Now an old gentleman, he meets Freydis and Alianora on the road, reaffirms his love for Niafer, and is summoned by both queens for future needs.

### [Part IV: The Book of Surcharge](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/part-iv-the-book-of-surcharge)

Manuel is the craftsman who carves gods and idols to preside over the subjections of his lifetime, deliberately including a blemish in each.

### [Affairs in Poictesme](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/xxv-affairs-in-poictesme)

Manuel is persuaded by Niafer to give up his wandering and instead conquer Poictesme; he secures troops from King Ferdinand by demonstrating shrewd judgment, then leads a campaign relying on Tohil Vaca's military expertise and his own rhetoric.

### [Deals with the Stork](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/xxvi-deals-with-the-stork)

Manuel arranges for children via the stork, demonstrating his resourcefulness and adherence to Philistine customs.

### [XXVII: They Come to Sargyll](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/xxvii-they-come-to-sargyll)

Arrives at Sargyll with Niafer, seeks Freydis's help, and discusses his past creations and the impending birth of his child.

### [XXVIII: How Melicent Was Welcomed](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/xxviii-how-melicent-was-welcomed)

Becomes a father to Melicent; tries to placate Niafer and later declines Freydis's feast, reflecting on domestic joys.

### [XXIX: Sesphra of the Dreams](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/xxix-sesphra-of-the-dreams)

Manuel is tempted by Sesphra, confesses his disillusionment with love and marriage, and agrees to abandon his family.

### [XXX: Farewell to Freydis](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/xxx-farewell-to-freydis)

Gray and staid, Manuel is confronted by Freydis about his past and his creation of Sesphra. He shows remorse and self-loathing but maintains composure.

### [XXXI: Statecraft](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/xxxi-statecraft)

Negotiates with Miramon Lluagor to reclaim Poictesme, accepts Horvendile as overlord, and reflects on his obligations to provide for his wife and child.

### [The Redemption of Poictesme](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/xxxii-the-redemption-of-poictesme)

Submits to a messianic ritual, suffers for three days, and emerges as 'Manuel the Redeemer' to lead the redemption of Poictesme.

### [Part V: The Book of Settlement](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/part-v-the-book-of-settlement)

Reigning in virtue and honor, beloved and feared, maintaining his land.

### [Now Manuel Prospers](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/xxxiii-now-manuel-prospers)

Now a powerful count, Manuel prospers but is secretly troubled by the cult of Sesphra and the memory of Freydis. He receives a goose-feather from Alianora and prepares to travel to England, reflecting on lost youth and love.

### [XXXIV: Farewell to Alianora](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/xxxiv-farewell-to-alianora)

Travels to England to fulfill an obligation to Alianora; negotiates the transfer of the stork's note for a baby boy; returns to Poictesme and recounts the visit to Niafer.

### [The Troubling Window](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/xxxv-the-troubling-window)

Now a settled nobleman, troubled by a mysterious window and the loss of his adventurous spirit; he strangles his clerk Ruric for rebellion.

### [XXXVI: Excursions from Content](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/xxxvi-excursions-from-content)

Grows restless and disillusioned with his prosperous life; opens the third window of Ageus and ventures into the gray nothingness, returning changed; reluctantly goes to war against the Easterlings but refuses King Theodoret's offer of marriage; spends more time alone in the Room of Ageus.

### [XXXVII: Opinions of Hinzelmann](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/xxxvii-opinions-of-hinzelmann)

Reflects on the geas of obligation and the emptiness of his success, expressing a longing for Suskind and a deep attachment to his daughter Melicent.

### [XXXVIII: Farewell to Suskind](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/xxxviii-farewell-to-suskind)

Manuel performs his grimmest deed, slaying Suskind to save his daughter Melicent, and reflects on the death of his own youthful idealism.

### [The Passing of Manuel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/xxxix-the-passing-of-manuel)

Confronts his mortality, defends his heroic deeds, but admits to a life of striving without true contentment. Chooses death over sacrificing his daughter.

### [XL: Colophon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/chapters/xl-colophon)

Manuel rides with Grandfather Death to the river Lethe, where his memories are washed away, and he is transformed into a young boy.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/characters/dom_manuel
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/figures_of_earth_se/characters