# McTeague — McTeague character guide > McTeague in McTeague by Frank Norris. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Doctor McTeague, young McTeague, the dentist, Doc **First appearance:** 0001-mcteague ## Snapshot A huge, simple dentist whose quiet San Francisco life capsizes the moment desire for his friend's cousin walks into his operating chair. ## Who they are McTeague is an unlicensed dentist in a Polk Street flat, a man of enormous hands and small horizons whose pleasures are his concertina, his canary, and his beer. When he falls for Trina Sieppe, the feeling arrives like weather he cannot name or stop, and he confesses it to Marcus with the helplessness of a trapped animal. His slow, brute sincerity is exactly what makes his undoing feel inevitable rather than cruel. ## Relationships ### [Trina Sieppe](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/characters/trina_sieppe) _romantic_ McTeague marries Trina, but their relationship deteriorates into possessiveness and violence. ### [Marcus Schouler](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/characters/marcus_schouler) _rivalry_ Former friends turned bitter enemies after Marcus feels betrayed by McTeague marrying Trina. ### [Maria Macapa](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/characters/maria_macapa) _social_ Maria is a talkative neighbor who interacts with McTeague in the boarding house. ### [Cribbens](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/characters/cribbens) _friendship_ Cribbens is a friend and fellow miner who helps McTeague escape after he kills Trina. ### [Mr. Heise](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/characters/mr_heise) _social_ McTeague and Mr. Heise are casual acquaintances in the same community. ### [Trina Sieppe](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/characters/trina_sieppe) _romantic_ McTeague marries Trina, but their relationship deteriorates into possessiveness and violence. ### [Trina Sieppe](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/characters/trina_sieppe) _romantic_ McTeague marries Trina, but their relationship deteriorates into possessiveness and violence. ### [Maria Macapa](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/characters/maria_macapa) _social_ Maria is a talkative neighbor who interacts with McTeague in the boarding house. ### [Marcus Schouler](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/characters/marcus_schouler) _rivalry_ Former friends turned bitter enemies after Marcus feels betrayed by McTeague marrying Trina. ### [Cribbens](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/characters/cribbens) _friendship_ Cribbens is a friend and fellow miner who helps McTeague escape after he kills Trina. ### [Marcus Schouler](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/characters/marcus_schouler) _rivalry_ Former friends turned bitter enemies after Marcus feels betrayed by McTeague marrying Trina. ### [Mr. Heise](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/characters/mr_heise) _social_ McTeague and Mr. Heise are casual acquaintances in the same community. ## In the story ### [McTeague](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/chapters/mcteague) Introduced as a large, slow-witted dentist who lives a simple, routine life. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/chapters/i) The dentist, a slow, strong man, spends his Sunday in his usual routine of eating, drinking, sleeping, and playing concertina. His past as a miner's son and his rise to dentistry are recounted. ### [Chapter II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/chapters/ii) Prepares gold fillings for the week; reflects on his encounter with Trina and struggles with his hereditary brutishness; proposes marriage to Trina. ### [Chapter III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/chapters/iii) Tormented by desire for Trina and jealousy of Marcus; lies awake at night; gives junk to Maria and she steals his gold. ### [Chapter IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/chapters/iv) Confesses his love for Trina to Marcus, struggles with his own brutishness and doubts his worthiness, and is encouraged by Marcus to call on her. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/chapters/v) Overwhelmed by desire and joy after winning Trina; explores her room with fetishistic reverence. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/chapters/vi) Confidently pursues Trina, overpowering her with his strength; later becomes anxious and flustered while arranging the theatre outing. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/chapters/vii) Struggles to make a speech during the celebration; he is bewildered but pleased by Trina's win. ### [Chapter VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/chapters/viii) Enjoys regular meetings with Trina, discusses marriage plans and finances, but is troubled by the modest interest from her lottery winnings. He is bewildered and hurt by Marcus Schouler's growing hostility. ### [Chapter IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/chapters/ix) Nervous before the wedding; tells Trina about Marcus's attack; feels immense joy of possession after marriage; kisses Trina forcefully. ### [Marriage and Domesticity](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/chapters/x) Shows contentment in marriage, relapses to stolidity, and begins to adopt Trina's refinements and ambitions. ### [Chapter XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/chapters/xi) Participates in the picnic and engages in a brutal fight with Marcus, nearly killing him before being restrained. ### [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/chapters/xii) Sits with Trina in the bay window, is visited by Marcus, and argues with Trina about sending money to her mother. ### [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/chapters/xiii) Receives the notice forbidding him from practicing dentistry; stubbornly refuses to quit despite the legal threat. ### [Chapter XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/chapters/xiv) Stubbornly refuses to sell his concertina and canary, and fights over parting with his steel engraving and stone pug dog. ### [XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/chapters/xv) Grows morose and sulky as he misses the comforts Trina once provided; regresses to old habits like drinking steam beer and playing concertina; loses his job at a surgical instrument manufacturer; becomes verbally aggressive toward Trina. ### [Chapter XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/chapters/xvi) Becomes idle and listless after losing his job; turns to drinking, which makes him vicious; begins pinching and abusing Trina. ### [XVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/chapters/xviii) Grows irritated by Trina's nightmares, becomes physically abusive, takes long solitary walks, and sells his golden tooth sign. ### [Chapter XIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/chapters/xix) McTeague returns to Trina, impoverished and desperate, but is turned away. Later, in a drunken rage, he breaks into the kindergarten, attacks Trina, and steals her entire hoard of five thousand dollars. ### [Chapter XX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/chapters/xx) Returns to the Big Dipper mine, assumes the alias 'Burlington,' and works as a chuck-tender. He feels a primal connection to the mountains and mining life, but his paranoia grows, leading him to flee with his money and canary. ### [XXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/chapters/xxi) Flees through Death Valley, tormented by paranoia and exhaustion; discards his rifle after firing it accidentally; resolves to cross the desert to escape his pursuers. ### [Chapter XXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/chapters/xxii) McTeague is captured by Marcus but ultimately kills him in a fight over the gold, only to be handcuffed to the dead body. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/characters/mcteague - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/mcteague_se/characters