# Prince Vasily Sheyin — Short Fiction character guide

> Prince Vasily Sheyin in Short Fiction by Aleksandr Kuprin.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Prince Sheyin, Vasily, Prince Vasily Lvovich, Sheyin, Vasily Lvovich

**First appearance:** 0036-i

## Snapshot

A genial, well-meaning prince who hosts the season's gatherings and fusses over his guests, his easy warmth masking a certain lightness of purpose.

## Who they are

Prince Vasily Lvovich moves through the social world of the story as a host and family man, bringing his sister, friends, and notable guests together for Vera's name-day dinner. He is kindly and attentive, but his frivolity and his wife's extravagance sit uneasily beside the quiet dignity of others in the room. His presence establishes the comfortable, slightly hollow world of provincial nobility against which the story's deeper longings and misfortunes will be measured.

## In the story

### [The Bracelet of Garnets](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_se/chapters/the-bracelet-of-garnets)

Vera's husband, whose reaction to the bracelet underscores social class tensions.

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

Vera's husband, who gave her pearl earrings for her birthday and has gone to the city for an urgent engagement, planning to bring friends for dinner.

### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_se/chapters/iv)

Brings his sister Ludmila Lvovna Durasova to the gathering.

### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_se/chapters/v)

Entertains dinner guests with humorous, embellished stories about Nikolay Nikolayevich and Gustav Ivanovich Friesse.

### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_se/chapters/vi)

Prince Vasily entertains guests by showing a comical album, including a story about his wife Vera and a telegraphist, which he presents with calm humor.

### [Chapter VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_se/chapters/viii)

Mentioned as Vera's husband and as having told a story about the telegraphist.

### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_se/chapters/ix)

Sits drawing at the card-table, agrees the bracelet must be returned, and offers to personally confront the admirer.

### [X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_se/chapters/x)

Visits Zheltkov with Tuganovsky; feels sympathy and recognizes the tragedy of Zheltkov's love.

### [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_se/chapters/xi)

Reads Zheltkov's letter and acknowledges the sincerity and magnitude of his love for Vera.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_se/characters/prince_sheyin
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_se/characters