Songs of a Sourdough · Characters
Character guide
Key figures in Songs of a Sourdough by Robert W. Service.
Skim names here — open a free preview to see character cards and Character Web beside the page as you read.
Sam McGee
major
Also known as Sam
A Tennessee prospector who chased Yukon gold despite a bone-deep hatred of cold, and who begs his partner for one final, firelit favor.
Dangerous Dan McGrew
major
Also known as Dan McGrew
The Malamute saloon's notorious gambler, whose casual call for a spread misere sets the music throbbing and the room on edge.
the stranger
major
Also known as the stranger
A dust-glazed man from the creeks who drifts into the Malamute, calls Dan McGrew a hound of hell, and lets his pistols answer for him.
Lou
supporting
The woman at the Malamute whose kiss and pinch of the poke make her the quiet hinge on which Dan McGrew's last night turns.
Kit
supporting
A roving northern narrator who trades the din of London and Paris for salmon rivers, clover, and the long story of the Yukon trail.
Honey
minor
A term of endearment used for a beloved figure in a poem.
Master
minor
Also known as Thou, Thy
A divine or authoritative figure addressed in prayer-like poems.
Cap
minor
A minor character, possibly a captain or leader, mentioned briefly.
