# Sampson Levi — The Grand Babylon Hotel character guide

> Sampson Levi in The Grand Babylon Hotel by Arnold Bennett.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Mr. Sampson Levi, Mr. Levi, Levi

**First appearance:** 0019-xx-mr-sampson-levi-bids-prince-eugen-good-morning

## Snapshot

A Kaffir Circus financier whose lavish Gold Room ball Theodore Racksole nearly forbids, sensing something off about the name and the man behind it.

## Who they are

Levi is a Stock Exchange speculator rich enough to hire out the Grand Babylon's Gold Room for a thousand guests, yet obscure enough that no one can tell Racksole who he really is. His opulent hospitality and his wife's diamonds mark him as exactly the sort of plutocrat Racksole itches to humble. That the ball proceeds at all — and that a hidden window overlooks it — quietly plants Levi in the novel's web of watchfulness and suspicion.

## Relationships

### [Prince Aribert](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/characters/prince_aribert)

_rivalry_

Prince Aribert and Sampson Levi are adversaries, with Levi involved in schemes that threaten the prince.

### [Theodore Racksole](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/characters/theodore_racksole)

_rivalry_

Sampson Levi is a cunning antagonist who opposes Theodore Racksole in a battle of wits and power.

### [Prince Aribert](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/characters/prince_aribert)

_rivalry_

Prince Aribert and Sampson Levi are adversaries, with Levi involved in schemes that threaten the prince.

### [Theodore Racksole](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/characters/theodore_racksole)

_rivalry_

Sampson Levi is a cunning antagonist who opposes Theodore Racksole in a battle of wits and power.

### [Prince Aribert](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/characters/prince_aribert)

_rivalry_

Prince Aribert and Sampson Levi are adversaries, with Levi involved in schemes that threaten the prince.

### [Theodore Racksole](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/characters/theodore_racksole)

_rivalry_

Sampson Levi is a cunning antagonist who opposes Theodore Racksole in a battle of wits and power.

## In the story

### [In the Gold Room](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/vi-in-the-gold-room)

Hosts the ball in the Gold Room with his wife; Racksole considers canceling the event.

### [The Court Pawnbroker](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/xi-the-court-pawnbroker)

A wealthy stockbroker who confronts Racksole about a private detective at his ball and later discusses the disappearance of Prince Eugen.

### [Rocco and Room No. 111](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/xii-rocco-and-room-no-111)

Mentioned as having a conversation with Racksole about Continental politics and Dimmock's death.

### [The Woman with the Red Hat](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/xvi-the-woman-with-the-red-hat)

Mentioned as the source of information about Prince Eugen's million-franc debt.

### [XIX: Royalty at the Grand Babylon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/xix-royalty-at-the-grand-babylon)

Announced at the end of the chapter as arriving for an audience with Prince Eugen.

### [Mr. Sampson Levi Bids Prince Eugen Good Morning](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/xx-mr-sampson-levi-bids-prince-eugen-good-morning)

Refuses to lend the million, citing the broken arrangement.

### [The Return of Félix Babylon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/xxi-the-return-of-f-lix-babylon)

Mentioned as having had an audience with Prince Eugen; Racksole speculates Levi declined to produce the required million.

### [The Confession of Mr. Tom Jackson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/chapters/xxvii-the-confession-of-mr-tom-jackson)

Mentioned as the person Prince Eugen was to meet; the plot aimed to prevent their interview.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/characters/sampson_levi
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_grand_babylon_hotel_se/characters