The Man of Destiny · Characters
Character guide
Key figures in The Man of Destiny by George Bernard Shaw.
Skim names here — open a free preview to see character cards and Character Web beside the page as you read.
Napoleon Bonaparte
major
Also known as Napoleon, Bonaparte, General Bonaparte, General, the young general, the General
Fresh from seizing the bridge at Lodi, the young General Bonaparte commands the French army in Italy with a specialty in cannonading and an unsentimental read of human nature. Poverty and repeated failure have taught him that the world gives nothing he cannot take by force, yet he still plays brilliantly on the ideals he no longer believes. His restless, calculating energy drives the play's central contest of wits.
Giuseppe Grandi
supporting
Also known as Giuseppe, Giuseppe Grinning, Giuseppe Thirty, Giuseppe Grandi
Giuseppe keeps the inn at Tavazzano where the young General stops, moving between kitchen, courtyard, and the dangerous gossip of an occupied country. His loyalties are useful and flexible, which makes him both a reliable pair of hands and a man who hears more than he should. He grounds the play's high politics in the everyday texture of a roadside inn.
The Lady
major
Also known as Lady, Lady Disappointed, Lady Sweetly
Arriving at Tavazzano under circumstances she controls far better than she admits, the Lady refuses to be handled, questioned, or dismissed by any man in the room. Her composure and quick irony unsettle Napoleon precisely because they mirror his own theatrical gifts. She turns a routine stop on the road to Milan into a genuine duel, and the play's center of gravity shifts to her.
The Lieutenant
supporting
Also known as Lieutenant, Lieutenant Crowing, Lieutenant That, Lieutenant Petrified, Lieutenant Honor bright
The Lieutenant rides into Tavazzano with orders for the General and a soldier's naive faith in the honesty of his superiors. Confronted with the gap between what he has been told and what he can see, he becomes an awkward witness to the games being played around him. His earnestness throws the General's cynicism into sharp relief and complicates the standoff at the inn.
Barras
minor
Also known as Barras
A powerful member of the French Directory, mentioned as Napoleon's rival.
Beaulieu
minor
Also known as old Beaulieu
The elderly Austrian general opposing Napoleon in Italy.
Caesar
minor
Also known as Napoleon Caesar, Caesar
Historical figure invoked by Napoleon as a model of ambition.
The Austrians
minor
Also known as the Austrians
The enemy army fighting the French in Italy.
The French
minor
Also known as the French
The French army and nation under Napoleon's command.
Excellency
minor
Also known as Excellency
A title used to address Napoleon by subordinates.
The Italians
minor
Also known as the Italians
The local population of Italy, subjects of Napoleon's campaign.
