# Vitek — The Peasants character guide

> Vitek in The Peasants by Władysław Reymont.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Vitek

**First appearance:** 0003-i

## Snapshot

A barefoot farmhand with Warsaw in his memory and boots in his dreams, he tends the Boryna horses while the wedding roars beyond the stable wall.

## Who they are

Vitek works the Boryna stables for wages he hoards toward church offerings, ashamed of his bare feet in the vestry and teased by Kuba for his city recollections. He is loyal, observant, and quietly ambitious, begging Kuba to teach him to shoot and planning a future in a Warsaw stable. Through his watchful presence in the stable where the sick Kuba lies, the novel measures the distance between the feast inside the house and the suffering just outside it.

## Relationships

### [Yuzka Boryna](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_peasants_se/characters/yuzka_boryna)

_romantic_

Vitek is a young admirer of Yuzka, showing a gentle and hopeful romantic interest.

### [Hanka Boryna](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_peasants_se/characters/hanka_boryna)

_friendship_

Hanka treats Vitek with kindness and maternal care, as he is a simple-minded orphan boy.

### [Yagna Borynova](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_peasants_se/characters/yagna_borynova)

_psychological_

Vitek is fascinated and intimidated by Yagna, viewing her with a mix of awe and fear.

### [Yuzka Boryna](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_peasants_se/characters/yuzka_boryna)

_romantic_

Vitek is a young admirer of Yuzka, showing a gentle and hopeful romantic interest.

### [Yagna Borynova](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_peasants_se/characters/yagna_borynova)

_psychological_

Vitek is fascinated and intimidated by Yagna, viewing her with a mix of awe and fear.

### [Hanka Boryna](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_peasants_se/characters/hanka_boryna)

_friendship_

Hanka treats Vitek with kindness and maternal care, as he is a simple-minded orphan boy.

### [Yuzka Boryna](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_peasants_se/characters/yuzka_boryna)

_romantic_

Vitek is a young admirer of Yuzka, showing a gentle and hopeful romantic interest.

### [Hanka Boryna](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_peasants_se/characters/hanka_boryna)

_friendship_

Hanka treats Vitek with kindness and maternal care, as he is a simple-minded orphan boy.

### [Yagna Borynova](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_peasants_se/characters/yagna_borynova)

_psychological_

Vitek is fascinated and intimidated by Yagna, viewing her with a mix of awe and fear.

## In the story

### [Chapter III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_peasants_se/chapters/iii)

Audaciously replies to Boryna's order to tend the cattle, then hides behind the barn.

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

Learns prayers from Kuba, distracted by animals and apples.

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

Feeds a broken-winged stork near Boryna's cornstacks.

### [The Bitter Quarrel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_peasants_se/chapters/x)

Brings water and litter, assists Antek with wall-building, and secretly washes Kuba's bloodied rags.

### [Chapter VI: The Squire's Visit and Winter's Hardships](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_peasants_se/chapters/vi)

Guides Mr. Yacek through the village, describes the komorniki's hardships, and recounts Kuba's exploits in the forest.

### [Chapter VIII: The Harsh Winter and Village Life](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_peasants_se/chapters/viii)

Recites prayers for the priest, who gives him pictures; he mourns the loss of the stork Bociek and plans to bring it back in spring.

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

Brings osier rods for palm-boughs, recounts his attempt to steal the priest's stork, and helps with farm work.

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

Plays the fiddle, impressing the dziad with his skill, and is sent to help Yuzka.

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

Greets Antek, asks for Peter to ride, and is later scolded by Hanka for not fastening the cattle.

### [Chapter VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_peasants_se/chapters/vii)

Tends to Yuzka faithfully, bringing her animals and amusing her; delivers the sow to Nastka.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_peasants_se/characters/vitek
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_peasants_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_peasants_se/characters