The Power of Darkness · Character

Peter Ignátitch

A sick, sharp-tongued peasant landowner who mends horse-collars while his household spins around him, and whose failing body makes every hired hand a fresh grievance.

major

Also known as Peter, Peter One

First appearance: act i

As a major figure in The Power of Darkness, Peter Ignátitch is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

See Peter Ignátitch in act i Book page

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Peter owns the roomy hut where the play begins, and his illness has left him barking orders from the bench while Anísya and Akoulína do the spinning. He suspects his labourer Nikíta of laziness and threatens to sack him, but the advance wages and his own weakness keep the arrangement tangled. His suspicion and tight-fisted worry over money set the household's nerves on edge and make him the obstacle everyone else must work around.

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The fuller portrait of Peter Ignátitch sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Peter Ignátitch in act i

Character Web

16 connections

A slice of how Peter Ignátitch sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Professional
Family
Social

Character groups

Household and Love Triangle
Protagonist

+11 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

The emotional and psychological peak occurs when Marína, the wronged former lover, arrives at the wedding of h…

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Relationships

Nikíta
professional · negative
Nikíta works as Peter Ignátitch's hired hand, but their relationship is strained by… How this plays out →
Akoulína
family · ambivalent
Sister
family · positive
Anísya
family · negative
Matryóna
social · negative
The Master
professional · ambivalent
Martha
professional · ambivalent
Marína
social · ambivalent
Sister
family · positive

Nikíta
Nikíta works as Peter Ignátitch's hired hand, but their relationship is strained by Nikíta's affair with Peter's wife Anísya.
Akoulína
Akoulína is Peter Ignátitch's daughter from his first marriage, and she is neglected and mistreated by her stepmother.
Sister
Peter Ignátitch and his sister share a close, supportive sibling bond, with her often advising him about his household.
Anísya
Anísya is Peter Ignátitch's wife, but their marriage is loveless and she ultimately poisons him to be with Nikíta.
Matryóna
Matryóna is a neighbor and occasional helper in Peter's household, but she secretly plots against him with Anísya.
The Master
Peter Ignátitch is a wealthy peasant who occasionally interacts with the local landowner (the Master) in a formal, hierarchical relationship.
Martha
Martha is a servant in Peter Ignátitch's household, and their relationship is that of employer and employee.
Marína
Marína is a former servant of Peter Ignátitch, and their interactions are brief and formal, tinged with her past connection to Nikíta.
Sister
Peter Ignátitch and his sister share a close, supportive sibling bond, with her often advising him about his household.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Peter Ignátitch in act i