# Svengali — Trilby character guide

> Svengali in Trilby by George du Maurier.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** la Svengali, Madame Svengali, Poor Svengali

**First appearance:** 0000-part-iv-part-v-little-billee

## Snapshot

A shabby, magnetic musician whose presence in the studio is tolerated rather than welcomed, yet whose absence is oddly felt.

## Who they are

Svengali hovers at the edge of the bohemian circle, disliked but not quite dismissible, a figure whose strange influence lingers even after he stops coming around. The narrator notes that 'even Svengali was missed, little as he had been liked,' which hints at how thoroughly he had woven himself into the texture of the studio's life. His absence, like the piano nobody plays, becomes one more sign of how much has changed.

## Relationships

### [Little Billee](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/trilby_se/characters/little_billee)

_rivalry_

Little Billee and Svengali are bitter rivals for Trilby's affection and control over her life, with Svengali manipulating her away from Billee.

### [Trilby](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/trilby_se/characters/trilby)

_psychological_

Svengali exerts a hypnotic and manipulative control over Trilby, using her as a musical instrument for his own fame and obsession.

### [Taffy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/trilby_se/characters/taffy)

_rivalry_

Svengali and Taffy are antagonistic, with Taffy often confronting Svengali over his mistreatment of Trilby.

### [Monsieur J⸺](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/trilby_se/characters/monsieur_j)

_professional_

Monsieur J⸺ is a music impresario who collaborates with Svengali to promote Trilby's singing career.

### [Gecko](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/trilby_se/characters/gecko)

_professional_

Gecko is Svengali's accompanist and pupil, bound to him by musical obligation and fear.

### [The Laird](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/trilby_se/characters/the_laird)

_rivalry_

Svengali and The Laird are antagonistic, with The Laird distrusting and opposing Svengali's influence over Trilby.

### [Little Billee](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/trilby_se/characters/little_billee)

_rivalry_

Little Billee and Svengali are bitter rivals for Trilby's affection and control over her life, with Svengali manipulating her away from Billee.

### [Trilby](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/trilby_se/characters/trilby)

_psychological_

Svengali exerts a hypnotic and manipulative control over Trilby, using her as a musical instrument for his own fame and obsession.

### [Trilby](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/trilby_se/characters/trilby)

_psychological_

Svengali exerts a hypnotic and manipulative control over Trilby, using her as a musical instrument for his own fame and obsession.

### [Monsieur J⸺](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/trilby_se/characters/monsieur_j)

_professional_

Monsieur J⸺ is a music impresario who collaborates with Svengali to promote Trilby's singing career.

### [The Laird](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/trilby_se/characters/the_laird)

_rivalry_

Svengali and The Laird are antagonistic, with The Laird distrusting and opposing Svengali's influence over Trilby.

### [Taffy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/trilby_se/characters/taffy)

_rivalry_

Svengali and Taffy are antagonistic, with Taffy often confronting Svengali over his mistreatment of Trilby.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/trilby_se/characters/svengali
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/trilby_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/trilby_se/characters