Picnic on the Grass

A renowned French biologist who is a frontrunner in Europe’s political ascent and advocates mandatory artificial insemination to perfect humanity. He seeks to suppress passion through rational science, yet his experience with Nénette unsettles that belief. His arc moves from control to a feverish reevaluation of science and nature.

A farmer’s daughter who longs for children and volunteers for the insemination project, seeking connection beyond her disappointed past. She is hired as a chambermaid and becomes entwined with Étienne, pushing social boundaries. Her journey culminates in a dramatic shift that tests love, motherhood, and social order.

The goatherd whose flute signals a powerful shift during the picnic. He embodies a rustic, instinctual force that unsettles the rational crowd and nudges Étienne toward a humbler, more primal connection with nature. His presence introduces a wind-driven, almost magical element to the events.

The biologist’s secretary who observes the unfolding drama and frames the ethical debates surrounding progress and personal consequence. She represents the bureaucratic and administrative dimension of the scientific project.

Étienne's German fiancée and a symbol of European unity, caught between personal loyalty and the political spectacle around progress. Her role emphasizes the diplomatic stakes and the performative nature of the utopian project.

A farmer and father figure who anchors Nénette’s world in traditional rural life. He embodies practical, family-centered values that contrast with the scientist’s grand scheme and the lure of modern progress.