The Draughtsman’s Contract

A young, conceited artist who wields artistic authority to press for sexual favors, then relies on charm and power to manipulate others. His arrogance blinds him to the consequences of his actions, and his single-minded focus on finishing the drawings drags him into a deadly social snare. He underestimates how the house’s inhabitants will turn his own leverage against him.

The cold, calculating mistress of the estate who uses contracts and social standing to control events. She is politically astute, willing to foment schemes to protect her position, and capable of turning intimate power into public leverage. Her pragmatism and detachment reveal a woman who treats desire as a bargaining chip.

Daughter of Virginia Herbert, married and childless, frustrated by her husband’s lack of sexual interest. She seeks to become pregnant and uses Neville as a vehicle, blackmailing him into a second contract. Her actions display ambition and a readiness to manipulate for personal gain within a rigid social system.

Sarah’s German husband, object of suspicion and a figure within the social circle who anchors the estate’s power dynamics. His presence contributes to the tension of the household and the broader community’s moral standards. He embodies the conservative authority the other characters test and challenge.

The cold, neglectful husband for whom the drawings are made; his absence drives much of the household’s dynamics. His eventual death in the moat catalyzes the investigation and the pack’s collective pursuit of guilt. He represents the distant, uncompromising authority the other characters maneuver around.

Estate staff member who mirrors the hierarchical order of the manor and observes the unfolding intrigues. His reactions and loyalties reflect the social constraints that shape the characters’ decisions. He serves as a witness to the events surrounding Neville’s contract and its consequences.

An eccentric landowner whose presence adds to the estate’s atmosphere of oddity and scrutiny. Their unusual behavior heightens the sense that every action is observed and judged, contributing to the world’s claustrophobic social theater.

The other Poulenc brother, equally eccentric, amplifying the manor’s social theater. Their conduct underscores how gossip and appearance govern the community’s morality and decisions.

A keen observer of the household’s life, highlighting class distinctions and the surveillance that shapes Neville’s actions. Her presence adds a sense of propriety and order to the house’s intrigues.

A local character whose participation adds to the manor’s social web and the secrecy surrounding the contract. He contributes to the community’s texture and moral calculations.

A servant figure reflecting and reinforcing the estate’s rigid social order. His presence helps set the tone of confinement and control within the household.

A neighbor and former fiancé of Mrs Herbert’s, part of the circle that confronts Neville and participates in the murder scheme. His involvement illustrates how intimate histories influence the present crisis.

A minor player in the manor’s social machinery, whose actions contribute to the enforcement of norms and the shaping of the drawing’s reputation.

A senior figure in the estate who embodies formal authority and the weight of tradition in the conduct of its affairs.