Characters in Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell

Characters of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell

(This list comprises the names of individuals, obscure and significant, who appear in the book by Susanna Clarke, with short descriptions of each. There are possible spoilers in this list)


Abney, Joseph: A gentleman from Nottinghamshire who saved a young girl from death via the implementation of two extremely complex spells. He had little magical learning, but said that "the trees had told him what to do". This was a result of Jonathan Strange bringing back magic to England.

Absalom, Gregory: Court magician to Henry VIII, and filling this capacity until Elizabeth I. It is doubtful that he was truly a magician, as none of his spells ever took effect. However, after tricking the King of Denmark into paying a large supply of diamonds in return for a spell against the King of Sweden, he built the "Shadow House". Supposedly the house began performing all of the magic Absalom claimed to do once it was completed. He had a daughter named Maria, and wrote The Tree of Learning.

Absalom, Maria: The daughter of Gregory Absalom, she was a real magician who lived in the Shadow House, rarely ever leaving it. She lived until she was 150, and allowed the house to deteriorate around her. Jonathan Strange believed she did this because of the commonly held belief that ruined buildings belong to the Raven King.
Strange attempted to summon her spirit early in his magical career in order to learn magic from her.

Mr. Ackermann: Owner of the shop, Ackermanns, on the Strand.

General Alava: The Spanish attaché to the Duke of Wellington during the Battle of Waterloo. He survived the battle, and took dinner with the Duke and Jonathan Strange when the battle ended.

Tsar Alexander I: The Tsar of Russia. After being defeated at Austerlitz by Napoleon, he allied Russia to the French Empire. When Napoleon is found to be proof against bad dreams, Strange is commissioned to send Alexander nightmares about Napoleon. The nightmare has Napoleon and Alexander sitting down to eat soup, when Napoleon suddenly stands, declares the soup can not satisfy him. Napoleon subsequently turns into a she-wolf, then devours Alexander's pets, relations, pretty Turkish mistress, and disgorges them from her womb in horrible misshapen forms. The wolf grows bigger than the Kremlin, and goes on to devour Moscow.
Alexander is most perturbed by these dreams, and becomes extremely paranoid about Napoleon, leading him to eventually switch sides.

Alexander of Whitby: A 13th century magician who proposed that after one has died, one sees the great "tapestry" of the universe, and understands the relationships that govern all of creation. This later became the Whitbyian Heresy.

Alfred: One of the younger footmen who serve Lady Pole.

Alrinarch: (sometimes Aldinach) The demon who is said to cause shipwrecks, and presides over floods, earthquakes, and inclement weather. During the 13th century, the Raven King argued with Alrinarch, which caused the demon to throw in his lot with an alliance that had formed against the King.

Admiral Armingcroft: An Admiral of the British Navy, he was put in charge of the British blockade around France. During Strange's time as Norrell's apprentice, the Admiral went in pursuit of several French ships that had run the blockade, and successfully destroyed or captured most of them with the aid of reinforcements.

Austin, Robert: Lady Pole's footman, he was one of the older servants in the house. He was regarded as capable and hardworking by Stephen Black, and is the first person Stephen attempts to inform of his enchantment, but to no avail.

Ayrton, John: A captain in the dragoons whose lands adjoin Strange's in Shropshire. He was a somewhat quiet man, and was too reserved and shy to speak much to Strange through their lifetimes, but dedicated himself wholly to Strange's cause when his wife, Arabella Strange, went missing.

Baines, Hector: A lieutenant in the Royal Navy, he gained fame for taking command of a damaged ship in the west Indies, plundering a Spanish ship, and returning back to England a hero. Childermass refers him from the newspaper to Mr. Norrell.

Barbatus, Henry: The son of the Earl of Wharfdale, he had been a young and handsome knight, well known for his gallantry and knightly prowess. He died of a fever, but was resurrected as a cadaverous doll by the Raven King so that the monarch could interrogate him about his traitorous father. In his anger, the Raven King beat Henry, reducing him to a whimpering, cowering shamble of his former self. This distasteful act of magic led to an argument between the King and his Chancellor, William of Lanchester.

Barbatus, Robert: The Earl of Wharfdale, he plotted with the Raven King's enemies when the King ruled Northern England. He had a son named Henry who had died of a fever. It is unknown what ultimately becomes of Robert.

Barnard: One of Mrs. Wintertowne's servants.

Belasis, Jacques: A very notable Argentine (silver age) magician known for writing the thaumaturgical masterpiece, The Instructions. He is dismissed by Mr. Norrell as being "mystical where he ought to be intelligible, and intelligible where he ought to be obscure". Despite this, Mr. Norrell paid a passionate devotion to this work in his youth, and frequently used his spells during his career.

Black, Steven: The Negro Butler of Sir Walter Pole. Intelligent and very handsome, he becomes the subject of the Gentleman with the Thistledown Hair's friendly attentions, and is usually seen attempting to placate some new wrath or insult the Gentleman perceives. Each and every night, he is summoned to Lost Hope, the Gentleman's Faerie Kingdom, to dance at the nightly balls and take part in the Faerie's enumerable parades and parties. He is the "Nameless Slave", one of the subjects of Vinculus' prophecy.

Mrs. Blake: Friend to Mrs. Lennox who joined her on her trip to Staircross Hall.

Bloodworth, Anne: The daughter of Simon Bloodworth, she was one of the seventeen people to enter the magical cupboard created by Buckler. She became a servant in the house of a powerful Faerie prince named John Hollyshoes, charged with washing cooking pots. She was discovered there by Dr. Martin Pale, where she was found to believe herself to have only been there 2 weeks, where as she had in fact been there for nearly 200 years.

Bloodworth, Simon: A 3rd rate magician of the 14th century from Bradford on Avon. He was served by a Faerie servant called Buckler, who later on tricked seventeen people, including Bloodworth himself, into entering a magic cupboard, which led to at least one of those entering to becoming trapped in a Faerie kingdom as a servant for over 200 years. His eventual fate is unknown, but he is never seen again.

Mr. Brandy: Once the owner of a shop on St. James' street, he was a meagre, money-loving man who "liked to look at gold more than he liked to look at [Mrs. Brandy]". He apparently married late in life, and died shortly after the death of Sir William Pole. It was a favourite joke around London that he had died on purpose to go in pursuit of Sir William, who had accrued a large tab at his shop.

Mrs. Brandy: A woman who owns a grocery shop in St. James' street which is frequented by the great Lords and Ladies of London. A kind and charming woman, she holds affection for Steven Black, though is disappointed by lack of reciprocal feeling as Steven sinks into indifference following his enchantment.

Rev. Briscall, Samuel: The chaplain to Lord Wellington during the Peninsular War. He is a young and surprisingly liberal minded man who informs Strange of how to win favour with the soldiers, and inspires him to find a way to make himself useful to Lord Wellington.

Buckler: A Faerie who made himself the servant of the minor magician, Simon Bloodworth, in 1310. After a certain amount of time, Buckler changed his previously ragged, fox-faced appearance into a tall, well-dressed, handsome one, and performed magic readily and ably for his master, rarely causing any trouble at all.
One day, however, he caused a cupboard to appear in Bloodworth's house, and told his family that if they went in, they would learn magic that would make their lives simple and easy. Seventeen of Bloodworth's friends, neighbours, and relations, entered the cupboard, and were never seen again in England, including Bloodworth himself.
It is unknown precisely who Buckler was, or why he did what he did.

Bullworth, Maria: A London Lady who had at one point married a Mr. Bullworth, but left his home to elope with Mr. Lascelles. Lascelles jilted her after a short time, and she was forced back onto her father, who arbitrated that she must remain in perfect retirement from society should he provide for her. She attempts to commission the magicians to inflict magical tortures upon those she views as her tormentors, through Mr. Drawlight. She later finds out from Strange that he knew nothing of this scheme, and that Mr. Drawlight had been lying to her to swindle money from her.

Lord Castlereagh, Robert Stewart: One of the members of Parliament who was a part of the Prime Minister's cabinet during the Napoleonic Wars. He was eager to employ Mr. Norrell, and thought up several rather original ideas. He later quarrelled with Mr. Canning, and fought a duel with him, after which both men resigned from government. During the Concert of Europe, he was the foreign secretary, and one of the chief minds behind the new balance of power along with his Austrian opposite number, Prince Metternich.  

Catherine of Winchester: An Aureate (golden age) magician of the 13th century, she was a student of the Raven King. She was one of the medievals who believed that madmen held knowledge useful to magicians. She wrote The Book of the Lady Catherine of Winchester, which gives details into a number of medieval views on magic, such as that magic cannot be fully controlled by men, as it is a part of nature.

Chaston, Richard: An argentine (silver age) magician. He wrote theories on the relationships between men and Faeries, and in his best work, the Liber Novus, he wrote that men and Faeries hold a capacity of reason, and a capacity of magic. In men, reason is strong, and magic weak. In Faeries, magic is strong, but by human standards, they're barely sane.

Cold Henry: An ancient and powerful Faerie spirit to whom Dr. Pale and Ralph Stokesey paid a visit to on separate occasions. According to The Tree of Learning, Stokesey left a pair of boots in his home, which for one reason or another disturbed Cold Henry and the other Faeries in his house. When Martin Pale visited many years later, Cold Henry gave a long speech in which he tried to pass the boots to Pale, who didn't want them. Belasis theorised in The Instructions, that Cold Henry believed Christian morality might in some way hold him responsible for the loss of the boots, and so was trying to pass them on to Pale as a way to alleviate himself of this knotty problem. Pale did not want the boots, and so said "Not all Englishmen have the same size feet", which became an enigmatic quote to many magical scholars in the years after, many of whom theorised that the quote was metaphorical.

Coleman Grey: The faerie servant of the magician, Meraud.

Colonel Canning: A British officer in the Duke of Wellington's army. He was present during the Battle of Waterloo, and was accounted amongst the casualties.

Canning, George: A member of Parliament, and part of the ruling cabinet during the Napoleonic Wars.. He quarrelled violently with Lord Castlereagh, and fought a duel with him, after which both men had resigned from government.
Despite this he became Prime Minister briefly in 1827.

De Chepe, Walter: A minor magician from the 13th century, who interested himself greatly in magical labyrinths, magical pathways, and other spells that were affected by steps and turns. Mr. Norrell used his magic as a basis for his own labyrinths. He also created a spell called "Prophylaxis", an extremely powerful spell a step away from Faerie magic, that protected an item, person, or place, from any sort of disturbance. The spell was widely known, but had the problematic downside of sometimes being too effective, rendering the subject of the spell unmovable.
He is also mentioned later to have spotted another magician, Joscelin de Snitton, masquerading as a cat in order to take advantage of a noblewoman in 1232.

Childermass, John: The long-time "man of business" of Mr. Norrell. Technically Mr. Norrell's employed servant, Childermass is a clever man who knows the world, and is entrusted with Mr. Norrell's most confidential and important business. He knows some magic, is in his own right a magician, and has a northerners patriotic devotion to the Raven King.
Cunning and having an independent streak, Childermass often takes matters into his own hands, which often puts him at odds with Mr. Lascelles, who views him as impertinent.

Cleg: The father of Vinculus, who via a drunken wager, accidentally stole the contents of the King's Book, a Holy Grail-like magical text which foretold the prophecy that Vinculus was to bear. It is for placing this, "the greatest glory and the greatest burden", upon Vinculus, that his son detested him. He was hanged for charges of Book Murder, by Robert Findhelm, the last owner of the King's Book.

Dalziel: An officer in the British Army who accompanied Lord Wellington. He was ordered to complain to the Portuguese authorities about the French finding corn that was supposed to be destroyed by the local farmers.

Davey: Mr. Norrell's coachman. A large, burley man who daily imposes his will against strong, well-bred horses, he has a very kind and soft nature.

Drawlight, Christopher: A London Fop. Attending many of the proper English dinners and social gatherings, Drawlight is a breed of Gentleman with no money and no background, but who is fashionable to the point of ridiculousness. He makes his way in life by getting people into debt, and associates himself with the elite, many of whom despise him. He is a close associate of Mr. Lascelles, with whom he shared an antagonistic relationship. He becomes a personal friend of Mr. Norrell, and shows him how to become fashionable in London, but later loses his public image by attempting to scam people with promises of magic.

Duke of Devonshire: An English nobleman who was greatly interested in the extraordinary revival of English magic. When Mr. Norrell once fretted over the state of English magic, Lord Hawksbury (the future Earl of Liverpool) said upon the next meeting that the Duke of Devonshire had offered a house for a magic school in Leamington Spa.
Later on it is described in the chapter "The Book of Robert Findhelm" that Mr. Norrell reprimanded the Duke for speaking at the same time as Childermass, who was giving some sort of talk at that time.

Dreamditch: A semi or pseudo-magician who was employed by the stepmother of Mrs. Wintertowne to protect her three children. He supposedly had three Faerie servants that only he could see (this is very questionable) who looked after the children. Despite his attempts, the youngest child, Mrs. Wintertowne's sister, died. He was apparently very distressed about it, making sincere attempts to save her, but to no avail.

Fallowthought: Known as Master Fallowthought, he was one of Martin Pale's faerie servants, although Mr. Norrell said he was a very minor one, whose influence of the doctor was questionable.

Fellowes: The footman to Mrs. Lennox who was seen at Staircross Hall. His only appearance shows him drinking brandy.

Findhelm, Robert: A Yorkshire farmer, who was also, and most importantly, the last keeper of the King's Book, a manuscript written by the Raven King in his own "letters" (a secret language the Raven King invented to better translate his own thoughts into writing). He hired Cleg, Vinculus' father, to be a servant, and later brought the charge of Book Murder against him, which resulted in Cleg being hanged.

Ford, John: According to a popular legend, he was the husband of Margaret Ford, and was terrorised by her when she obtained a lost magic ring. Whether this is true, or if indeed he even existed, is not known.

Ford, Margaret: A member of the Female Fellowship of Nottingham Magicians, Margaret and the organisation later sought the protection of Thomas Godbless when the society was under threat from Hugh Torel.
According to a popular but likely false legend, she was a malicious woman who used a lost magic ring to perpetrate vile punishments against anyone she didn't like, until the ring was stolen and returned to its original owner.
According to this legend, she was married to John Ford, who held the manor of Fiskerton.

Dr. Foxcastle: The erstwhile president of the Learned Society of York Magicians, Dr. Foxcastle was a rotund, irritable gentleman prone to sarcasm, and was one of the major opponents to Mr. Segundus' faction within the society to discover why magic was no longer done in England. He did not want to see practical magic done, but only to read about it as though it were a history.

Frank: Dr. Greysteele's manservant. He accompanied the Doctor's family to Venice on their holiday, and was known for possessing a sharp eye for curiosities that others would not notice. Unfortunately, these were often disregarded as eccentricities of his that would often vex Dr. Greysteele. Despite his master's impatience towards Frank's curiousness, Frank was very devoted to the family, and scorned to betray them in any way.

Mr. Gatcombe: A Brewer from Nottinghamshire. The business partner of Mr. Tantony, Mr. Gatcombe is the more voiced of the two, and attempts to help his friend in his ambition to become a magician.

Geoffrey: One of the younger footmen who work for Lady Pole, he at one point accidentally met the Gentleman with the Thistledown Hair, whom he took for a ghost or apparition.

Mr. Gibbons: A Gentleman who owned a library that supposedly contained several magical texts, although Mr. Norrell notes them as being "worthless, quite worthless". He is mentioned in the story during a conversation about magic, in which he supposedly turned several thieves into mice. It later transpires that he had heard a sound, and believed there to be burglars, where as it had only ever been mice.

Godbless, Thomas: A famous Aureate magician who was apparently self-taught. He was of the opinion that magic can be learned by speaking to trees, the sky, and all of nature. He once paid homage to the Raven King after the King had recovered from a serious illness, by making several nature elements "bow down" to him. He had a faerie servant named Dick-come-Tuesday, and the Gentleman with the Thistle-down Hair claims to have once served him too. He also took under his protection the Female Fellowship of Nottinghamshire Magicians when they were under persecution from Hugh Torel, the master of Nottingham.

Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon: One of the casualties of the Battle of Waterloo.

Grant, Colquhoun: A major in the British Army, and one of the Duke of Wellington's exploring officers. As a matter of honour, he always wears his officer's uniform, which has led to him being captured on at least one occasion, since the uniform is bright red. He becomes a personal friend of Jonathan Strange.

Mr. Green: A Gentleman in London who attempted to buy Jonathan Strange's book, The History and Practise of English Magic: Volume I. Described as a man whose thoughts must always be coming out of his head, he often talks to himself, is unmarried, apparently friendless, and irritable.

Admiral Greenwax: An admiral in the British Navy.

Greysteel, Antoinette: The late wife of Dr. Greysteel. Of French birth, Aunt Greysteel mentions her when reminding Dr. Greysteel about a time when he was drunk.

Greysteel, Flora: Daughter to Dr. Greysteel, Flora develops romantic feelings for Jonathan Strange during his Italian tour.

Greysteel, Dr. Lancelot: An English ship's surgeon who, during his appearance in the book, is holidaying with his sister and daughter in Italy. He strikes up a friendship with Jonathan Strange, and travels through Italy with him during Strange's Italian tour.

Greysteel, Louisa: Sister to Dr. Greysteel who accompanies him and his daughter on their holiday in Italy. Very solicitous towards Flora's happiness, and often chides Dr. Greysteel for some of his habits.

Mrs. Godstone: A London Lady who first invites Mr. Norrell to a fashionable London Ball.

Hadley-Bright, William: An unnaturally lucky person to whom "luck reserves her choicest gifts". A well-bred man with enthusiasm for soldiering and magic, he was chosen to be an aide-de-camp to the Duke of Wellington, and then asked to work with Jonathan Strange during the Battle of Waterloo. He survived the battle, and went on to become one of Jonathan Strange's three apprentices.  

Mr. Hart/Hunt: A member of the Learned Society of York Magicians, he is an acolyte of Dr. Foxcastle. A quiet, frail old gentleman, his name is misheard as either Hart or Hunt by Mr. Segundus.

Henry I: The King of England when the Raven King arrived in England with the Daoine Sidhe, the Faerie Army/Host (pronounced Dee-nee Shee). He lost every battle against the Faerie Host, and was suffered to lose the northern half of his Kingdom.

Hether-Grey, Charles: A theoretical magician of the 18th century. He became notable in magic after, using extracts from the book Eighteen Wonders to be found int he House of Albion, he proved that the author, Francis Pevensey, was the same person described in several letters supposedly written by Dr. Martin Pale about, and to a lover of his. This suggested that Francis Pevensey, long thought to be a male follower of Martin Pale, was in fact female (Frances rather than Francis), and that she was the lover of Martin Pale (which scandalised modern scholars in the 19th century when the events of the story take place).

Hickman, Thaddeus: An argentine magician of the 18th century who wrote The Life of Martin Pale, a biography of the great aureate magician, Dr. Martin Pale. He also wrote a description of the King's Roads, the kingdom that lies behind mirrors.

Holgarth: One of two magicians who wrote Curiose observations upon the Anatomie of Faeries, which contained the only known reference to the Faerie spirit, Master Fallowthought.

Hollyshoes, John: An ancient and powerful faerie spirit, he was killed in 1811 by Alessandro Simonelli, who was related to him by a deceased cousin, in self defence. He ruled a Faerie Kingdom, and lived in Allhope House. Dr. Martin Pale once visited this house, and discovered an Anne Bloodworth, who had been kidnapped some 200 years previously by a Faerie named Buckler.

Mr. Honeyfoot: Friend of John Segundus, and member of the Learned Society of York Magicians. A tall, red-faced man of mature years, he is a lively individual with a great deal of energy, and always likes to be doing something. He is always very encouraging of Mr. Segundus, and supports him where he can.
Following his being forced to give up being a magician, he spends several years trying to solve a murder perpetrated hundreds of years ago, which he learned about from a statue Mr. Norrell had temporarily brought to life.

Mrs. Honeyfoot: Wife to Mr. Honeyfoot, she is a good-natured woman who spends much of her time consoling the low spirits of her husband, and his friend John Segundus, over the sorry state of magic. She has a lively personality, and still "has much of the school girl left in her".

Honeyfoot, Jane: Daughter of Mr. Honeyfoot, she once sang in Italian for the benefit of a gathering at Mr. Honeyfoot's house.

Mr. Horrocks: First Secretary to the Admiralty. During a visit by Mr. Norrell to the Admiralty, he prevailed upon Norrell to show him and the First Lord of the Admiralty a vision in a silver bowl.

Hubert de Contentin: A French aristocrat who, according to the Raven King, murdered his family, and left his infant self in the woods to die. It is because of him, and the failure of William II to administer justice for his family, that the Raven King believed his cause righteous when he invaded Northern England.

Hyde, John: A farmer and country neighbour to Jonathan Strange, he knew Arabella Strange growing up. He was the first to notice when Arabella disappeared, and tried most vociferously to make Strange see that he was right. He was in charge of the search alongside Strange and Cpt. Ayrton.

Jackboot: The servant of Mr. Green. Apparently can't read.

John: A waiter at the Bedfort coffee house. He was mentioned when Strange and his particular friends met the Nottinghamshire brewers, Gatcombe and Tantony, and was called over by Sir Walter to confirm Strange's identity.

Johns, Jeremy: The servant of Jonathan Strange. Intelligent and eager to work, he is in some ways an equivalent to Childermass. He is known for having a temper, and is easily riled, but knows nothing of these things, always supposing arguments and fights are the other person's fault. He does however have a good sense of right and wrong, and is just as zealous in defending the wronged as defending against imaginary wrongs to himself. He is somewhat lacklustre in his manners as a servant, which annoys several people throughout the book, but is quick witted and capable. He owns a cat called Bullfinch.

Colonel De Lancey: He served under Wellington during the Napoleonic Wars, and was put in charge of several Neapolitan corpses during the Peninsular War. He was one of the casualties of the Battle of Waterloo.

Lascelles, Henry: An English Gentleman who lives in London. A cynical, sarcastic, superior sort of man, he takes a lively interest in Mr. Norrell and magic. Becoming an editor to "The Friends of English Magic", he details Mr. Norrell's opinions upon magic to the English community as Mr. Norrells closest advisor.
At the end of the book, he crosses a Faerie bridge with the intention of fighting the champion of the castle of the plucked eye and heart. He becomes the new champion after defeating the previous one, falling into the trap of the castle and is presumably killed by a future contender.

Mrs. Lennox: An exceptionally rich and influential Lady from Bath who decides to extend patronage to John Segundus when he wishes to set up a magician's school. When this plan fails, she instead helps him set up a mad-house.

Levy, Tom: One of Jonathan Strange's three apprentices in magic. An ex-dancing master from Norwich, he was of Hebrew descent. Of the three apprentices, he was the most gifted at magic, and considered it something to enjoy.

Captain Lightwood: A promising young officer in the British Navy. He was stationed in Madeira, but was called away from his post to go in pursuit of some French ships, and find the British Admiral Armingcroft.

Mrs. Littleworth: A fashionable woman of London, she invites Mr. Norrell to a dinner party where, during a conversation about the various London street magicians, she describes a story where a family had been afraid that one of them had turned their baby into a coal scuttle. In the end, it transpired that a maid had taken the baby to show her mother, and hadn't told the family about it.

Longridge, John: Sir Walter Pole's cook, he is a depressing fellow who had for many a long year been in a melancholy state. He attempts to console Steven Black when Steven falls under the Gentleman's enchantment, although the cook merely thinks Steven has become sorrowful like himself. His gloomy outlook on the world makes everything seem to him like cold peas porridge.

Lukas: Mr. Norrell's footman. 2nd only in the servant hierarchy to Childermass, Lukas is loyal to his master, but like Childermass, often wonders about the company he keeps. He has a particular dislike for Mr. Lascelles.

Lucifer: The devil himself, Lucifer is said to have admitted the Raven King to being his equal, and supposedly leased him the Bitter Lands on the far side of hell, one of the Raven King's three kingdoms.
Many works of scholarship, and the Raven King's Prophecy, seem to indicate that the Devil, or some other rulers in hell, were enemies to the King, and prosecuted war against him, possibly explaining why he left the Kingdom of Northern England.

Mr & Ms. Malpas: A clergyman and his sister who go around on Mr. Norrell's behalf trying to root out false magicians early in his career, as mentioned by Drawlight and Lascelles.

Colonel Manningham: A colonel in the British army under the Duke of Wellington, and served as his military secretary. Became a social friend of Jonathan Strange, but may or may not have died at the Battle of Waterloo.

Meraud: A 12th century Cornish magician who theorised what would later become known as "The Meraudian Heresy". The theory states in its most extreme form that if someone is revived from the dead by magic, then the revived person is no longer subject to God or his church, but owes all sorts of allegiances to the magician or faerie who raised them. Meraud was arrested, put on trial before King Stephen and a court of his bishops, then whipped and branded, stripped naked, and cast out. He attempted to travel north to the Raven King's castle, but died along the way.

Lord Mulgrave, Henry Phipps: A British politician, and when mentioned in the book, First Lord of the Admiralty. Along with the rest of the cabinet, he was enthusiastic to use magic in the war, and amongst other things, asked the magicians to locate several French ships, and to bring a figure on a captured French ship to life in order to tell them what it knew.
He apparently asked Mr. Norrell at one point to summon witches to use against the French.

Murray, John: A publisher in London of Scottish ancestry. He is blind in his right eye ever since a schoolmaster stuck a pen knife in it in his youth. He patronises Lord Byron and Jonathan Strange, and is the first publisher of the periodical, The Friends of English Magic before later selling it when he quarrelled with Mr. Norrell.
He later publishes the periodical, The Famulus, and Jonathan Strange's book, The History and Practise of English Magic: Volume I.

Napoleon Bonaparte: The French Emperor during the Napoleonic Wars. During the story, France is at War with Britain, and the Emperor becomes irritated at the re-emergence of English magic. He attempts to find a magician of his own, but fails in this endeavour, and is defeated. He was eventually exiled to the island of Elba, where apparently Mr. Norrell was commissioned to magically ensure he never escaped again.

Sergeant Nash: A sergeant in the British army who worked directly under Wellington during the Peninsular War.

Norrell, Gilbert: One of the two title characters. An elderly man of good heritage, he owns lands near the city of York, including his signature home of Hurtfew Abbey. With the objective of bringing back magic to England, Norrell impresses the Learned Society of York Magicians with a display of practical magic, which was thought to have been extinct for centuries, and sets off for London in order to use magic in the Napoleonic Wars in order to set up magic as a respected profession once again.
Somewhat miserly of magic, he loathes "theoretical" magicians, or magio-historians, considering them to be second or third rate scholars. He is small, old-fashioned, wears an old fashioned wig, and has habits akin to those of a man who spends the larger part of his time alone.

Oberon: (sometimes Auberon) The anglicised name of a very powerful Faerie king whom John Uskglass named as one of his overlords when he invaded England in 1111 CE. He had a very long and complicated Faerie name, but it is unknown in the modern day.

Col. Ottenfeld, Wenzel von: An Austrian officer in Venice, as part of the Austrian imperial occupation of the city. He, along with a delegation of other officers and Venetian priests, come to Dr. Greysteele's house begging him to speak to Strange, and ask him to not do any more magic within the city limits. He did not speak English very well, and referred to Strange as "The Hexenmeister of the Great Vellington".

Dr. Pale, Martin: The last of the great Aureates, or golden age magicians. The last English magician to venture into Faerie before Jonathan Strange. He claimed to have been taught magic by Catherine of Winchester, and many scholars believe that he did this by summoning her spirit from the dead, as she lived two centuries prior to his birth.

Pantler, William: An 18th century theoretical magician who wrote Three Perfectible States of Being, which describes the three perfectable beings as humans, faeries, and angels.
Pantler involved himself at one point in the controversy over the gender identity of Francis/Frances Pevensey, whereupon he claimed that the wife of the man who had owned the letters when they were found (these letters began the controversy), had forged the letters to make her sex (females) more important. Mr. Whittlesea, the owner of the letters, was greatly insulted, and challenged Pantler to a duel, which Pantler declined, at which point he retracted his accusation against Mrs. Whittlesea.

Mr. Petrofax: A clerk in the British Admiralty. He was sent to find a childhood friend of Admiral Armingcroft so as to ask him to predict the movements of the Admiral, who had gone missing.

Pevensey, Frances/Francis: Argentine magician of the sixteenth century, this magician wrote Eighteen Wonders to be found in the House of Albion.
Pevensey was a follower of Martin Pale, but became a point of later controversey when, following the discovery of several letters written by Martin Pale, Pevensey's gender was called into question. Mr. Norrell settled it in his mind that Pevensey was a man, but Jonathan Strange considered that if Martin pale was likely to teach women magic, which he would have been since he himself had been taught by Catherine of Winchester, then Pevensey might well have been a woman.

Pickle: One of two magicians who wrote Curiose observations upon the Anatomie of Faeries, which contained the only known reference to the Faerie spirit, Master Fallowthought. Mr. Norrell believed the two authors to be "more criminal than magical" and is "glad they are so completely forgot".

Major-General Picton: One of the casualties of the Battle of Waterloo.

Pole, Lady Emma (nee~ Wintertowne): Wife of Sir Walter Pole, Lady Pole died at the age of 19, and was resurrected by Mr. Norrell the following day, which brought Mr. Norrell to public notice. Reckoned very beautiful and intelligent by those around her, she falls into indifference after her resurrection, as she is placed under an enchantment by the Gentleman with the Thistledown Hair as part of the deal with Mr. Norrell to restore her to life. She becomes very embittered towards magicians and men, and particularly Mr. Norrell, attempting to assassinate him later in the book.

Pole, Sir Walter: A British Politician, and husband to Lady Pole. A man born into the debts of two imprudent forebears, Sir Walter struggled through life trying to earn his fortune through politics but with little success. A man of unimpressive form and face, he is a superb orator, and a cunning politician, he becomes an advocate of English magic.
He is very protective of his wife, and her fall into listlessness causes him great unhappiness.

Pole, Sir William: Sir Walter Pole's grandfather. Though a good-natured and kindly person by all accounts, he was imprudent in spending, and managed to build a mountain of debts that his heir, Sir Walter, inherited.

Porkis, Peter: A Cowan (failed magician) who at one time visited the Gentleman with the Thistledown Hair's brugh in the kingdom of Lost Hope. He was mentioned by the Faerie woman as being one of the many humans, including 47 magicians, who had not left there alive.

Mr. Prideaux: An Englishman who owns a hotel in Lisbon, Portugal. He attempts to make his establishment as English as possible, but is constantly thwarted by the Portuguese environment. Jonathan Strange stays at his hotel when he first arrives in Lisbon.

Redeshawe: A man from the 17th century who was mentioned by Emma Pole while she was under her enchantment. Because of her situation, any attempt to speak of her enchantment would cause her to tell seemingly mad stories. According to Lady Pole, in 1607 Redeshawe inherited £10 from a dead aunt, and used the money to buy an exquisite Turkish carpet. When he woke up from the next night's sleep, he found his carpet covered in small persons who wished to fight a battle on it, because the patterns of the carpet would help the heralds determine that neither army had any unfair advantage. Mr. Redeshawe did not choose for them to have their battle, and used a broom to sweep them off.


Segundus, John: Mr. Segundus is at first a theoretical, and then practical magician. A shy, dark gentleman with little money, he joins the Learned Society of York Magicians just before it is disbanded. He later becomes the head of a madhouse, and writes a biography of Jonathan Strange. He is a great friend of Mr. Honeyfoot, who like him for his amiable character and lively interest in magic.

Simonelli, Alessandro: Mentioned in the book only once as becoming a King in Faerie, Alessandro was the half-human, half-Faerie son of Thomas Fairwood, who before his death was a Faerie ruler.

Smith, Toby: A red-headed and nervous man, but was sometimes full of surprising confidences, he was an employee of Mrs. Brandy in her shop. Mrs. Brandy sometimes suspected Toby of stealing money from the register, especially when he had one of these curious mood swings.

de Snitton, Joscelin: A minor shape-changer magician who in 1232 tricked a noblewoman, Cecily de Walbrook, into taking him in as a pet cat. He was discovered by Walter de Chepe, who with other magicians, changed him back to his usual shape. He was sentenced by the Petty Dragownes of London (a magical court) to have his right hand cut off.

King Stephen: A King of southern England. He presided over a trial where the magician, Meraud, was accused of heresy.

Strange, Arabella (nee~ Woodhope): Wife of Jonathan Strange, and sister to Henry Woodhope. Strong willed and patient, she and her husband are known to often lightly quarrel, though they sincerely love each other very much. She is later stolen away by the Gentleman with Thistledown Hair to be a guest at his mansion in Faerie, but is rescued at the end of the book through the actions of Strange and Norrell.

Strange, Jonathan: One of the two title characters. Strange is another Landowner and gentleman who comes from Shropshire. Husband of Arabella Strange, he becomes a magician upon hearing a prophecy about two magicians who would bring magic back to England.
A typical English Gentleman, Strange is sociable, amiable, and a little arrogant. He is tall, has a long nose, slightly reddish hair, and has a habit of smiling sarcastically. More impatient than Norrell, Strange admires the Raven King, and desires magic to become widespread.

Strange, Lawrence: Jonathan Strange's late father. Scrooge-like, and with "a temper like the devil", Lawrence Strange neglected his wife, and allowed his son to be raised mostly by his wife's brother simply to get out of paying for his food and housing for months on end. Accidentally froze himself to death trying to torture Jeremy Johns.

Stokesey, Ralph: A notable and powerful Aureate (golden age) magician from Exeter. He had a famous Faerie-servant called Col Tom Blue, and was thought by his contemporaries to be quite like faeries in his mannerisms and frame of mind. He apparently knew how to read and write, but wrote nothing or nothing has survived. According to legend, he fought a magical duel with the magician of Athodel, a powerful Scottish magician.

Sutton-Grove, Francis: A Magio-Historian from the 18th century. Wrote several notable works on English magic, the two named being De Generibus Artium Magicarum Anglorum, and Prescriptions and Descriptions. His works are considered, even by Mr. Norrell, to be very dull and dreary. Strange actually tore his copy of Prescriptions and Descriptions into pieces, and fed it to a donkey.

Summerset, FitzRoy: The 1st baron Raglan, he served in the British army during the Peninsular War under Wellington.

Mr. Tantony: A Brewer from Nottinghamshire who espoused a wish to become a magician since before the glorious revival of English magic. Came to London with his brewery partner, Mr. Gatcom.

Thomas of Dundale: (Also Thomas Dundale, Thomas de Dundelle, Tom Dundell, or Thomas de Donvil) The son of a powerful Normal ruler, and a victim of Faerie kidnap, he returned as a servant of the Raven King. Along with William of Lanchester, he was one of the Raven King's longest serving, and most loyal servants.

Mr. Thorpe: A member of the Learned Society of York Magicians, he is a gentleman of little magical learning but a great deal of common sense. While the other magicians argue over Mr. Norrell's claims to magical power, he suggests that they ask him to show them instead.

Torel, Donata: The daughter of Hugh Torel, she was a leading member of the Female Fellowship of Nottingham magicians, alongside Margaret Ford. When her father tried to destroy the organisation, she and her fellow female magicians entered into the protection of Thomas Godbless.
According to a popular myth, she took the magical ring her father owned by accident, and lost it at a fair. Feeling guilty that her actions led to her father becoming ill, she set out to Fiskerton where the ring had been discovered by Margaret Ford, who used it selfishly and to cast dreadful punishments on any who wronged her. On her way, she came across a perpetually burning wood, a woman half turned into a fish, and a village full of blindfolded people who saw ghastly apparitions if they opened their eyes, all atrocities caused by Margaret Ford. Donata reached Fiskerton, where Margaret knew of her arrival via her ring. Donata was forced to work in Margaret's house for a year, during which time she tricked Margaret into obtaining a baby from the village. With the baby, Margaret became complacent and happy. Using the baby as a distraction, Donata stole the ring and fled back to Nottingham, helped by the victims of Margaret's magic. Her father undid the wrongs done by Margaret, and restored his own reputation.
Jonathan Strange believed this story to be untrue.

Torel, Hugh: The Master of Nottingham in the 12th century, he was the father of Donata Torel, who was a member of a fellowship of female magicians, an organisation that Hugh attempted to destroy. His efforts ultimately failed when the fellowship entered into the protection of Thomas Godbless, who was a much more powerful magician than Hugh Torel.
According to a likely fabricated story, Torel sealed much of his magical power into a ring, which his daughter subsequently mistook for a common ring and lost. Hugh became sick and bedridden, but recovered when his daughter stole the ring back from the person who had found it.

Upchurch, John: A hard working, capable and honest man who worked for Mrs. Brandy in her London shop.

Uskglass, John: The Raven King. A mysterious figure in English magical history, the Raven King was raised in Faerie, and led a successful invasion of Northern England against King Henry I with an army known as the Daoine Sidhe (pronounced Deenie Shee), or "The Faerie Host/[Army]". He established the system of magic that magicians use in England, and ruled Northern England for 300 years before disappearing into Faerie for unknown reasons with all of his long-lived servants and statesmen. He remains a powerful and mysterious figure in magical history, and is revered by Strange, while reviled by Norrell. He had three Kingdoms: Northern England, an unknown Faerie Kingdom, and Agrace, which is supposedly on the far side of Hell.
The Raven King was a reasonably benevolent ruler, and beloved by his people. His Coat of arms were the Argent, Raven Volant (A black raven flying against a white background).

de Walbrook, Cecily: A noblewoman who, in 1232, was tricked into taking in a shape-changing magician as a pet cat, whom she named 'Sir Loveday'. The cat followed her everywhere, but was eventually revealed to her by the magician, Walter de Chepe, to be a fake.

Waterbury, John: The Lord Portishead. An English Gentleman of high standing and large fortune, he is described as "the most gentle lord in the English aristocracy". A great admirer of magic, he becomes a distinguished friend of Mr. Norrell, and later of Jonathan Strange, and becomes the editor of "The Friends of English Magic". A nervous man, he is constantly uncomfortable with everything from his own tallness to those around him.

Wellesley, Arthur: The Duke of Wellington. General of the British army in Portugal and Spain during the Peninsula Wars, he develops a friendship of sorts with Jonathan Strange, who he affectionately calls "Merlin". A strict man who expects things done ten minutes ago, he leads allied European forces to victory over Napoleon Bonaparte, and is a staunch supporter of Strange in the years following.

William of Lanchester: An Aureate magician, Chancellor, seneschal, and favourite servant to the Raven King. He was extremely loyal to his master, and during the 1200's, ruled the Raven King's kingdoms in his stead while Uskglass devoted himself to scholarship. His coat arms were the same as his master's, but with the addition of an open book below it.

Winespill: A diminutive man in the British army who seems to possess a portion of uniform from every regiment in the army. He has a purple birth mark on his face, which presumably gave him his name.

Mrs. Wintertowne: The mother of Lady Emma Pole, and mother-in-law to Sir Walter Pole. A proud and somewhat imperious woman of mature years, Mrs. Wintertown is a widower who seeks a great marriage for her frail daughter. She has a particular dislike of doctors.

Mr. Whittlesea: A gentleman who owned a library where a number of letter written by Dr. Martin Pale were found. The letters stirred up a magical controversy that led William Pantler, a theoretical magician, to accuse Mr. Whittlesea's wife of forging the letters, and insulting her int he process. Mr. Whittlesea promptly challenged Pantler to a duel, which Pantler refused. Pantler retracted his accusations and apologised.

Mrs. Whittlesea: The wife of Mr. Whittlesea, she was a playwrite, which many fo her contemporaries and later scholars thought distasteful. When letters were discovered that created a magical controversy, William Pantler accused her of forging the letters, attempting to "elevate her sex above the natural station that God had set for it". Her husband forced Pantler to retract these accusations.

Woodhope, Henry: Brother to Arabella Strange, and brother-in-law and childhood friend to Jonathan Strange. He is the rector of a parish in Gloucester.

Captain Whyte: A Captain under Wellington during the Peninsular War, who was fluent in Neapolitan Italian, having stayed in Naples before, and helped Jonathan Strange try to find a pack of Neapolitan deserters who were harbouring stolen French guns.

Vinculus: A vagabond street magician from London, often known as "The Magician of Threadneedle Street" by virtue of where he sets up his magician's booth. He bears the prophecy  that is told to Jonathan Strange, Mr. Norrel, and Steven Black, and which makes him a very important yet mysterious figure within the book.

Zadkiel: An Archangel of the order of Dominions. He governed mercy and forgiveness. During the 13th century, he apparently quarrelled with the Raven King, and threw in his lot with the King's enemies.


Unnamed People:


11th Foot Soldier: A soldier of the 11th Foot who Lascelles finds in Faerie. The man is pale and sickly looking, and occupies the position of the Champion of the Castle of the plucked eye and heart. He intentionally lets Lascelles win their subsequent duel so that he'll die and be released from the enchantment of the castle.

Bartender of the Pineapple Inn: The owner of a shady Inn in London. Aware of the Inn's dark history being a boon to business, he intentionally allows it to become dreary and lackluster, believing it to attract customers in this way.

The Enemy: The Enemy was a notorious thief and murderer, who was never named. He committed a crime with a man referred to only as the "Thief", and was betrayed by him to the authorities. When he escaped prison, he hunted the thief down with 30 men, and is implied to have murdered him rather unpleasantly.

Faerie woman: A Faerie woman Strange meets at Lost Hope. She is very negative towards him, and tells Strange of the house in an oblique, sideways manner, and enigmatically tells Strange of the Gentleman's plan to curse him.

Faerie woman in black mantle: A grim and forbidding looking Faerie woman who attends the balls at Lost Hope. Stephen Black had often observed her, and smelled grave soil when he got close to her. He didn't know whether she was malevolent, cursed, or both, but knew that everyone gave her a wide berth.

The Gentleman with Thistledown Hair: A faerie spirit, and primary antagonist of the book. The Gentleman takes a personal interest in Steven Black, Sir Walter Pole's negro butler, and wishes to strengthen their friendship by making him the King of England. Whimsical and almost childlike in nature, the Gentleman is prone to seeing invisible insults and flying into malicious rages. Like most of his race, by human standards he is barely sane, and has a very twisted sense of morality, though by his own account he is usually the one sinned against in most situations.
The king of a great many Faerie kingdoms, the most prominent of which is Lost Hope.

Head of Secret Police: A French head of Secret Police, Colonel Grant was supposed to be brought to him when the colonel was captured. Thanks to Jonathan Strange however, the Head of police receives instead a pottery manikin in the colonel's likeness.

Italian Woman: A pretty Italian milk maid who sells milk in Venice. She liked Frank, Dr. Greysteele's manservant.

The Lady of the Castle of the plucked Eye and Heart: A dangerous being who apparently resides eternally in a plain stone tower in Faerie. Her castle is surrounded by thorn trees covered in serpents and a variety of corpses that are implied to be challengers and former champions of her castle. Likely through some enchantment, any who wonder close and accept the challenge of the champion of the castle, and win, become the new champion, leading to a perpetual cycle of fighting and death, which the lady apparently enjoys.
The being is likely female, and thought to be a Faerie. No champion ever enters the castle, and she is only seen in silhouette from a high window.

Magician of Athodel: A powerful Scottish magician, who according to legend ruled his own island or kingdom, rather like the Raven King. No one knows where Athodel is; some claim it has sunk, others say it is invisible, and may still exist. The magician was said to have fought a duel with Ralph Stokesey, although neither of them was killed.

Maid of Allendale: A maid from a small stone settlement near Carlisle who, along with several other women, went to try and make friends with the Daoine Sidhe when the host camped near their town. She was coaxed to dance with one of the Faeries, but began to sweat blood, and she eventually died from exsanguination. Her body was found in the snow the next day.

The Thief: A notorious unnamed thief and murderer, who had at one point joined with a man referred to as his "enemy" to commit a dangerous crime. The thief double crossed the enemy and gave him up to the authorities, taking all the plunder for himself. The Thief was later murdered while hiding in the Pineapple Inn, when the enemy escaped prison and came after him with 30 men.

Venetian Priest: One of the delegation sent to Dr. Greysteele's hotel in Italy. He accompanies several other Venetian clergymen and Austrian officers who were sent by the Austrian governor to speak to Dr. Greysteele about Jonathan Strange. He could speak very good English, and helped to translate the message brought by Colonel von Ottelfelt