Buddenbrooks

Thomas (Tom) Buddenbrook, a central character in Buddenbrooks, is a tragic figure, symbolic of the novel’s exploration of The Decline of the Buddenbrooks against the backdrop of societal, cultural, and economic shifts. Mann begins by enumerating Thomas’s physical flaws and assets as a child: “His teeth were not very good, were small and yellowish. But his nose was strikingly well chiseled, and both his eyes and the shape of his face greatly resembled those of his grandfather” (11). Throughout the novel, Thomas’s character epitomizes the conflict between the demands of social stature and the quest for personal fulfillment, the pressure of upholding a family legacy in decline. From the first pages of the novel, friends of the family comment on the child Thomas’s future as the head of the family’s firm, describing him as smart and serious. Thomas inherits not only the family business but also the burdensome legacy of maintaining its social and financial prestige. His character is initially marked by the commitment to uphold the family’s reputation, demonstrating a blend of pragmatic business intelligence and a deep-seated sense of duty. Thomas’s arc demonstrates the cost of this dedication, as Thomas’s personal desires and aspirations are often subordinated to the expectations of his role. For example, Mann demonstrates Thomas’s only deep emotional connection (in Part 3, Chapter 15) with Anna, the girl in the flower shop with whom he has a romantic relationship. Even as he interacts with Anna, Thomas acknowledges the futility of their relationship and endorses the traditional familial expectations to which he plans to adhere. While his marriage to Gerda Arnoldsen is a successful one, Thomas struggles to connect emotionally with his wife primary due to her passion for music, underscoring his perspective on Art as Destructive Force—a central theme of the novel.

Thomas experiences great success as the firm’s manager after the death of his father. However, unlike his father, he has impulsive and extravagant impulses, wishing to fully take advantage of his success. His position as senator represents the peak of his success socially, while the building of his lavish new residence after his marriage to Gerda marks the height of his material success. Nevertheless, Thomas’s mental and emotional states deteriorate as he approaches midlife. He experiences constant bouts of existential ennui and is perpetually burdened by the dissonance between outward success and inner turmoil, underscoring the novel’s critique of the traditional social hierarchy and upper-class values of 19th-century Germany.

Thomas is a dynamic and round character, full of contradictions, who undergoes significant transformation in the novel. His arc sees him evolve from a dutiful son and brother to a beleaguered patriarch struggling to navigate times of economic uncertainty and social change. His ascension to the senate and the construction of a new family home are emblematic of his initial success and the outward manifestation of the family’s enduring legacy. However, these achievements mask an underlying fragility, both of the family’s fortunes and of Thomas’s own psyche. He eventually loses a great deal of money due to poor investments combined with an economic crisis, which further erode his health and emotional state. His hopes of producing an heir who can take over the firm vanish as he realizes that his son, Hanno, doesn’t embrace his traditional values, interests and aspirations. Thomas’s transformation over the course of the novel is marked by a gradual erosion of his once steadfast confidence and vigor, mirroring the declining fortunes of the Buddenbrook family. Mann depicts Thomas’s death at the end of Part 10, Chapter 9, in a gruesome scene following a botched tooth extraction, sharply contrasting Thomas’s vanity during his life and signaling the futility of his traditional values and worldview.

Gerda Buddenbrook, born Arnoldsen, is a flat and static secondary character in Mann’s novel. Born to wealthy family, Gerda lives in Amsterdam with her widowed father after her mother’s death, eventually marrying Thomas and giving birth to their son, Hanno. She first appears in Part 2, Chapter 7, as a student in Sesame Weichbrodt’s boarding school. Mann describes her as: “an elegant and exotic presence with heavy chestnut hair, close-set brown eyes, and a pale, beautiful, and slightly haughty face” (84). Musically trained, Gerda owns an authentic Stradivarius violin and her musical tastes are modern and progressive as she prefers Wagner to more traditional composers. Gerda’s passion for music, which she passes on to Hanno, facilitates the novel’s thematic interest in Art as Destructive Force in the eyes of a traditional social class that views it as a frivolous distraction at best and at worst, a threat to social standing and financial stability.

In Buddenbrooks, Mann represents Gerda’s main characteristics as elegance, refined taste, striking looks, and moody, introverted behavior. Although he expresses great admiration towards her, the letter Thomas writes to his mother  focuses on the great wealth that Gerda’s dowry brings the Buddenbrook family. Gerda shares a relationship with Thomas that is at once deep and distanced, their connection marked by mutual respect but also by an underlying tension arising from their differing values and priorities. Gerda’s striking appearance and tastes earn her notice in Lübeck, giving the Buddenbrooks’ competitors reason to gossip. Mann positions her as fundamentally at odds with the pragmatic spirit of the Buddenbrooks, which she counters with her artistic and dreamy nature. Her friendship with Lieutenant von Trotha, based purely on a common passion for music, makes her husband Thomas jealous, without giving him any reasonable cause to suspect her of infidelity.

Gerda’s influence on Hanno plays an important role in the boy’s characterization as a sensitive, withdrawn, and creative young man. After Thomas and Hanno die, Gerda returns to live with her father in Amsterdam.

Antoine (Tony) Buddenbrook, a central character in Buddenbrooks, embodies the conflict between personal autonomy and familial obligation throughout the novel. Although she is vividly drawn, Tony remains largely a flat character, continually returning to her family’s traditional values and sensibility, despite many moments when she finds that worldview challenged and interrogated. As the elder sister of Thomas and Christian, Tony embodies the familial loyalty and social aspirations characteristic of the Buddenbrook family, yet her spirited personality—marked by a blend of naivete and determination—distinguishes her within the narrative. From her early depiction as a spirited and somewhat headstrong child to her more complicated roles as wife, mother, and widow, Mann connects Tony’s character development to the novel’s exploration of the impact of familial legacy on personal identity.

From the beginning of the novel, Tony’s looks and behavior go hand in hand. Mann introduces her as “really very pretty,” with “a thick head of blond hair, curly of course, and turning darker with each passing year; and the slightly protruding upper lip gave a saucy look to her fresh little face with its lively gray-blue eyes, a sauciness repeated in her small, graceful body. There was self-assurance in the spring of her thin legs in their snow-white stockings” (58). In spite of Tony’s spirited nature, she remains bound to her family’s values and social milieu. As with Thomas, Tony finds her only moment of true connection in an early romantic relationship with Morten Schwarzkopf, who inspires a period of intellectual growth in her life. However, like Thomas, she ultimately rejects Morten in favor of familial obligation, just as Thomas rejects the girl in the flower shop in favor of Gerda.

Tony’s marital episodes serve as key plot elements, through which Mann explores the themes of social status, marital obligation, and the economic considerations underlying marriage in the conservative society of 19th-century Germany. Tony’s first marriage to Bendix Grünlich, entered out of familial duty rather than love, and her subsequent disastrous marriage to Alois Permaneder, highlight the sacrifices Tony makes for her family’s reputation and her own social standing. Tony’s role as a mother to Erika and her involvement in arranging a marriage for her daughter with Hugo Weinschenk display her resilience. Even when this marriage fails, Tony does not give up on the dream of the Buddenbrooks’ greatness, to which she dedicates her entire life.

Morten Schwarzkopf, a secondary, flat, and static character, is the young son of a working-class family living at Travemünde where his father is a harbor pilot. He is studying in Göttingen to become a medical doctor and belongs to a fraternity, whose stripped ribbon he proudly shows to Tony. Passionate about social change and equality, Morten introduces Tony to new ways of thinking about the world and the connection they feel to each other represents the only true romance in Tony’s life. At the end of Tony’s vacation in Travemünde, the two declare their love. However, their relationship is cut short by parental intervention. Morten is forced to return to Göttingen by his father, who equally opposes the relationship.

Morten represents the contrast between the progressive, intellectual currents of the time and the traditional, conservative values embodied by the Buddenbrook family. His character traits, including a passionate commitment to social justice and a disdain for the superficialities of the aristocratic society represent a threat to the foundational values on which the Buddenbrooks have built their success and reputation. Morten’s progressive values allow Mann to explore the broader socio-political shifts occurring in 19th-century Germany. Morten’s intellectual fervor and idealistic views challenge Tony’s traditional and limited understanding of the world, making their interaction a critical moment of awakening for her.

Bendix Grünlich, Tony’s first husband, is a round secondary character in Buddenbrooks. The merchant son of a pastor living in Hamburg, Grünlich’s high-risk investments bring him to ruin. Mann describes him as a “thirty-two-year-old man of medium height” (92), wearing colorful and outdated clothing. His complexion and hair are a point of focus from his first entrance: “Under a shock of very blond but thinning hair was a rosy, smiling face, with a conspicuous wart at one side of the nose. His chin and upper lip were cleanshaven, but, following the English fashion, he had long side-whiskers-of a striking tawny, golden color” (92).

From the outset, Grünlich’s character initially represents the epitome of upper-class respectability and success to Tony’s family. He presents himself as in-love with Tony, reacting with jealousy and threats of suicide when she hesitates to accept his marriage proposal. However, after the marriage, Grünlich reveals his true standing as a deceitful and financially insolvent man who pursued Tony for her dowry and the benefits that the association with the Buddenbrooks’ firm could bring him. Grünlich’s meticulous attention to appearances, both in his personal grooming and in the cultivation of his public persona, is indicative of the broader social critique Mann weaves through the novel—the disjunction between the image of success and the often-disastrous economic realities that underpin it.

Erika Grünlich, the daughter of Tony Buddenbrook and Bendix Grünlich, is a flat secondary character. Mann focuses on the Erika’s physical features in the description of her character, and the inherited traits she shares with her father, which constantly reminds Tony of her first husband, even years after the divorce.

Erika’s character development is closely tied to her mother’s experiences. Mann uses Erika’s character to explore the impact of parental choices on the lives of their children and the intergenerational transmission of values and cyclical mistakes that underscore the idea of Family Members as Links in a Chain. Despite her own unfortunate experiences with marriage, Tony Buddenbrook repeats those same mistakes with her daughter, marrying Erika off to Weinschenk, a man of seemingly respectable standing, despite many warning signs that he is not the right match for Erika. The engagement, while initially celebrated as a triumph and a means of restoring the family’s social standing, ultimately leads to disillusionment and tragedy, mirroring Tony’s own marital experiences. Eventually, Erika fades into the background of the plot after her husband gets out of prison and abandons his family, unable to provide for them.

Alois Permaneder, Tony’s second husband, is a secondary round character in Buddenbrooks. Introduced as a Bavarian beer merchant, Mann initially portrays Permaneder as a genial and unpretentious man, contrasting with the refined and somewhat austere world of the Buddenbrooks. Mann’s description of him produces a comical effect, especially in contrast with Tony’s polished appearance:

He was a man of about forty, portly, with short arms and legs. (…) A pale blond, sparse mustache that hung like fringe over his mouth, a perfectly round head, a stump of a nose, and thinning, badly cut hair combined to make him look somewhat like a walrus. Between his chin and lower lip, the stranger wore a bristly goatee, which, in contrast to his drooping mustache, tipped slightly upward. His cheeks were so extraordinarily fat and puffy that they squeezed his eyes into two very narrow pale blue slits with lots of wrinkles at the corners (320).

His down-to-earth demeanor and seemingly straightforward nature appeal to Tony, offering her a semblance of stability and genuine affection after her disastrous first marriage to Bendix Grünlich. However, his penchant for alcohol and his lackadaisical approach to business and family responsibilities contrast the Buddenbrook family’s values of diligence and propriety. Eventually, the marriage breaks apart after Tony witnesses a scene between Alois and the house’s maid, in which the man appears to force himself on the girl. After the divorce, Permaneder returns Tony’s dowry in full.

Hugo Weinschenk, a secondary round character, becomes Erika Grünlich’s fiancé and later husband. As the director of the Municipal Fire Insurance Company, Weinschenk presents as a respectable and confident figure—a self-made man. His assured demeanor and professional success make him an attractive match for Erika from her mother’s point of view. Although by the Buddenbrooks’ estimation, his manners are rough and he does not fit into their social milieu, they believe Weinschenk’s character represents the promise of a stable and prosperous future for Erika, in contrast to her mother Tony’s unfortunate marital experiences.

Ultimately, Weinschenk provides another example of the ways in which the men who court Buddenbrook women utilize a performance of white, upper-class masculine confidence to mask intellectual, financial, and moral failings that they hope to rectify through an advantageous marriage. Weinschenk proves to be morally and professionally corrupt, leading to allegations of fraud that have far-reaching consequences for Erika and the Buddenbrook family including social disgrace and financial strain.

Johann (Hanno) Buddenbrook is a round and dynamic main character in Buddenbrooks. As the son of Senator Thomas Buddenbrook and his wife Gerda, Hanno represents the final generation of the Buddenbrook family and the end of the family’s firm and legacy. From the outset, Hanno is introduced as a sensitive and emotive child, with traits viewed as feminine, both in character and constitution:

Hanno had slender limbs and was rather tall for his age. His light brown hair was very soft and began to grow uncommonly fast at about this same time; very soon it fell in gentle waves down onto the shoulders of his pleated, pinafore-like garment. (…) From the very beginning, his hands had definitely been Buddenbrook hands: broad, a little short, but with delicate fingers; and his nose was definitely that of his father and great-grandfather, though it appeared the nostrils would flair somewhat more softly. The lower part of the face, however, was long and narrow and was neither Buddenbrook nor Kröger, but most decidedly belonged to his mother’s side of the family (414-15).

In contrast to his predecessors, Mann characterizes Hanno by his artistic sensibility and emotional sensitivity, traits that set him apart from the traditional business-oriented, pragmatic masculinity of his father and grandfather. Hanno serves as a symbol of the declining fortunes and waning vitality of the Buddenbrook family, and an inherent threat to the systems of power in which they are entrenched. Hanno’s character is marked by a sense of melancholy and introspection, reflecting novels interest in the concepts of decay and disintegration. His detachment from the practical world of commerce and his immersion in music and artistic pursuits disappoint his father’s hopes and accelerate the  inevitable Decline of the Buddenbrook Legacy and social standing.

Towards the end of the novel, Hanno becomes increasingly alienated from the world around him, retreating into a realm of artistic expression and personal solitude. His alienation is heightened by the fact that he has only one friend, Kai Graf Mölln, with whom he develops a close relationship. Mann hints that their connection may be romantic—a final way in which Hanno represents an inherent threat to the dominant systems of power that undergird his family’s prestige and success—systems that reify white supremist, patriarchal values.

Christian Buddenbrook, a flat secondary character in Buddenbrook, acts as a foil character to his brother, Thomas. Unlike Thomas, who embodies the family’s business knowhow and sense of responsibility, Christian is characterized by his eccentricities, lack of ambition, and a perpetual state of discontent. Mann defines Christian by a whimsical nature and a propensity for storytelling, often filled with colorful and exaggerated anecdotes. In the later sections of the novel, Christian becomes more melancholic and preoccupied with his dwindling health.

Christian’s inability to settle into a career, coupled with his lack of interest in the family business, places him at odds with the family’s values. As the story progresses, Christian’s lack of personal and professional development becomes more evident. While other characters evolve or adapt to their circumstances, Christian remains largely stuck—a man unable to find his place in the world. His life is a series of escapades and failed ventures, further estranging him from his family. Although Christian’s character opposes the rigidity of his family’s traditions and their sense of enterprise, he nevertheless fails to pursue any other path on his own.

Clara Buddenbrook, a flat secondary character, is the fourth and youngest child of Jean and Bethsy Buddenbrook. From a young age, Clara is distinguished from her siblings by frail physical constitution and contemplative nature. Unlike her more worldly and assertive siblings, Thomas and Tony, Clara’s character is marked by an otherworldly detachment and a predilection for religious introspection.

Clara marries Pastor Sievert Tiburtius and moves to Riga, remaining childless. After a few years of happy marriage, Clara’s health deteriorates, and she dies. Her last wish is to leave her dowry and part of inheritance to her widowed husband, which Bethsy complies with, despite Thomas’s resistance.