Character Relationship Map: Nana

Characters

• Nana (played by Catherine Hessling) — protagonist

  Nana is a theatre actress whose light-hearted performances attract the Parisian bourgeoisie. Her success with men transforms her into a wealthy and adored courtesan, allowing her to leave the stage wh...

• Bordenave (played by Pierre Lestringuez) — supporting

  Bordenave is the cynical director of the Théâtre des Variétés and oversees Nana's career. He casts Rose Mignon as the Little Duchess, but Nana demands the role for herself; her performance fails, mark...

• Countess Sabine Muffat (played by Jacqueline Forzane) — supporting

  Countess Sabine Muffat is Count Muffat's wife, whose marriage is strained by his growing fascination with Nana. Fauchery escorts her home, and she is eventually driven away by her husband's increasing...

• Count Muffat (played by Werner Krauss) — supporting

  Count Muffat becomes the man who ruins himself to support Nana and satisfy her excessive needs. He maintains her lavish lifestyle while she cheats on him and wastes his money on grandiose parties. His...

• Count de Vandeuvres (played by Jean Angelo) — supporting

  Count de Vandeuvres is Georges Hugon's uncle and one of Nana's admirers. At Longchamp, he arranges bets on Lusignan while secretly expecting the horse to lose, and also bets on Nana's horse; after her...

• Georges Hugon (played by Raymond Guérin-Catelain) — supporting

  Georges Hugon is the impulsive nephew of Count de Vandeuvres and remains devoted to Nana. She promises to separate him from his uncle but instead keeps both men close, deepening Georges's jealousy and...

• Zoe (played by Valeska Gert) — supporting

  Zoe is Nana's maid and helps manage the household as Nana's wealth and expensive tastes grow. She is part of the domestic circle around Nana, whose luxurious lifestyle is provided by her admirers.

• Hector de la Faloise (played by Pierre Champagne) — supporting

  Hector de la Faloise is an admirer who places a bet on Nana's horse at Longchamp through the bookmaker used by Count de Vandeuvres. Unaware of the count's scheme, Hector loses his money when Nana wins...

• Rose Mignon (played by Jacqueline Ford) — supporting

  Rose Mignon is a performer at the Théâtre des Variétés whom Bordenave casts as the Little Duchess. Nana demands the role for herself, and Count Muffat helps her secure it despite the playwright's obje...

• Francis (played by Karl Harbacher) — supporting

  Francis is Nana's hairdresser and sometime banker. Along with Zoe, Nana's maid, he helps manage her growing household and expensive tastes, supporting the lavish domestic life that her admirers make p...

• Fauchery (played by Claude Autant-Lara) — supporting

  Fauchery is a journalist and playwright who is involved in the events around Nana's theater career. He objects when Count Muffat helps Nana obtain the role of the Little Duchess, and he escorts Counte...

• Bosc (played by Roberto Pla) — minor

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Nana → Fauchery (Professional Playwright And Performer) — Fauchery's objection to Nana receiving the role places him on the opposing side of her theatrical ambition.

  Fauchery is identified as a journalist and playwright, and he objects when Count Muffat helps Nana secure the role she demanded.

• Count de Vandeuvres → Georges Hugon (Family Uncle And Nephew) — Their uncle-nephew relationship becomes entangled in Nana's effort to keep both men attached to her.

  Georges is identified as the impulsive nephew of Count de Vandeuvres, and Nana promises to separate the two men while keeping both close.

• Count Muffat → Countess Sabine Muffat (Family Husband And Wife In A Strained Marriage) — Muffat's conduct and fascination with Nana strain his marriage to Sabine, who is caught up in their consequences.

  Countess Sabine is identified as Count Muffat's wife, and rumors spread about their strained marriage as his fascination with Nana has consequences fo...

• Nana → Francis (Professional Hairdresser And Financial Helper) — Francis provides hairdressing services and sometimes acts as Nana's banker.

  Francis is Nana's hairdresser and sometime banker, helping manage her household and expensive tastes.

• Nana → Zoe (Professional Employer And Maid) — Zoe serves Nana and helps manage her household as her expenses and lifestyle grow.

  Zoe is identified as Nana's maid and helps manage Nana's growing household.

• Nana → Georges Hugon (Romantic Devoted Lover) — Georges stays devoted to Nana despite her efforts to keep both him and his uncle close, and his jealousy intensifies.

  Georges remains devoted to Nana, and his jealousy and distress deepen as she also charms his uncle, Count de Vandeuvres.

• Nana → Count de Vandeuvres (Romantic Rejected Suitor) — Nana keeps Vandeuvres emotionally attached while pursuing her own interests, then refuses his marriage proposal.

  Nana charms Count de Vandeuvres and promises to separate him from Georges while keeping both men close. After the race, he begs her to marry him, and...

• Nana → Count Muffat (Romantic Courtesan And Obsessive Admirer) — Muffat's fascination helps Nana obtain the role and develops into a degrading obsession that contributes to his ruin.

  Count Muffat is captivated by Nana, helps secure her desired role, and becomes increasingly obsessed with her; her lavish life is supported by her adm...

• Nana → Bordenave (Professional Director And Performer) — Bordenave manages Nana's theatrical career, but her demand for the starring role clashes with his casting decision.

  Bordenave oversees Nana's career at the Théâtre des Variétés and casts Rose Mignon as the Little Duchess, prompting Nana to demand the role.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Count de Vandeuvres → Hector de la Faloise (Conflict Unknowing Participant In A Betting Scheme) — Hector's wager through the bookmaker intersects with Vandeuvres's race betting, leaving Hector financially ruined after Nana's win.

  Count de Vandeuvres arranges bets around the favored horse and his own horse; Hector, unaware of the scheme, bets on Nana through the same bookmaker a...

• Fauchery → Countess Sabine Muffat (Social Escort) — Fauchery accompanies Sabine home amid rumors about the Muffats' strained marriage.

  Fauchery, a journalist and playwright, escorts Countess Sabine home.

• Nana → Bosc (Social Friend And Caregiver) — Bosc returns to Nana's side during her illness and brings medical help.

  When Nana is gravely ill, Bosc returns with the Doctor, who identifies her disease as smallpox.

• Nana → Hector de la Faloise (Narrative Indirect Cause Of Financial Loss) — Hector's bet on Nana brings him a financial loss when her horse wins.

  Hector places a bet on Nana through the bookmaker at Longchamp and is ruined when Nana wins.

• Nana → Rose Mignon (Conflict Competing Performers) — Nana challenges Rose's casting by insisting that she should receive the role.

  Bordenave casts Rose Mignon as the Little Duchess, but Nana demands the role for herself.

• Nana → Countess Sabine Muffat (Conflict Rival In A Marital Scandal) — Nana's involvement with Count Muffat contributes to the strain surrounding Sabine's marriage.

  Countess Sabine is caught up in the consequences of her husband's fascination with Nana, and rumors spread about the Muffats' strained marriage.

Story Analysis

Nana's allure brings wealth and influence, while failed ambition, entangled admirers, and collapsing fortunes lead to illness and isolation.

Plot Progression

1. The Star and Her Admirers — Nana appears at the Théâtre des Variétés and attracts influential admirers. Zoe and Francis help manage the household that grows around her, while the Muffats' marriage comes under strain.
2. A Failed Theatrical Ambition — Nana demands the Little Duchess role after it is given to Rose Mignon. Muffat helps her obtain it despite Fauchery's objections, but the performance fails and Nana abandons hopes of becoming a great a...
3. Fortunes at Longchamp — Nana keeps Georges and Count de Vandeuvres close as their tensions deepen. At Longchamp, Vandeuvres's betting scheme pays off when Nana's horse wins, while Hector is ruined; Vandeuvres's marriage prop...
4. Collapse and Contagion — Muffat's obsession drives Sabine away, and Nana returns to a nearly empty house. Bosc brings the Doctor, who identifies smallpox and warns those around Nana not to enter.