Character Relationship Map: Empties

Characters

• Josef Tkaloun (played by Zdeněk Svěrák) — protagonist

  Josef Tkaloun is an elderly high-school teacher in Prague whose anger at misbehaving pupils leads him to quit. Rejecting retirement, he becomes a cycle courier and later works at a supermarket recycli...

• Eliška Tkalounová (played by Daniela Kolářová) — supporting

  Eliška Tkalounová is Josef Tkaloun’s wife. She urges him to retire after he leaves teaching, and his flirtations and sexually charged dreams nearly create trouble in their marriage. Josef responds by...

• Ptáčková (played by Nela Boudová) — supporting
• Wasserbauer (played by Jan Vlasák) — minor

Canonical Relationships

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

• Josef Tkaloun → Ptáčková (Professional Former Colleagues) — Ptáčková's attention prompts Josef to privately wonder whether he can still feel desired, while Eliška worries that his interest in other women is more than harmless flirtation.

  The plot describes Ptáčková as a former colleague and says Josef notices the attention he receives from her.

• Josef Tkaloun → Eliška Tkalounová (Family Husband And Wife) — Their long marriage is unsettled by Josef's flirtatious attention to other women and his jealousy when Eliška enjoys Wasserbauer's attention; Josef plans an anniversary surprise for them.

  The plot identifies Eliška as Josef's wife and says they discuss their fortieth wedding anniversary. They argue over his jealousy at the wedding and l...

Story Dynamics

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

• Josef Tkaloun → Wasserbauer (Conflict Jealous Rivals) — Wasserbauer's attention to Eliška provokes Josef's jealousy and contributes to the couple's argument.

  At the wedding, Josef becomes jealous of Eliška's interaction with Wasserbauer and accuses her of behaving intimately with him.

• Eliška Tkalounová → Wasserbauer (Social Former Student And City Official) — Eliška enjoys Wasserbauer's attention at the wedding; she says she was simply enjoying herself when Josef accuses her of behaving intimately with him.

  The plot identifies Wasserbauer as a city official and former student who gives Eliška attention at a wedding.

Story Analysis

Josef seeks renewed purpose and vitality while confronting routine, jealousy, and uncertainty within his long marriage.

Plot Progression

1. Restless Years at School — Josef feels the routine of his life and marriage while trying to hold his students' attention with poetry. He notices Ptáčková's attention, and Eliška worries about his interest in other women.
2. Purpose at the Depot — After leaving teaching, Josef takes a job at a bottle-return depot and finds satisfaction in greeting and talking with customers. His family questions the demanding work, while catching a shoplifter b...
3. Jealousy at the Wedding — The family discusses their daughter and her romantic choices, while Josef also speaks with her former partner about what went wrong. At a wedding, Eliška enjoys Wasserbauer's attention and Josef's jea...
4. A Gift and a Difficult Choice — Josef's planned anniversary trip, paid for with his reward money, is appreciated by Eliška but does not erase the strains in their marriage. When the depot cannot retain him full-time, he refuses part...