Character Relationship Map: Lulu

Characters

• Lulu (played by Nadja Tiller) — protagonist

  Lulu is the story’s central figure, devoted to Dr. Schön yet unwilling to accept his efforts to control her or dictate whom she marries. Her charm draws Dr. Goll and Maler Schwarz into her orbit, whil...

• Dr. Schön (played by O.E. Hasse) — supporting

  Dr. Schön is Lulu’s lover and later her husband. He urges her to marry a wealthy, respectable man, then becomes consumed by jealousy and suspicion within their marriage. His accusations and confession...

• Rodrigo (played by Mario Adorf) — supporting

  Rodrigo is a source of danger to Lulu when she is in financial trouble: she fears he will report her to the police. She asks Dr. Schön to help her lure Rodrigo to her home, get him drunk, and take his...

• Medizinalrat Dr. Goll (played by Leon Askin) — supporting

  Medizinalrat Dr. Goll asks Maler Schwarz to paint Lulu, bringing the painter into her orbit. His death becomes a turning point: afterward, Schwarz discovers Lulu’s connection to Dr. Schön and is devas...

• Maler Schwarz (played by Sieghardt Rupp) — supporting

  Maler Schwarz is the painter whom Medizinalrat Dr. Goll asks to paint Lulu. He becomes fascinated by her, then learns of her connection to Dr. Schön after Goll’s death. The discovery devastates him, a...

Canonical Relationships

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

• Medizinalrat Dr. Goll → Maler Schwarz (Professional Painting Commission) — Dr. Goll commissions Schwarz to paint Lulu, bringing Schwarz into her orbit.

  Medizinalrat Dr. Goll asks Maler Schwarz to paint Lulu.

• Lulu → Maler Schwarz (Romantic Object Of Fascination) — Schwarz's fascination with Lulu turns to despair when he discovers her connection to Dr. Schön.

  Dr. Goll asks Maler Schwarz to paint Lulu, and Schwarz becomes fascinated with her. After Dr. Goll's death, Schwarz learns of Lulu's connection to Dr....

• Lulu → Dr. Schön (Romantic Lovers In A Controlling Relationship) — Their attachment persists through marriage, jealousy, and manipulation; Lulu resists his attempts to control her.

  Lulu says she belongs only to Dr. Schön, and he claims that her marriage to another man will not change their relationship. Later, he becomes suspicio...

Story Dynamics

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

• Lulu → Rodrigo (Conflict Fearful Adversaries) — Lulu sees Rodrigo's threat of reporting her as an immediate danger and considers a deceptive plan to get away.

  Lulu fears that Rodrigo will report her to the police. She proposes getting him drunk and taking his valuables so she can escape.

Story Analysis

Lulu's relationships with men become entangled with desire, jealousy, control, and a desperate attempt to escape danger.

Plot Progression

1. A Bond Under Negotiation — Dr. Schön urges Lulu to marry a wealthy, respectable man while claiming their relationship will remain unchanged. Lulu answers that she belongs only to him.
2. The Painter's Fatal Discovery — Dr. Goll commissions Schwarz to paint Lulu, and Schwarz becomes fascinated with her. After Dr. Goll dies, Schwarz discovers Lulu's connection to Dr. Schön and is devastated; a gunshot strongly suggest...
3. Marriage and Jealousy — Lulu appears as Dr. Schön's wife, but their marriage brings no peace. His suspicion, accusations, and confessions reveal the force of his jealousy, while his son is drawn into the tension.
4. A Precarious Escape — In financial trouble, Lulu fears Rodrigo will report her to the police and asks Dr. Schön for help. She proposes getting Rodrigo drunk and taking his valuables, but the excerpt ends amid fearful react...