Buddenbrooks*
Decay of an Old German Family
The Buddenbrooks:
Johann Buddenbrook. The son of the founder of the firm. "A kind papa, a worthy man." A German of the old 18th Century school who "never in all his life has worn a pair of trousers." Able in business, he has raised the Buddenbrooks to their important position. What if he is a rough diamond, who sometimes forgets himself and relapses into low German dialect before the fine guests?
Johonn Buddenbrook, the Younger. The son of old Johann. More refined than Johann, he is just as able. His only trouble is that he believes God is personally supervising all the decisions he makes. A belief which sometimes leads him to attach undue importance to them.
Thomas Buddenbrook. The son of the younger Johann. Even if he has a scornful way of lifting one of his eyebrows and a fondness for quoting Heine, he too is able at business. True, it is under his management that the family comes to grief. But that is because being a Buddenbrook now involves responsibilities that are too much for any man.
Christian Buddenbrook. The brother of Thomas. At the age of seven a skillful mimic of Marcellus Stengel, his schoolmaster, he is pronounced "witty and brilliant" by Jean Jacques Hoffstede, the poet. He continues a skillful mimic to the end. But beyond that he accomplishes nothing—except to spend Buddenbrook money and to irritate the steadier Thomas.
Antonie Buddenbrook. The sister of Thomas. At 17 a "silly goose" by her own confession, later on she "knows life" and is anxious to tell you this. Her chief skill seems to be in making unsuccessful marriages, of which she contracts two. One with Bendix Grun-lich, a fraud with handsome yellow moustaches, a faculty for falling dramatically on his knees at just the correct moment, and a distinct taste for the Buddenbrook money. The second with Herr Permaneder, a really kind-hearted if totally impossible Municher.
Hanno Buddenbrook. The son of Thomas. He inherits a musical temperament from his mother, nee Gerda Sorenson. He tries to please his father by showing an interest in the business, but is not very convincing at it. One of his days may be "fuller than a lifetime of the earlier Buddenbrooks," but with him the Buddenbrook line expires.