Genre
Short story; realistic fiction with supernatural/surreal elements.
Setting and Context
The action takes place in Moscow, Russia in the early 1800s.
Narrator and Point of View
The story is told by a third-person omniscient narrator; the point of view switches between characters, staying mostly with Hermann and Liza.
Tone and Mood
The tone of the story is matter-of-fact and naturalistic. The mood of the story oscillates, at various times romantic, anxiety-inducing, and haunting, depending on the character's point of view.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Hermann is the story's protagonist; the antagonist is the Countess, who withholds her secret and later haunts Hermann.
Major Conflict
The major conflict is that Hermann's extreme greed pushes him to risk his sanity and humanity to attain the Countess's gambling secret.
Climax
The story reaches its climax when Hermann loses his third faro bet and then goes insane.
Foreshadowing
There is an instance of foreshadowing when Hermann says he would never sacrifice something essential to win something superfluous; in the end, he sacrifices his savings and humanity in order to get rich.
Understatement
Allusions
Liza reflects that Hermann resembles the French ruler Napoleon.
