Hawksmoor Characters

Hawksmoor Character List

Nicholas Dryer

Nicholas is the main character in the first part of the story. He is an intelligent man who remained orphan at a young age because his parents died because of the plague. As a child, he is described as being a week and feeble child who changes once he remains an orphan. After that, the young Nicholas is taken in by a strange man who initiates him into the strange practices if Satanism. Nicholas then grows up to become a respected architect who planned to build a grand Church. When one of the men on the site dies, Nicholas thinks that maybe the church needs human sacrifices.

Thomas

The second chapter focus on the story of a young man named Thomas who lives with his mother near one of the churches built by Nicholas Dryer. Thomas is a lonely child who has troubles making friends. He finds refuge in books and, in comparison with other children of his age, is not afraid to go near the churches in his neighborhood. In the second chapter Thomas develops from a small boy and discovers his sexuality. He then follows a man into the labyrinths under the church and eventually dies there.

Joseph

Joseph is the man who takes over the responsibility of killing after some men begin suspecting Nicholas Dryer. The two become associated with Joseph killing and then Dryer presenting the sacrifices. The reason why the two decide to work together is because they are sure that collaboration is the only way they can survive.

Christopher Wren

Christopher is Nicholas Dryer’s supervisor. He goes to the Church site to investigate the building of the church and to tell Nicholas he needs to work faster. Christopher is hated by Nicholas because of his attitude and apparent lack of knowledge.

Mirabilis

Mirabilis was the strange man who took Nicholas in and introduced him to the Satanic practices that will later influence Nicholas’s life. Mirabilis keeps Nicholas for just a week, time during which Mirabilis transmits the knowledge he has.

The two women

When Nicholas meets Mirabilis he is accompanied by two strange and beautiful women. While the women are not named, they are afraid Nicholas will be infected by the plague and tries to convince Mirabilis not to get close to him.

Yorick Hayes

The man Nicholas Dryer suspects of sending him a threatening letter. Nicholas decides to write back to Yorick Hayes and confront him about the letter.

Walter

Walter is Nicholas’s assistant. He is looked down by Nicholas who sees him as inferior to him. He kills himself at the end of the novel.

Mr. Hill

Mr. Hill is the mason working on the Church site.

Thomas

Thomas was Mr. Hill’s son who fell from the church and died. After his death, Nicholas Dryer gets the idea that he needs to offer a blood sacrifice for the Church to be successful.

Thomas's mother

The mother appears briefly in the second chapter and she is presented as being a loving mother who cares about her son’s wellbeing. She is protective of him and also disappointed because her son fails to make new friends. Because of this, she tries to push him to get closer to other children.

Nat Eliot

Nat is Nicholas’s servant. He is described as someone who is not particularly intelligent and who is looked down on by his master.

The monkey doctor

The name Nicholas gives to the pharmacist coming to treat him in the second chapter. He is unable to give Nicholas a solution to his problems.

Mrs. Best

The owner of the house where Nicholas stayed. She is described as a kind woman who takes care of Nicholas when he is sick.

The aunt

The aunt is the person who took Nicholas in after his parents died. Nicholas remained with her until he was able to support himself financially.

Ned the begger

Ned is the second person whose death is seen by Nicholas. Ned is a drunk who lost everything he had because of his problem with alcohol. He is convinced by Nicholas to kill himself in one of the churches built by him.

The small boy

The small boy is an unnamed child killed in the fifth chapter by Joseph as a sacrifice for the new church. He remains unnamed.

Dan Dee

Dan is the third person killed. He is mentioned in the sixth chapter. In comparison with the other victims, no background information about him is provided.

Mrs. West

Mrs. West is Hawksmoor’s neighborhood mentioned in the sixth chapter. He eventually ends up killing him in a fit

Matthew Hayes

Matthew is the fourth victim found by Hawksmoor. His body was found in the church St. Mary.

Update this section!

You can help us out by revising, improving and updating this section.

Update this section

After you claim a section you’ll have 24 hours to send in a draft. An editor will review the submission and either publish your submission or provide feedback.