The World's Wife

Narrator introduced, a young girl who meets the Wolf, drinks with him, loses shoes, and eventually kills him, emerging alone with flowers.

Wolf introduced as a literary, wine‑stained wolf who lures Little Red‑Cap into the forest, later killed by her.

Thetis shapeshifts repeatedly, shrinking to a bird, assuming the weight of an albatross, becoming a snake, a lion, a marine creature, various small animals, and finally transforming into wind, fire, and a hurricane, undergoing violent encounters with humans and other forces throughout the chapter.

Pet locked in the cellar during the conflict

Husband who wishes for gold, becomes obsessed, later leaves the house

Narrator of the chapter, married to a gold‑obsessed husband and drives him away

Her husband changes from male to female after a walk, experiences menstruation and becomes a media figure.

Narrator Mrs Tiresias recounts her husband’s gender transformation, his menstrual cycle, and subsequent public life.

Crowd shouts for Barabbas during the trial.

Pilate’s Wife’s maid accompanies her to Jerusalem and mingles with the crowd. The maid brings Salome tea, dry toast, clears clutter, and talks in a regional accent after Salome's drunken night.

The Nazarene (Jesus) enters Jerusalem, is noticed by Pilate’s Wife, crowned with thorns and taken to the Place of Skulls.

Narrator introduced as Pilate’s Wife, providing her observations and feelings about the trial of the Nazarene.

Pilate appears at the trial, washing his hands and being observed by his wife.

Mr Aesop is introduced as the small, pretentious husband whose futile attempts at moralizing are mocked by Mrs Aesop.

Narrator, the wife of Sisyphus, expresses frustration and loneliness while describing her husband's endless labor on the hill.

Sisyphus is depicted pushing a stone up a hill repeatedly, never shirking, and his labor is described as relentless and futile. Briefly noted as a ghost sitting on his rock for the first time in years.

Husband of Mrs Faust, a wealthy, ambitious man who accumulated titles, engaged in affairs, and ultimately fell to Hell.

Referred to as the Devil’s boy, he is the entity with whom Mrs Faust makes a soul‑selling pact.

Narrator of the chapter, recounts her affluent, tumultuous marriage to Faust and her eventual inheritance after his death.

Narrator who engages in violent and sexual acts with her lover, displays mythical bravado, chains him, and cuts his hair

Male lover/warrior with a scar and war medals who is restrained and has his hair cut

Narrator of the chapter, Shakespeare’s widow, describes their shared bed and poetic memories.

Mentioned as Anne Hathaway’s husband whose will bequeaths her the second best bed.

Introduced as a human documentary filmmaker who becomes Queen Kong's lover, lives in a Manhattan apartment, and later dies, becoming a preserved necklace for her.

Introduced as a giant female gorilla narrator who falls in love with a human documentary filmmaker and recounts their twelve‑year relationship in New York.

Medusa narrates her rising suspicion and jealousy, describing her hair turning into filthy snakes, fearing betrayal by her lover, and visualizing violent transformations of animals into stone and her own monstrous Gorgon reflection. Medusa recounts flying over the woods with chains, being mud‑covered, locked in a cell and writing secret code to the Devil

Male coworker who assaults and manipulates the Devil's wife, driving her to the woods and claiming they are the same

Narrator identifies herself as the Devil's wife, describing an abusive sexual relationship, burial of a doll, and a long night of suffering

Introduced Circe, a sorceress who narrates a vivid, pig‑centric culinary monologue, recalling sea voyages and cooking rituals.

Villager whose shrill eyes are noted as the crowd approaches.

Villager whose face is noted with a sly light as the crowd approaches.

Husband of Mrs Lazarus, presumed dead, later appears alive among the crowd, described as rotting and disheveled.

Narrator, grieving widow of Lazarus who mourns his death and later sees him alive among villagers.

Villager whose arm the narrator recalls, symbolizing past intimacy.

The sculptor who creates and awakens the statue, kisses her, provides gifts, and later disappears.

A once-cold ivory statue awakened by Pygmalion's touch, who later warms, engages in a passionate encounter, and subsequently disappears from his life.

Narrator describes her middle‑age slump, new hobbies like painting, traveling imaginatively to famous landmarks, and a definitive goodbye to sex before confronting her husband on Viagra.

Husband of Mrs Rip Van Winkle who sleeps through her life changes and is found rattling Viagra in bed.

Salome wakes up beside a man's head, reflects on a night of excess, decides to quit drinking, smoking, and casual sex, and discovers the man's head on a platter.

Narrator introduces herself as Eurydice, describing her death in the Underworld and her role in Orpheus' return.

Described as a famed poet‑musician who descended to the Underworld with Eurydice, warned not to look back, and ultimately looked back when she pleaded.

Mentioned receiving a couple of beers while in the Underworld.

Grandmother of the Kray Sisters, a hard‑line suffragette who knocked out a Grand National horse in front of the King and was known as Cannonball Vi.

Twin gangster sisters who run the Ballbreakers and Prickteasers nightclubs in London, offering protection to women and mingling with celebrity clientele.

Elvis is referenced as alive and the male twin of Sister Presley, with a brief nod to ‘Madonna’.

Elvis’s twin sister, a nun called Sister Presley, tends the convent garden, wears a simple habit with wimple, rosary, chain of keys, blue suede shoes, and refers to Graceland as a land of grace while reminiscing about Lonely Street and Heartbreak Hotel.

Pope Joan narrates her rise as a papal figure, describing miraculous liturgical powers, her role as Vicar of Rome, and a mystical childbirth on a road.

Dog mourns Penelope's husband with its head on her knees

Narrator, the waiting wife who embroiders her longing and loss

Introduced as Mrs Beast's husband; described with animalistic physical traits and sexual behavior.

Introduced as a poker player with the Queen of Spades who never bluffs and reveals aces.

Mentioned as the name invoked during the toast at the end of the poker game.

Introduced as a poker player holding the Queen of Clubs and winning the final hand.

Introduced as a poker observer whose eyes are glued to the pot.

Introduced lighting a cheroot during the poker game.

Narrator introduced as wife of the Beast; describes wealth, marriage, and role in poker nights.

Introduced as the pig sharing Mrs Beast's bed, fouling the sheets.

Demeter narrates her winter life in a cold stone room, broken heart, and the arrival of her daughter bringing spring flowers.