Minor Characters in Chevalier
The Supporting Cast in The Lady and the Unicorn
A small role in Tracy Chevalier's novels is almost as interesting as being a big player. Find out about the people who supported the action.
Jean Le Viste: A nobleman who commissions the tapestries from Nicolas Des Innocents. Le Viste is an outsider in the King’s court having fought and paid his way into the position of nobleman. Because of his tenuous and scorned position, he is eager to display his coat of arms prominently. He is a cold man who is not loving or kind to his family. He is particularly cold to Genevieve De Nanterre, his wife, who could not produce a son for him.
Leon Le Vieux: A merchant who helps arrange and broker the artwork. He serves as a kind of lawyer for Le Viste’s business arrangements.
Beatrice: Genevieve De Nanterre’s lady in waiting. Beatrice has been with Genevieve her whole life and wants to be freed to marry. She sets her sights on Nicolas Des Innocents. When Claude begins to cause trouble and to worry her parents Genevieve makes Beatrice Claude’s lady-in-waiting and instructs Beatrice never to leave Claude’s side. In the end, Beatrice marries Nicolas.
Marie-Celeste: A maid at the Le Viste household. She falls for Nicolas Des Innocents’ unicorn story and becomes pregnant with his child. She loses her position at the Le Viste household. After her child, who she names Claude, is born she takes it to a abbey and leaves her for the nuns to raise.
Madeleine: A maid in the De La Chapelle household. She brings Philippe into the situation and rescues Aleinor when Aleinor’s pregnancy is discovered.
Philippe De La Tour: A cartoonist who works for Georges De La Chapelle designing the tapestries for the weavers to use as patterns. He is in love with Aleinor De La Chapelle but is too shy to approach her until Aleinor becomes pregnant and Madeleine brings him into the confrontation to accept responsibility for Aleinor.
Georges Le Jeune: Georges De La Chapelle’s son. He is an adult and ready to take over the business but his father is reluctant.
Jacques Le Boeuf: A woad dyer who smells like stale urine (woad was used to dye things blue). He has an over-bearing personality and nobody likes him. However, he seeks Aleinor as a wife. Her parents nearly agree with the arrangement as Aleinor’s blindness makes it hard to find a spouse for her.
Geoffroy de Balzac: The man to whom Claude’s engagement is announced at the party where the tapestries are presented.
Nicolette: The daughter of Nicolas Des Innocents and Marie-Celeste originally named Claude. Claude discovers her in the abbey, adopts her and changes her name to Nicolette. Nicolette is Claude’s lady in waiting for her entire life.
Chevalier, Tracy. The Lady and the Unicorn. Penguin Group, USA, 2004. ISBN-0-525-94767-1
More Resources for Chevalier's Novel
- Read a review of The Lady and the Unicorn.
- Find Discussion Questions for The Lady and the Unicorn to use with your Reading Group.
- Learn about the major characters in The Lady and the Unicorn.
