Black Beauty (AmazonClassics Edition) characters

Appears from the start

A well-bred black horse who narrates his life from a sheltered foalhood onward. His mother teaches him to work willingly for people who treat him well, and he begins with a trusting, gentle disposition.

Also known as Duchess

Appears from the start

Beauty's wise and affectionate mother. She belongs to Farmer Grey and teaches her son that good behavior and honest effort are a horse's best response to humane care.

First appears in chapter 4

The considerate owner of Birtwick Park. He expects his household to treat horses gently and opposes fashionable practices that cause them pain.

First appears in chapter 4

The squire's kind wife and Beauty's mistress at Birtwick Park. Her poor health shapes the household's journeys, and she shares her husband's concern for the horses' welfare.

First appears in chapter 4

The head coachman at Birtwick Park, experienced, calm, and attentive to every horse in his charge. He wins Beauty's confidence through steady handling rather than force.

First appears in chapter 4

A spirited chestnut mare stabled with Beauty at Birtwick. She can be irritable and defensive, and her behavior suggests that her earlier treatment has left her wary of people.

First appears in chapter 4

A cheerful gray pony at Birtwick, valued as a safe mount for the Gordon children. Playful with the other horses but careful with young riders, he firmly resists rough handling.

First appears in chapter 4

John's capable young assistant at Birtwick. He is gentle with the horses, ambitious to improve himself, and preparing for greater responsibility in his profession.

First appears in chapter 14

A young stable boy who joins the Birtwick staff under John and James. Inexperienced and sometimes careless, he nevertheless has the chance to learn humane horsemanship from them.

First appears in chapter 25

A groom employed at Earlshall. He is a skilled horseman when sober, but his unreliability and resentment make him a dangerous person to entrust with horses.

Also known as Jerry

First appears in chapter 33

A London cab driver who buys Beauty and calls him Jack. Jerry works hard without sacrificing his principles, cares properly for his horses, and treats passengers with practical kindness.

First appears in chapter 35

Jerry Barker's capable and warm-hearted wife. She helps sustain the cabman's household and supports his insistence on decent treatment for both people and horses.

First appears in chapter 34

An elderly cab horse who works beside Beauty in Jerry Barker's stable. He has served as a cavalry horse and remains dignified, dependable, and observant after a long working life.

First appears in chapter 48

A humane farmer who notices Beauty at a horse sale when the exhausted animal is near the end of his strength. He recognizes signs of better breeding beneath Beauty's poor condition.