A central character who balances maintaining the family legacy with personal desires and pressures, reflecting the societal shifts and challenges of upholding traditional values. He marries Gerda Arnoldsen and becomes a father to Hanno.

Known for her refined beauty and musical talent, Gerda has a significant influence on her son Hanno’s artistic inclinations and enjoys a complex relationship with her husband, Thomas.

Tony is the spirited elder sister tasked with fulfilling familial obligations through her marriages, embodying both the aspirations and constraints of her traditional upbringing.

A young man from a working-class background who becomes Tony’s first love interest, representing progressive ideas and social change that clash with the Buddenbrooks' values.

Tony’s first husband, a merchant with financial challenges, is notably characterized by his outwardly respectable appearance that hides underlying issues.

Erika is the daughter of Tony Buddenbrook and Bendix Grünlich, whose own life choices reflect the consequences of her mother’s experience with marriage.

Tony’s second husband, a Bavarian beer merchant whose unpretentious demeanor and personal habits contrast with the Buddenbrook family's values.

Erika Grünlich’s husband, a director at the fire insurance company, whose outward success and confidence mask deeper issues.

The musically-inclined son of Thomas and Gerda who symbolizes the younger generation in the family's story, marked by his sensitive and artistic nature.

Thomas’s eccentric brother, known for storytelling and his wayward lifestyle, highlighting his disconnection from family traditions and responsibilities.

Jean and Bethsy’s youngest daughter, noted for her contemplative nature and religious devotion, who marries Pastor Sievert Tiburtius.

Jean Buddenbrook’s wife, who gracefully balances the luxury of her Kröger family heritage with the more reserved lifestyle of her husband’s family.