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Sofia
A Bolshevik who works at the hotel, whom the Count refers to as “the Bishop” due to his “narrow head and superior demeanor.” The Bishop starts the novel working as a waiter in the hotel’s less elegant restaurant, the Piazza, before rising through the ranks to a position in the hotel’s premier restaurant, the Boyarsky. He then becomes the assistant hotel manager and finally the hotel manager. The Count takes an immediate dislike to him due to his lack of tact, his lack of experience and knowledge about waiting, and because he does not pick up on traditional dining cues. The Bishop, in turn, dislikes the Count because he views the count as representative of an old and outmoded way of life. He complains that keeping a wine list in the hotel is contrary to the values of the new Soviet society, and thus all of the wine labels are removed in order to equalize the bottles. The Count finds this action disastrous, as each bottle is unique, and views it as an attack on his way of life. Thus, the Bishop becomes representative of a regime obsessed with tearing down traditional ways of life simply because they are traditional.
The Bishop Quotes in A Gentleman in Moscow
The A Gentleman in Moscow quotes below are all either spoken by The Bishop or refer to The Bishop. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Book 2, 1924, Anonymity
Quotes
Yes, a bottle of wine was the ultimate distillation of time and place; a poetic expression of individuality itself. Yet here it was, cast back into the sea of anonymity, that realm of averages and unknowns.
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Because the Bolsheviks, who were so intent upon recasting the future from a mold of their own making, would not rest until every last vestige of his Russia had been uprooted, shattered, or erased.
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Book 5, Antagonists at Arms (And an Absolution)
Quotes
“Your sort,” he sneered. “How convinced you have always been of
the rightness of your actions. As if God Himself was so impressed with your precious manners and delightful way of putting things that He blessed you to do as you pleased. What vanity.”
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Book 5, Apotheosis
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At that moment, it somehow seemed to the Count that no one was out of place; that every little thing happening was part of some master plan; and that within the context of that plan, he was meant to sit in the chair between the potted palms and wait.
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The Bishop Quotes in A Gentleman in Moscow
The A Gentleman in Moscow quotes below are all either spoken by The Bishop or refer to The Bishop. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Book 2, 1924, Anonymity
Quotes
Yes, a bottle of wine was the ultimate distillation of time and place; a poetic expression of individuality itself. Yet here it was, cast back into the sea of anonymity, that realm of averages and unknowns.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Because the Bolsheviks, who were so intent upon recasting the future from a mold of their own making, would not rest until every last vestige of his Russia had been uprooted, shattered, or erased.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 5, Antagonists at Arms (And an Absolution)
Quotes
“Your sort,” he sneered. “How convinced you have always been of
the rightness of your actions. As if God Himself was so impressed with your precious manners and delightful way of putting things that He blessed you to do as you pleased. What vanity.”
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Book 5, Apotheosis
Quotes
At that moment, it somehow seemed to the Count that no one was out of place; that every little thing happening was part of some master plan; and that within the context of that plan, he was meant to sit in the chair between the potted palms and wait.
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Related Themes:
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Explanation and Analysis:
