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Tevye's Family
Tevye
A humble Jewish milkman who must choose between his religion or his daughters more than once.
- Acrofatic: Downplayed. He's usually played as a heavier man but delights in dancing when he gets the chance.
- Arranged Marriage: Was in one to marry Golde. Part of the show is him reflecting on it and their relationship.
- As the Good Book Says...: Quite possibly the trope namer on this site, and something he says a lot.
- Beware the Nice Ones: He's a jovial, friendly man, a devoted husband and loving father, but when his daughter Chava falls in love with a Russian Christian and marries outside of the faith, he harshly rejects her and shuns her.
- Character Catchphrase: "On the other hand..." and "As the Good Book Says......"
- Cultured Badass: Like most people in his community, he's very familiar with the scriptures and drops references to them in conversation.
- Deadpan Snarker: He's very funny, and full of witticisms about his circumstances.
- Greedy Jew: Defied. He cares about money, but that's because he's very poor. The thought that he'd be able to exploit anyone for it is ridiculous, and also stupid since he lives amongst other Jewish people.
- Plus, it turns out the main reason he wishes he were rich is so he could have time to become a scholar and spend more time in the synagogue. Working as a milkman doesn't leave him much opportunity to actually devote to the religion that guides his entire life philosophy.
- I Have No Son!: When she declares her intent to marry a non-Jewish person, he pulls this on Chava as he can't accept her marrying a Russian boy.
- Jewish Complaining: A major part of his narration, but also a great example of why it exists. He complains a lot, but he IS pretty poor, and most of it is directed at God, so he's not blaming others for his problems.
- Knight in Sour Armor: For all his dourness, he still does the right thing 90% of the time.
- Manly Tears: When his daughter Tzeitel gets married.
- Narrator: Narrates the show and addresses the audience directly.
- Real Men Love God: Like most men in his community, his religious devotion is a source of pride and stability, and he observes his people's traditions with strictness.
Love Interests
Motel Kamzoil
- Grew a Spine: When Tzeitel first tells him to ask for Tevye's permission to marry her, Motel's as nervous as can be. He dreads having to ask Tevye out of fear of getting yelled at. After some persuasion from Tzeitel, though, he agrees to talk to her father. When the time comes, he stands up to a furious Tevye and doesn't back down, earning a bit of Tevye's respect in the process. He's clearly frightened during the whole ordeal, though.
- Lovable Coward: At first, he's too cowardly to stand up to Tzeitel's father to ask for her hand in marriage, just out of fear that he would get yelled at. Even after growing a spine and standing up to Tevye, he's visibly terrified. When Tevye asks him who he thinks would be the perfect match for Tzeitel, he avoids the question until he finally admits that it's himself. His mannerisms are very endearing, though — for example, his ecstatic excitement when Tevye gives him permission to marry Tzeitel.
- Running Gag: At his wedding he keeps trying to stand up and getting forced to sit down by one means or another.
Lazar Wolf
- First Guy Wins: Subverted, in the film at least; during the opening number "Tradition," we see Lazar Wolf looking at Tzeitel right before panning to Motel, her childhood friend.
