Character Analysis: Teresa Goday and Key Figures of the Novel

Central Characters and Relationships

Teresa Goday

The young and attractive daughter of a fishmonger. Her first love affair was with the lamplighter, Michael Masdeu, with whom she had a son, Jesus Masdeu.

Nicolau Rovira

A wealthy, older man who marries Teresa. His wealth provides Teresa, who is of humble origin, with significant social and economic promotion.

Michael Masdeu (Jeweler)

Teresa's first love. He meets Teresa while she is married and has a son, Jesus Masdeu, whom he later adopts (s'afillarà). He is associated with the descriptor "Mr. Drink" and his character is referred to as a "bluff."

Jesus Masdeu

He is seen as a burden by Teresa, but she does not want to leave him helpless.

Salvador Valldaura

Tall, good-looking, with a striking blond beard. He lives his life haunted by the memories of his love for Barbara in Vienna. He eventually marries Teresa.

Barbara

A violinist Salvador Valldaura knew in refined Vienna. Physically, she is thin, blond, and blue-eyed. Her behavior is strange, making her one of the most enigmatic and attractive characters throughout the novel.

Amadeu Riera

The fashionable notary in Barcelona at the time. A slender man, married to the unattractive Constance. He becomes Teresa's lover.

Sofia

Cold, distant, and manipulative in character, completely different from her mother, Teresa. She is not physically remarkable but tends to be very careful about her appearance. Her relationship with her mother is marked by envy and hatred from the beginning.

Quim Bergadà

Friend and comrade of Salvador Valldaura.

Rafael and Eulalia

They are involved in a confusing relationship (the text mentions "the brother and husband of Eulalia Bergadà Quim"). They face severe problems with factory workers and are killed violently. Teresa Valldaura invites them to a Carnival party to increase her social standing.

Armanda Valls

She becomes Valldaura's cook at a very young age, recommended by a relative who is a maid in the house. Armanda becomes the most reliable member of the household staff and Teresa's confidant, eventually ending Teresa's life.

Eladi Farriols

Works as a shopkeeper. Unable to achieve anything significant in his life, he marries Sofia out of self-interest. He felt a slight antipathy towards her from the beginning, and she showed contempt for the work he did at the time of their marriage.

Maria

Daughter of Eladi and Pilar Segura. She is adopted by Sofia as a sign of strength. She represents the poetic character of the novel.

Children of Sofia and Eladi

• Ramon: The first child of Sofia and Eladi. A child full of life and the strongest of their children.
• Jaume (James): The second child of Sofia and Eladi. Perhaps due to his premature birth, he is very unhealthy.