Chronicle of a Death Foretold: Characters and Fate

The Fatal Destiny in Chronicle of a Death Foretold

The narrative structure of the novel is incredible, altering the timeline to reveal the truth and leaving the atmosphere thick with doubt, ultimately destroying the protagonists of the drama. The characters become victims of a fatal destiny, reminiscent of classical tragedies, unable to master the passions that divert them from their own fate.

The most obvious example is that of the Vicario brothers, who unintentionally have to kill to save their family's honor. The town itself acts as a collective character and witness, contributing its knowledge to the chronicled events.

Key Figures and Roles

Below is a brief analysis of the main characters:

• Santiago Nasar

  The protagonist is a 21-year-old male who is leaving high school. When his father dies, he must lead the farm, El Divino Rostro (The Holy Face), which his father bequeathed him. He is described as a dreamer, happy, peaceful, friendly, formal, and a believer. While at home with his girlfriend, Flora Miguel, he learns that the Vicario brothers intend to kill him. He cannot avoid the tragic fate that awaits him.

• Bayardo San Román

  He is about 30 years old, a train engineer, elegant, gallant with women, and widely admired. He has money and enjoys celebrations. Honest and good-hearted, he marries Angela Vicario but repudiates her upon realizing she is not a virgin.

• Angela Vicario

  The youngest in her family, she is not a believer but is very modest in the presence of men. After the wedding, she confesses that Santiago Nasar is the one who disgraced her, yet nobody in the village truly knows what happened the night of the wedding or what transpired between her and Santiago Nasar. The most common version suggests that Angela was protecting someone she truly loved. Although initially indecisive and unable to oppose the marriage imposed by her parents, she matures after the incident and chooses to hide the full truth about it.

• Pedro and Pablo Vicario

  Angela's twin brothers are tasked with restoring the family's lost honor. Neither brother truly wanted to carry out the killing, as they were not inherently violent men. They tried, without success, to have others perform this task, hoping the town would intervene.

• The Narrator (A Journalist)

  A friend of the deceased who had lived in the village, he attempts to investigate and reconstruct the events years later to write the definitive chronicle of what happened.