Chronicle of a Death Foretold: Characters & Themes Analysis

Gabriel García Márquez: Chronicle of a Death Foretold (1981)

This work is founded on an almost journalistic, detective-like investigation. The central theme is a death in a coastal village, driven by jealousy, revenge, fate, and sexual honor.

Main Characters

• Ángela Vicario: A humble girl of unparalleled beauty, desired by many young men.
• Santiago Nasar: A wealthy young man from a good family of Arab descent. Handsome and influential in town, he was considered a Don Juan.
• Bayardo San Román: A stranger who arrives in town and falls for Ángela. An old-fashioned man, he rejects his wife on their wedding night because she was not a virgin.
• Pedro and Pablo Vicario: Ángela's brothers, humble vendors of flesh (butchers). They swear to avenge the affront against their sister by killing the supposed culprit.
• Plácida Linero: Mother of Santiago Nasar.

Minor Characters

• Victoria Guzmán: The cook in Santiago's house. She was seduced by Ibrahim Nasar (Santiago's father) as a teenager.
• Divina Flor: Daughter of Victoria Guzmán. Perhaps destined to be Santiago's lover.
• Clotilde Armenta: Owner of the milk shop in front of which Santiago is killed.
• Colonel Lázaro Aponte: The town's police colonel. He disarms the Vicario brothers once but fails to prevent the tragedy.

Character Analysis

Santiago Nasar

A young man from a wealthy family, son of the town's influential figures. His primary desire seems to be seducing the young village girls, who often succumbed to his charms. Handsome and devoted to an easy life, he possessed strong sexual magnetism but perhaps lacked deep character, driven mainly by the desire for conquest.

Ángela Vicario

A beautiful, graceful, and humble girl. Her beauty was perhaps a misfortune, potentially making her a target for Santiago Nasar (though the novel leaves this ambiguous). Aware of her attractiveness, she undoubtedly captivated Bayardo San Román, a man of some fortune.

Pedro and Pablo Vicario

Typical jealous older brothers who see themselves as guardians of family honor, especially in the absence of a strong father figure. Filled with tremendous zeal for their sister and hatred for Santiago, they pursue him relentlessly with their butchers' knives to fulfill their perceived duty.

Plácida Linero

Portrayed as somewhat lazy, perhaps critical, leading an idle life focused on gossip. She embodies the archetype of the overly protective mother whose approach contributed to Santiago's attitude towards life, enabling his misdeeds through overprotection.

Themes

• Eroticism and suggested incest
• Fantasy
• Magical Realism
• Tragedy
• Honor
• Fate
• Revenge