Key Characters and Profiles in Tirant lo Blanch

Central Figures in the Romance of Tirant lo Blanch

Tirant: The Knight and Strategist

Tirant is a brave knight, strong, skilled with weapons, a military strategist, possessing great spirit and undeniable talent for command, besides being a polite and courtly gentleman. But what seduces the reader most is his humanity.

Tirant presents a psychologically rich and captivating character, making us feel close to the richness and variety of his behaviors, consistent with the diverse situations that occur in the novel. His plausibility stems from the fact that all his actions remain within the limits and potential of human behavior.

Carmesina: The Idealized Princess

Carmesina was a very beautiful lady with an angelic face. Her physical description is highly idealized:

• She had hair that shone like golden skeins.
• Eyebrows that seemed drawn with a brush.
• Her eyes shone like precious stones.
• Her nose was thin and sharp, neither too big nor too small.
• Her complexion mixed the extreme whiteness of lilies and roses.
• Her lips were coral-red, and her teeth were very white, small but thick, which seemed like crystal.
• Her hands were extremely white, with long, thin fingers, and well-formed nails.

Plaerdemavida: The Clever Confidante

Plaerdemavida is one of the main characters, who plays the crucial role of the bawd in the relationship between Tirant and Carmesina.

She is one of Carmesina's most clever maidens and is instrumental in fostering the romance. By trying to encourage Tirant and arranging for him to be with the Princess, she aims to ensure the relationship is consummated. However, the novel's constant emphasis on denial makes the dynamic much more interesting.

Later in the narrative, when Tirant and she are shipwrecked due to a navigational error, she is rescued by an old man who retains many fond memories of his captivity in the ancient Christian lands of Spain.

Diafebus: The Loyal Companion

Diafebus is Tirant's cousin and is heavily involved in all the battles, fighting loyally alongside Tirant. He serves as Tirant's right arm and is granted significant honors:

• He is appointed Grand Constable.
• Tirant grants him the position of Duke of Macedonia.

Diafebus is in love with Stéphanie of Macedonia, whom he marries with the Emperor's consent. He is extremely faithful to Tirant; when Diafebus is captured by the Turks, Tirant personally frees him. Furthermore, he acts as the primary intermediary (the "bridge of love") between Tirant and Carmesina, making his contribution to the book very important.