Chronicle of a Death Foretold

by

Gabriel García Márquez

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Chronicle of a Death Foretold Characters

Santiago Nasar

Santiago Nasar is the protagonist of Chronicle of a Death Foretold, the hapless victim of a brutal murder. He is the child of a “marriage of convenience” between Plácida Linero, a local woman… read analysis of Santiago Nasar

The Narrator

The Narrator is a good friend of Santiago Nasar, and also a local. Though he didn’t directly witness Santiago’s murder at the hands of Pedro and Pablo Vicario, he remains haunted by the… read analysis of The Narrator

Angela Vicario

Angela Vicario, who happens to be the Narrator’s distant cousin, is the youngest daughter of Poncio Vicario, a poor man’s goldsmith, and Purísima del Carmen, a retired schoolteacher. Her family is of… read analysis of Angela Vicario

Bayardo San Román

Bayardo San Román is a wealthy outsider to the town, and his reasons for coming to the town remain mysterious to the last. He is the son of General Petronio San Román, a hero… read analysis of Bayardo San Román

Pedro Vicario

Pedro Vicario is the younger of the Vicario twins by six minutes. By the Narrator’s reckoning, he is more sentimental than his brother, Pablo, but also more authoritarian. He served in the military… read analysis of Pedro Vicario
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Pablo Vicario

Though technically older, Pablo behaves much like a younger brother to Pedro, following his commands and displaying overall a more “imaginative” character. When Pedro served in the military, Pablo remained at home, caring for… read analysis of Pablo Vicario

The Visiting Magistrate

Lázaro Aponte, feeling overwhelmed, invites this unnamed magistrate—recently graduated from law school—to investigate the murder. The magistrate is struck by the number of fateful coincidences that led to the killing of Santiago Nasarread analysis of The Visiting Magistrate
Minor Characters
Cristo Bedoya
Cristo Bedoya, a medical student, is Santiago Nasar’s best friend. He is with him on the morning of the murder, but doesn’t learn of Pedro and Pablo Vicario’s plan until he and Santiago have parted ways.
Plácida Linero
Santiago Nasar’s mother and Ibrahim Nasar’s widow. She claims to have the gift of foresight, and is a skilled interpreter of dreams. However, she fails to foresee her son’s murder. She is left completely bereft after his death.
Ibrahim Nasar
Santiago Nasar’s late father. He was an Arab immigrant who became a fairly successful rancher—he was responsible for teaching Santiago how to raise livestock, use firearms, and train falcons. He died suddenly when Santiago was younger.
Victoria Guzmán
The cook for the Nasar household, originally hired by Ibrahim Nasar. Ibrahim seduced her when she was young, and now she is determined to keep her daughter, Divina Flor, from being seduced by Santiago Nasar. She knows about Pablo and Pedro’s intentions but declines to warn Santiago.
Divina Flor
Victoria Gúzman’s daughter, she works with her mother in the Nasar household. At the time of the murder she is just an adolescent, and terrified of Santiago Nasar.
Purísima del Carmen Vicario (Pura Vicario)
Angela Vicario’s mother. She is extremely conservative and rigorous in her parenting, especially when it comes to her daughters.
Poncio Vicario
Angela Vicario’s father. He is a retired goldsmith and, by the time of the events described in the novel, he has gone almost completely blind. Accordingly he wields very little influence with his family, and indeed has little idea what is going on most of the time.
María Alejandrina Cervantes
A local woman who owns a brothel. The Narrator claims that she singlehandedly “did away with [his] generation’s virginity.” She is both the Narrator’s and Santiago Nasar’s first love. The Narrator is sleeping in her bed when Santiago is murdered.
General Petronio San Román
Bayardo San Román’s father. He is a famous war hero—a veteran of the civil wars—and an important member of the ruling Conservative regime. He is extraordinarily wealthy.
Alberta Simonds
Bayardo San Román’s mother and General Petronio San Román’s wife. She is from Curaçao, and was once known as the most beautiful woman in the Antilles.
Clotilde Armante
The proprietor of a milk shop on the main square of the town. It is in this shop that Pablo and Pedro Vicario wait for Santiago Nasar to appear from his house across the square.
Margot
The Narrator’s sister. She has something of a crush on Santiago Nasar, and invites him over for breakfast on the morning of the murder, not yet knowing that he will soon be killed.
The Narrator’s Sister the Nun
The Narrator’s other sister, a nun.
Flora Miguel
Santiago Nasar’s fiancée. She is the daughter of Nahir Miguel, the wise man in the local Arab community. She is the one to finally warn Santiago that Pablo and Pedro Vicario are out to kill him.
Colonel Lázaro Aponte
The mayor of the town. He tries to stop Pedro and Pablo Vicario by confiscating their knives, but the twins simply return home to get new ones.
Father Carmen Amador
The local priest. He is the first person to whom Pedro and Pablo Vicario confess. He also performs Santiago Nasar’s autopsy.
The Narrator’s Mother
She is both Santiago Nasar’s godmother and a relative of Angela Vicario. She attempts to warn Santiago’s mother, Plácida Linero, about the impending murder, but fails to reach her in time.
Yamil Shaium
An old friend of Ibrahim Nasar and a counselor to the Nasar family. He tries to protect Santiago Nasar but fails. After the murder, he chases after Pedro and Pablo Vicario, leading a group of Arabs.
Nahir Miguel
Flora Miguel’s father and the wise man of the local Arab community.
The Widower Xius
An old man who lives in the most beautiful house in town, which he reluctantly sells to Bayardo San Román.
Mercedes Barcha
The Narrator’s wife. She is just a young girl at the time of the murder.
Don Rogelio de la Flor
Clotilde Amante’s husband.
Dr. Dionisio Iguarán
The local doctor, he is meant to perform the autopsy of Santiago Nasar, but is away on vacation.
Officer Leandro Pornoy
The police officer who first informs Colonel Lázaro Aponte that Pablo and Pedro Vicario are planning to kill Santiago Nasar.
Faustino Santos
A local butcher, and a friend of Pedro and Pablo Vicario.
Hortensia Baute
A local woman.
Luis Enrique
The Narrator’s brother.
Jaime
The Narrator’s younger brother.
Prudencia Cotes
Pablo Vicario’s fiancée.
Aura Villeros
A local midwife.
Meme Loiza
A local woman.
Polo Carrillo
Owner of the local electric plant.
Fausta López
Polo Carrillo’s wife.
Indalecio Pardo
One of Santiago Nasar’s good friends. He has a chance to warn Santiago on the morning of the murder, but loses his nerve and says nothing.
Escolástica Cisneros
A local woman.
Sara Noriega
The owner of a shoe store in the town.
Celeste Dangond
A friend of Santiago Nasar.
Próspera Arango
A local woman.
Poncho Lanao
Santiago Nasar’s neighbor.
Argénida Lanao
Poncho Lanao’s eldest daughter.
Wenefrida Márquez
The Narrator’s aunt.