Hildebranda Sánchez Character Analysis

Fermina Daza’s cousin from Valledupar. She is a strong, enthusiastic woman who is desperately in love with a married man. Hildebranda and Fermina develop a long-lasting friendship that is enduring and fulfilling enough to make Fermina realize that it is possible to be happy without romantic love. A passionate woman, Hildebranda encourages Fermina’s romantic pursuits, from Florentino Ariza to Dr. Juvenal Urbino. Her freedom in expressing her emotions and desires leads Fermina to playfully call her “a whore.” Hildebranda’s ranch in the countryside provides a refuge to Fermina when she has marital problems with Dr. Urbino. This visit also constitutes a shock for Fermina, who realizes that her previously beautiful and energetic cousin is now old and fat, confronting Fermina with the horrific reality of aging. Out of desperation over never being with her married lover, Hildebranda marries a man she does not love. In this way, Hildebranda’s experience mirrors Florentino’s unrequited love for Fermina, and thus underlines the sad consequences to which love can lead if it remains non-reciprocal.