Doña Bárbara: Characters and Plot Summary
Introduction to *Doña Bárbara*
Santos Luzardo returns to his homeland with the intention of selling his family’s land. Upon arrival, he learns of the arbitrary rule of a woman known as Doña Bárbara, who is rumored to have made a pact with the Devil. Doña Bárbara has not only created her own law but also has a reputation for devouring men; anyone who falls for her beauty ends up a human wreck. Such is the case of Lorenzo Barquero, the father of Marisela, Doña Bárbara’s unacknowledged daughter.
Before abandoning his land to the injustice and impunity exercised by Doña Bárbara, Luzardo decides not to sell and instead confront the tyrant’s power.
Chapter II: The Descendant of the Cunavichero
The lands of Altamira were historically dominated by two families of chieftains: The Luzardos and the Barqueros (boatmen). Don José Luzardo practiced a familial form of justice. He had conflicts with his son Félix, Santos’s uncle. Félix supported Mexico in a battle against the U.S. One night at a cockfight, Félix challenged his father, and his father killed him.
Chapter III: The Man-Eater
Bárbara (Barbarita) once worked as a cook on a vessel crewed by thieves and pirates. Asdrúbal arrived and asked to join the crew; Bárbara taught him to read and fell in love with him. He warned her that the captain intended to sell her to a Turk. The captain found out and ordered Asdrúbal killed. The bandits then raped Bárbara. She was rescued by Eustaquio, who first introduced her to witchcraft.
Because the men raped her, she decides to take revenge and enters into a pact with the devil. She plans to seize all the lands with her partner, a sorcerer from Arauca, seducing men and coldly disposing of them. Land belonging to the Barqueros, and a portion of Altamira, became the property of Doña Bárbara, who renamed her properties “The Fear.”
Characters in *Doña Bárbara*
- Doña Bárbara: Owner of the land she christened “The Fear.” A cruel and beautiful woman reputed to be a witch who has made a pact with the Devil. Intelligent and cunning, she knows how to benefit from circumstances. A victim of rape, Doña Bárbara uses men and denies her feminine side, discarding them coldly. Her fame as an ogress extends throughout the region. No one can resist Doña Bárbara’s evil charms, and the law does not protect them. She has several individuals at her service: Balbino Paiba, who is treacherous by nature; Pernalete, the civil registrar; Mr. Danger, a comical American adventurer; and Juan Primito, who serves as a messenger.
- Santos Luzardo: As a child, his father killed his brother. His mother took him to Caracas to keep him away from the lawlessness of the plains. Luzardo is an idealist who hopes to change the legal anomalies. He represents the rational side that refuses to believe in witches and arbitrariness. He is supported by the peons of Altamira, mainly Pajarote, Antonio Sandoval, and Carmelito.
- Marisela: Daughter of Doña Bárbara. She evolves from a wild child to a young housewife, a dutiful daughter, and finally, a pious young wife. Marisela represents the evolution of the narrative and the balance between the wild and the civilized. Santos discovers a new desire within her.