The characters in Gabriel García Marquez’s ‘Love in the Time of Cholera’ are depicted as having rich personalities, emotional depth, and idiosyncrasies that add to the overall quality of the plot.
Fermina Daza, a character of remarkable resilience and independence, navigates the currents of love with a pragmatic sensibility. Her union with the practical and esteemed Dr. Juvenal Urbino is emblematic of societal expectations, yet Fermina’s internal world is a realm of nuanced emotions and unfulfilled dreams. Urbino, on the other hand, embodies the constraints of societal norms, and his character is a compelling study of the tension between duty and personal fulfillment.
The brilliance of Márquez’s characterizations lies not only in their psychological depth but also in the captivating idiosyncrasies that make them distinctly human. From Urbino’s obsession with order and precision to Florentino’s unwavering dedication to love, the characters serve as vehicles for profound exploration of the human condition.
Florentino Ariza
Being the illegitimate son of a working-class woman, Tránsito Ariza, Florentino Ariza works hard to become President of the River Company of the Caribbean in hopes of impressing Fermina one day. An indefatigable romantic who is obsessed with lyric poetry and the expression of love, Florentino challenges social norms to pursue his sexual pleasure. He does not hesitate to take part in a romantic relationship at an old age, thus embodying the notion that love should have no bounds.
At the book’s conclusion, he advises that Fermina and he should stay on the ship indefinitely to escape the oppression of social life, demonstrating his ability to stick to his ideals. But that same freedom also turns out to be morally dubious. Florentino enjoys hundreds of sexual relationships throughout his life, devoting himself to none despite his professed allegiance to Fermina. This contradiction highlights his mental loyalty to Fermina as well as his conceit, which is particularly noticeable when he causes harm to other people.
When it comes to dating América Vicuña, the fourteen-year-old, or when women die (like Olympia Zuleta) or commit suicide (like América Vicuña) as a result of their connections with him, he refuses to take moral responsibility. His indifferent treatment of others exposes him as a shallow moral being who is more concerned with protecting his reputation than with keeping others safe. The fundamental conflict in Florentino’s character is his unwavering devotion to Fermina Daza, despite his perhaps unethical actions.
Fermina Daza
Fermina is a clever, capable, independent woman who takes great satisfaction in her unwavering, haughty calm. She is adamant about getting what she wants and won’t give up until she does. She finds a parrot that can communicate after her spouse forbids her from keeping any silent animals. Eventually, her husband gives in to her demands when she vehemently refuses to forgive him until he acknowledges his guilt. She is not willing to take responsibility for any wrongdoing; the only feeling she cannot stand is guilt. But beyond her arrogant, uncompromising front, she appears to be a loving, nurturing woman who treats her elderly husband like a helpless infant. Her intense passion for flowers and animals is another example of her loving and compassionate nature.
Fermina’s numerous transformations during her protracted absence serve as the basis for her abrupt rejection of Florentino. She departs the City of the Viceroys as a young, naive girl carried away by the passionate ambitions of her first suitor, but upon her return, she has matured into a composed and intelligent lady. With the advent of womanhood, she loses interest in the thrill of her forbidden romance with Florentino because it is no longer as scandalous or hazardous as it was when she was a young girl determined to defy her controlling father. As she reaches adulthood, she understands that her love for Florentino is only an immature devotion to an imaginary figure—a fantasy of an idealized man and an idealized romance. She feels forced to go on into adulthood after realizing her error and not returning to the careless whims of her youth.
Dr. Juvenal Urbino del Calle
Dr. Juvenal Urbino is a charming young man from an aristocratic family who studied medicine in Paris. He returns to his hometown and is viewed as a perfect candidate for marriage. Fermina Daza fascinates Dr. Urbino, but he doesn’t have a deep love for her despite courting and marrying her. His outlook on life is characterized by reason and pragmatism. In the beginning, he rejects the idea of love and values stability over marital bliss. He also has a strong belief in modernity and advancement. This characteristic, along with his care for social welfare, causes him to change the city’s medical system and turn into a local star who is respected for his ability to contain the cholera outbreak.
In addition to his efforts to modernize society through science, he conforms to the social and religious standards of his community, which include the patriarchal belief that husbands should not manage the home. But even with his high moral standards, he doesn’t know he’s not above passionate passion and immoral action until he meets Miss Barbara Lynch, with whom he enters into an adulterous relationship. Nevertheless, his decision to quit this relationship abruptly demonstrates his dedication to his beliefs, which include upholding a healthy marriage (even if this requires emotional self-sacrifice).
Lorenzo Daza
Fermina’s domineering and widowed father, Lorenzo Daza, plans to find her an affluent, aristocratic spouse. Fermina is sent away, and he banishes his sister for helping to arrange meetings between Fermina and Florentino. The residents of the town believe Lorenzo Daza is involved in illegal activity. At some point, Dr. Urbino, Lorenzo’s son-in-law, receives a warning from the province’s governor stating that “this man has not ignored any law, human or divine.” Lorenzo Daza leaves the nation and never comes back when Dr. Urbino covers up the scandal.
Escolástica Daza
Following Fermina’s mother’s passing, Escolástica Daza, Lorenzo Daza’s sister, is raising her niece. While Escolástica imparts some life lessons to the teenage lady and encourages her to meet Florentino and accept his proposal, Fermina teaches her illiterate aunt to read. This turns out badly for Escolástica since Lorenzo kicks her out of the house after learning that she helped the lovers. Nothing more is known about Escolástica save the fact that Fermina looked for her for over 20 years before learning that her aunt passed away a long time ago in a leprosarium, a facility for those suffering from the disease.
Hildebranda Sanchez
Hildebranda Sanchez has been her longtime companion and is two years older than her cousin Fermina Daza. Both young ladies are secretly communicating with their partners and are in love with males that their families find objectionable. Hildebranda still yearns for her long-lost secret lover, even after she marries and has kids. Hildebranda’s cousin develops an interest in Dr. Juvenal Urbino as a result of her flirting with him. Years later, after a confrontation with Dr. Urbino, Fermina seeks safety at Hildebranda’s property. The old pals talk about their childhood there.
Tránsito Ariza
Tránsito Ariza is Florentino’s loving mother and the only person he tells of his affection for Fermina. She is practical and hardworking, operating a small pawnshop to make a living. She tries to help Florentino in his courtship of Fermina, and after Fermina makes plans to marry Dr. Urbino, she finds her son a job far away so he can make a fresh start. When Tránsito sees that Florentino intends to wait for Fermina to be available, she buys a house for the eventual couple to occupy. She then grows senile and dies without ever seeing her son married to the woman he loves.
Lotario Thugut
The German telegraphist who looks after Florentino like a father. He teaches Florentino the violin and begins to lose his innocence when, having left the telegraph office to run a temporary hotel, he provides Florentino with a room at no cost. He lives a fast-paced lifestyle, sleeping with the hotel’s “birds” (prostitutes) and drinking in bars.
Leona Cassiani
Leona Cassiani is met by Florentino Ariza in a trolley, and he promptly labels her as a “whore.” But Leona’s only want is for Florentino to place her in a job. Leona establishes herself as a very smart, diligent, and—above all—a close friend after he helps her land a job at the River Company of the Caribbean. She shows Florentino how much she appreciates him by defending him against rivals within the corporation, where her skills quickly give her command over the whole operation.
Leona is referred to as “the true woman of Florentino’s life,” although Florentino and she never fall in love. She maintains that Florentino is her son and that the ideal man for her is someone who sexually assaulted her when she was a young girl—an experience that, oddly, left her feeling fascination and love for her rapist rather than anger. Leona demonstrates her faithfulness and commitment by looking after Florentino Ariza as he ages. She is the one and only person who makes Florentino understand that a true friendship with a woman does not require sexual relations.
Don Leo XII Loayza
As the President of the River Company of the Caribbean and Florentino’s paternal uncle, he tends to sing at funerals and gets very upset when he is unable to sing on his own. To assist Transito in forgetting Fermina, he secures Florentino a job in a distant city. Florentino gives him another position at the River Company upon his return. When he becomes too sick to manage the River Company, he leaves it to Florentino and encourages Florentino to wed Leona Cassiani.