Drosoula Character Analysis

Drosoula is Mandras's mother. She was born in Turkey and was moved with her mother to Greece as a young teen as part of an effort to ease ethnic tensions in both countries. In two years she learned Greek and married, a feat that surprises many people as she's always been an ugly woman. In her old age, this means that she's not jaded and mean, as she was never able to develop a sense of vanity. After Pelagia and Mandras become engaged, Pelagia and Drosoula become good friends. They work together to rehabilitate Mandras when he returns from his stint in the Greek army, though Drosoula barely recognizes her son. She also notices that Pelagia doesn't love Mandras. The two women continue to be friendly with each other when Mandras joins ELAS, and Drosoula doesn't hold it against Pelagia that she's obviously no longer in love with Mandras. When Mandras returns and attempts to rape Pelagia, Drosoula disowns him and sides with Pelagia. In the years following the war, Drosoula and Pelagia live together and adopt the baby Antonia. Drosoula acts as the child's grandmother. She and Antonia encourage Pelagia to follow in Dr. Iannis's footsteps and write the history of Cephalonia to pull her out of her grief when Dr. Iannis dies. Following the tourist boom that begins after the earthquake, Drosoula opens a restaurant that caters to tourists and becomes a beloved fixture on the island until her death.