One Hundred Years of Solitude Character Analysis

José Arcadio Buendía

The patriarch of the Buendía family and the founder of the city of Macondo. Against his family’s wishes, he marries his third cousin, Úrsula Iguarán. Because their families have been intermarrying for centuries, the… read analysis of José Arcadio Buendía

Úrsula Iguarán

The matriarch of the Buendía family: wife of José Arcadio Buendía and mother to Colonel Aureliano Buendía, José Arcadio (I), and Amaranta. She is a hard worker, dedicated to the development of her… read analysis of Úrsula Iguarán

Pilar Ternera

An older fortune teller in town who is a constant source of lust to the Buendía men. With Colonel Aureliano Buendía, she produces Aureliano José, and with Colonel Aureliano Buendía’s brother José Arcadio… read analysis of Pilar Ternera

Melquíades

A gypsy who comes through Macondo to introduce different scientific and magical objects. He dies and comes back to life many times throughout the novel, providing guidance to each generation of Buendías. His manuscript, though… read analysis of Melquíades

Colonel Aureliano Buendía

The first person born in Macondo. He is silent and withdrawn even before he is born, as his fetus was said to weep inside Úrsula. When he was born, his eyes were open, indicating… read analysis of Colonel Aureliano Buendía

José Arcadio (I)

José Arcadio is the oldest child of the second generation. He begins having an affair with Pilar Ternera at the age of fourteen. He leaves home a young man and returns home strapping and crude… read analysis of José Arcadio (I)

Amaranta

Amaranta is the only biological daughter of José Arcadio Buendía and Úrsula. She competes with her adopted sister Rebeca for the love of Pietro Crespi, the Italian pianola salesman, and loses, though he… read analysis of Amaranta

Rebeca

The adopted daughter of José Arcadio Buendía and Úrsula. She wandered to the town from Manaure and she is believed to be the second cousin of Úrsula. She marries José Arcadio (I) against the… read analysis of Rebeca

Remedios Moscote

The youngest daughter of Don Apolinar Moscote, the mayor of Macondo. Colonel Aureliano Buendía falls in love with her when she is only nine years old, and so he must wait until she has… read analysis of Remedios Moscote

Pietro Crespi

The Italian pianola expert. Handsome and polite, he is hired to teach Rebeca and Amaranta how to dance, causing both of them to fall in love with him. He chooses Rebeca, but their courtship experiences… read analysis of Pietro Crespi

17 Aurelianos

Colonel Aureliano Buendía fathers seventeen sons with seventeen different women while away fighting in the war. They all arrive in Macondo for the first time in a small span of time, and are baptized with… read analysis of 17 Aurelianos

Santa Sofia de la Piedad

When Arcadio falls in love with Pilar Ternera, unaware that she is his mother, Pilar pays Santa Sofia de la Piedad, a virgin, 50 pesos to sleep with him instead. She has three children… read analysis of Santa Sofia de la Piedad

Remedios the Beauty

The daughter of Santa Sophia de la Piedad and Arcadio goes unnamed for eight months of her life until her father’s execution. She takes on the latter half of her name when she begins attending… read analysis of Remedios the Beauty

Aureliano Segundo

The twin of José Arcadio Segundo and son of Santa Sofia de la Piedad and Arcadio. Aureliano grows to be a fat hedonist, loving orgies and behaving recklessly. He marries Fernanda del Carpio… read analysis of Aureliano Segundo

José Arcadio Segundo

The twin of Aureliano Segundo and son of Santa Sofia de la Piedad and Arcadio. José Arcadio Segundo is a moralist with a hot temper. He is “marked with a tragic sign.” He sees… read analysis of José Arcadio Segundo

Fernanda del Carpio

The wife of Aureliano Segundo. She comes to Macondo as the “Queen of Madagascar,” in opposition to Remedios the Beauty’s position as queen of the carnival. She had a proper upbringing, which makes… read analysis of Fernanda del Carpio

Renata Remedios (Meme)

The eldest daughter of Fernanda del Carpio and Aureliano Segundo. Fernanda calls her Renata, but the rest of the family and town call her Meme. She falls in love with Mauricio Babilonia, an… read analysis of Renata Remedios (Meme)

José Arcadio (II)

The son of Fernanda del Carpio and Aurelino Segundo who is sent to Rome to become a priest (and hopefully Pope) though he returns without even having gone to seminary. He befriends children in town… read analysis of José Arcadio (II)

Amaranta Úrsula

Daughter of Fernanda del Carpio and Aureliano Segundo. She and Aureliano are best friends as children, and she does not know that his mother is her sister because Fernanda del Carpio has kept it… read analysis of Amaranta Úrsula

Aureliano

The illegitimate son of Meme and Mauricio Babilonia. Fernanda del Carpio raises him in secret, and his parentage is kept from the rest of the family. Aureliano tries to decipher the manuscript left by… read analysis of Aureliano

Prudencio Aguilar

Before the start of the novel’s action, when Úrsula and José Arcadio Buendía are still living in Riohacha, Prudencio Aguilar publicly insults José Arcadio Buendía’s masculinity by implying that he is impotent (this is based… read analysis of Prudencio Aguilar

José Raquel Moncada

A successful mayor of Macondo, who becomes friends with Aureliano Buendía despite being of the opposite political party. The friendship raises questions about how serious their political differences can be, and perhaps proving Aureliano's earlier… read analysis of José Raquel Moncada

Minor Characters

Don Apolinar Moscote

The conservative, corrupt mayor of Macondo and father of Remedios Moscote.

Father Nicanor Reyna

The first priest of the Catholic church in Macondo.

Bruno Crespi

The brother of Pietro Crespi who runs the store when Pietro Crespi takes charge of the music school.

Gerineldo Márquez

Friend of Colonel Aureliano Buendía. He also becomes a colonel and courts Amaranta, growing a lovely friendship with her, though she declines his proposal of marriage.

Magnífico Visbal

Friend of Colonel Aureliano Buendía. He is stabbed to death in the same tent at Colonel Aureliano Buendía without his knowing.

Amparo Moscote

Another daughter of Don Apolinar Moscote.

Visitacíon

A Guajiro woman who helps in the Buendía household. She arrives in Macondo trying to escape a plague of insomnia in her tribe.

Father Coronel

The new priest who replaces Father Nicanor Reyna at the Catholic church. A veteran.

Mr. Herbert

A hot air balloonist who is the first gringo to try a banana and scouts out the location for the plantation.

Mr. Jack Brown

The owner of the banana plantation.

Aureliano José

The child born to Colonel Aureliano Buendía and Pilar Ternera. He falls in love with his aunt Amaranta, though they never consummate their love. He dies still dreaming of his aunt.

Aureliano Triste

One of Colonel Aureliano Buendía’s seventeen illegitimate sons. He establishes the ice factory that was originally imagined by José Arcadio Buendía. He also brings in the first train to Macondo.

Aureliano Centeno

One of Colonel Aureliano Buendía’s seventeen illegitimate sons. He invents sherbet.

Aureliano Amador

One of Colonel Aureliano Buendía’s illegitimate seventeen sons. He is the last to be killed.

Arcadio

The son of José Arcadio (I) and Pilar Ternera. He and Amaranta are close to the same age, despite being aunt and nephew, and so they grow up together. Arcadio is deemed the cruelest ruler of Macondo, making up unreasonable laws at his slightest whims.

Father Antonio Isabel

The next in the line of Catholic priests, after Father Coronel.

Petra Cotes

The mistress of Aureliano Segundo, after she sleeps with José Arcadio Segundo. Fernanda del Carpio’s rival. She is mixed race. Her presence causes animals to experience extreme fertility.

Camila Sagastume

A music teacher known as “The Elephant” who challenges Aureliano Segundo to an eating competition.

Father Ángel

The Catholic priest that follows Father Antonio Isabel.

Catalonian Bookseller

The owner of the store that carries the books Aureliano needs to learn Sanskrit and more. He introduces Aureliano to his four intellectual friends.

Mauricio Babilonia

The auto mechanic who fathers Aureliano with Meme. When he goes to meet Meme in her bathroom, he is shot and paralyzed by a guard’s bullet.

Gastón

The Belgian husband of Amaranta Úrsula, who keeps him on a leash. While away trying to set up an airmail business in Brussels, he learns of Amaranta Úrsula’s affair with Aureliano and separates from her amicably.

Nigromanta

A prostitute to whom Aureliano loses his virginity.

Gabriel Márquez

The closest friend of Aureliano and great-great-grandson of Colonel Gerineldo Márquez. He is the only one who remembers the history that Aureliano knows to be true.