Eduviges Dyada Character Analysis in Pedro Páramo

Eduviges is an old friend of Dolores Preciado and her ghost takes in Juan Preciado when he arrives in Comala. In her life, Eduviges is generous and loving. Several men in Comala (like Miguel Páramo) ask her to bear their sons, and she obliges, but then they refuse to recognize these children. Devastated, Eduviges commits suicide. In death, she goes on “wandering like a lost soul” in Comala, hoping that someone will remember or pray for her. When Juan visits, he realizes that his mother never told him about Eduviges despite their long friendship. This is further proof that Eduviges has been forgotten and edited out of history. She tells Juan that she could have been his mother, because she secretly took his mother’s place with his father, Pedro Páramo, on his parents’ wedding night. This makes it clear that she is a kind of symbolic, surrogate figure for his mother.

Eduviges Dyada Character Timeline in Pedro Páramo

The timeline below shows where the character Eduviges Dyada appears in Pedro Páramo. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

History, Memory, and Narrative Theme Icon

...inside one of the houses’ empty doorways. Juan asks her where he might find doña Eduviges, and the woman points him to the house next to the bridge. The woman looks... (full context)

...Juan to visit his home deep in the hills. He tells Juan to find doña Eduviges and says that his own name is Abundio. (full context)

Fragment 5. Back in the present, doña Eduviges Dyada invites Juan inside her house, which initially looks empty. But Juan soon realizes that... (full context)

Doña Eduviges knows Juan’s mother, Dolores. Actually, she explains, Dolores has just informed her of Juan’s visit—so... (full context)

Fragment 9. Eduviges Dyada tells Juan Preciado that she could have been his mother, but Juan admits that... (full context)

The elderly, withered Eduviges tells Juan about Inocencio Osorio, a fortunetelling horse-tamer who used to give people vigorous massages... (full context)

Juan remembers his mother telling him about Comala’s lush beauty, but Eduviges explains that Pedro’s constant demands and nagging made Dolores miserable. She used to dream about... (full context)

Fragment 11. Back in the present, Juan hears something, and Eduviges explains that the sound is Miguel Páramo’s horse, which constantly wanders the area, tormented by... (full context)

Eduviges recalls that Pedro, Miguel’s father, sent a messenger for her the next morning. The messenger... (full context)

Father Rentería remembers Eduviges Dyada, who lived nobly and generously, giving the town’s men the sons they wanted. But... (full context)

Fragment 17. Back in the present, Eduviges Dyada tells Juan Preciado that he is lucky and then abruptly walks out of his... (full context)

...Toribio Aldrete was hanged in this very room and then locked inside. Juan says that Eduviges let him in, saying it was her only free room. Damiana laments that Eduviges keeps... (full context)

...with Toribio, who mocked the absurd accusation. And then he rented the corner room from Eduviges and brought Toribio there. Toribio kept mocking Fulgor’s boss until he finally gave into his... (full context)

...32. Night turns back into afternoon, and Juan feels himself in the city with doña Eduviges and the burro driver, and then sleeping next to Donis’s sister on a smelly, makeshift... (full context)