Nostromo: A Tale of the Seaboard

Joseph Conrad

73 pages 2-hour read

Joseph Conrad

Nostromo: A Tale of the Seaboard

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1904

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Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

An Italian longshoreman who serves as the capataz de los cargadores (head longshoreman) for the Oceanic Steam Navigation Company in Sulaco. Known locally as an indispensable and incorruptible enforcer, he commands the respect of the local working-class men and the wealthy elites alike. He derives his self-worth from his public reputation and his vital utility to the ruling class.

Key Relationships

Employee of Captain Joseph Mitchell

Surrogate Son of Giorgio Viola

Surrogate Son of Teresa Viola

Expected Suitor of Linda Viola

Drawn to Giselle Viola

Reluctant Partner of Martin Decoud

Trusted Employee of Charles Gould

An Englishwoman who relocates to Sulaco with her husband to oversee the San Tomé silver mine. She acts as a hospitable and empathetic host, wielding a soft power that endears her to both the wealthy elites and the local working class. Her warm nature contrasts sharply with the cold pragmatism of the other industrialists in the region.

Key Relationships

Sympathetic Friend of Dr. Monygham

Friend of Don José Avellanos

Friend of Antonia Avellanos

Friend of Martin Decoud

A Paris-educated journalist and Costaguanero who returns to his homeland with a cynical detachment toward its politics. Despite his verbal disdain for the country's frequent revolutions, his attachment to Antonia draws him into the conflict. He assumes the role of a prominent newspaper editor to advocate for Sulaco's separation from the republic.

Key Relationships

Romantic Interest of Antonia Avellanos

Mentee of Don José Avellanos

Friend of Emilia Gould

Associate of Nostromo

A bitter and eccentric doctor who carries severe physical and emotional trauma from a previous political regime. His past experiences make him deeply cynical about government and society, leaving him isolated from most of the community. He dedicates his loyalty almost exclusively to the Gould family.

Key Relationships

Devoted Friend of Emilia Gould

Employee of Charles Gould

Distrustful Associate of Nostromo

An Englishman born and raised in Sulaco who controls the region's most lucrative economic asset. He believes that the prosperity generated by the San Tomé mine will bring lasting political stability to Costaguana. He operates with cold pragmatism, using his massive wealth to influence local politics while remaining emotionally detached from his peers.

Key Relationships

Husband of Emilia Gould

Business Partner of Holroyd

Employer of Don Pepe

Political Ally of Don José Avellanos

Employer of Nostromo

A decorated military hero who uses his powerful position to launch a violent coup against the Ribiera government. He capitalizes on anti-foreign sentiment and the grievances of the working class to rally support for his insurgency, plunging Costaguana into civil war.

Key Relationships

Brother of Pedro Montero

Enemy of Don Vicente Ribiera

The cunning younger brother of General Montero. Known as Pedrito, he lacks military discipline but excels in political manipulation and theatrical rhetoric. He hopes to enrich himself by seizing control of Sulaco's foreign-owned enterprises to fund a lavish European lifestyle.

Key Relationships

Brother of General Montero

Antagonist of Charles Gould

A rebel commander aligned with the Montero uprising who attempts to capture Sulaco by sea. Instead of securing the town, he becomes obsessively distracted by the prospect of seizing the massive San Tomé silver shipment to fund his own ambitions.

Key Relationships

Captor of Hirsch

Captor of Captain Joseph Mitchell

Supporting Characters

The English superintendent of the Oceanic Steam Navigation Company operating out of Sulaco. He is a proud, slightly pompous man who views himself as an important participant in historical events. He relies heavily on Nostromo to manage local labor and ensure the safety of company property during periods of unrest.

Key Relationships

Employer of Nostromo

Associate of Charles Gould

The President-Dictator of Costaguana whose five-year mandate is intended to bring reform and financial stability. His government is supported by foreign investors and the local elite, but he severely lacks the military strength to hold onto power.

Key Relationships

Enemy of General Montero

Political Ally of Don José Avellanos

An elderly Italian expatriate who fought alongside Giuseppe Garibaldi during the wars for Italian unification. He runs a hotel catering to foreigners and lives according to his strict republican principles. He despises the local revolutionaries, finding them lacking in true ideological conviction.

Key Relationships

Husband of Teresa Viola

Father of Linda Viola

Father of Giselle Viola

Surrogate Father to Nostromo

Admirer of Emilia Gould

Giorgio's considerably younger wife, who resents living in Sulaco instead of Italy. She frequently criticizes Nostromo for serving the wealthy English elite rather than remaining loyal to his own people and his surrogate family.

Key Relationships

Wife of Giorgio Viola

Mother of Linda Viola

Mother of Giselle Viola

Maternal Figure to Nostromo

The elder daughter of Giorgio and Teresa Viola. She is a dedicated and serious young woman who works hard to help her family. Her father widely expects her to eventually marry Nostromo.

Key Relationships

Daughter of Giorgio Viola

Daughter of Teresa Viola

Sister of Giselle Viola

Admirer of Nostromo

The younger daughter of Giorgio and Teresa Viola. She possesses an indolent charm and beauty that frequently attracts unwanted attention, complicating the family's dynamic with Nostromo and the local men.

Key Relationships

Daughter of Giorgio Viola

Daughter of Teresa Viola

Sister of Linda Viola

Drawn to Nostromo

An elderly statesman and family friend of the Goulds who serves as a central political figure in Sulaco. He survived brutal torture under a former dictator and now dedicates his remaining strength to supporting the Ribiera government's reforms.

Key Relationships

Father of Antonia Avellanos

Political Ally of Charles Gould

Mentor of Martin Decoud

Supporter of Don Vicente Ribiera

The highly educated and serious daughter of Don José Avellanos. She devotes herself to caring for her frail father and actively participates in the political discussions of the local elite, defying the traditional expectations of womanhood in Costaguana.

Key Relationships

Daughter of Don José Avellanos

Romantic Interest of Martin Decoud

Friend of Emilia Gould

Niece of Father Corbelán

A nervous hide merchant from Esmeralda who finds himself trapped in Sulaco during the revolution. Driven entirely by fear, his attempts to escape the violence inadvertently place him in the center of the conflict over the silver shipment.

Key Relationships

Business Acquaintance of Charles Gould

Captive of Colonel Sotillo

A retired major who serves as the military governor of the San Tomé mine. Though he knows little about actual mining operations, he maintains strict order among the workers and acts as a fiercely loyal subordinate to Charles Gould.

Key Relationships

Subordinate to Charles Gould

Associate of Father Román

The local priest ministering to the workers at the San Tomé mine. He worries deeply about the impact of political upheaval on his parishioners and values the stability brought by the Gould family's enterprise.

Key Relationships

Associate of Don Pepe

Ally of Emilia Gould

A zealous priest and uncle to Antonia Avellanos who eventually becomes Cardinal-Archbishop of Sulaco. He fixates on restoring church property and remains a restless, militant presence among the local elite.

Key Relationships

Uncle of Antonia Avellanos

Critic of Martin Decoud

A powerful American financier whose massive wealth provides the foundation for the San Tomé mine's restoration. He views his investment as a calculated risk and demands political stability in exchange for his continued financial support.

Key Relationships

Financier of Charles Gould

The chairman of the railway board who travels to Sulaco to survey the region and secure land rights. He relies heavily on the Goulds' local influence to advance his company's infrastructure interests smoothly.

Key Relationships

Acquaintance of Emilia Gould

Business Associate of Charles Gould

A seasoned military commander tasked with defending the Ribiera government. Despite a reputation for eccentricity and occasional bad luck, he is a courageous soldier who maintains the strict loyalty of his men.

Key Relationships

Associate of Don José Avellanos

An outlaw chief who was forced into banditry by the tyranny of former regimes. He seeks to legitimize his forces by offering to defend Sulaco against the Montero revolution in exchange for an official rank.

Key Relationships

Political Ally of Charles Gould

The head engineer of the railway project who attempts to maintain strict neutrality during the revolution. He maneuvers diplomatically with rebel leaders to protect his workers and infrastructure from the violence.

Key Relationships

Subordinate to Sir John

Associate of Dr. Monygham