Bertrande de Rols
The wife of Martin Guerre - Bertrande de Rols - is the protagonist of the novella. At the mere age of 11, Bertrande marries into the Guerre household for what is described as “dual prosperity” amongst the families, ultimately marking the end of a longstanding feud. Bertrande, is first depicted as submissive and compliant with the strict guidelines set in place for women in the feudal society of Artigues. Lewis covertly traces the growth of Bertrande, and, at the conclusion of the text Bertrande’s steadfast pursuit of justice and truth captures this development in character despite the somewhat dire outcome.
Martin Guerre
Martin Guerre - the husband of Bertrande is largely the antagonist. The novella extensively documents his mistreatment of Bertrande - even at 11. However, the relationship between Martin Guerre and his wife ameliorates throughout the course of the novella, even going so far as to describe the two as “a camp within a camp”. Martin is curious, ambitious and always seeks autonomy, thus resulting in the need to leave behind his wife and child in order to escape the wrath of his father. The reader is encouraged to scrutinize his actions as he ultimately rejects his wife at the final trial despite his obvious accountability for what has unfolded.
Monsieur Guerre
Described as some “ruler of an island commonwealth”, Monsieur Guerre’s role was integral to the functioning of the Guerre household. His authority is unquestionable and absolute in the eyes of the household and no matter how old Martin Guerre grew, his life “lay beneath” his father’s “jurisdiction”.
Arnaud de Tilh
Another antagonist within the novella, Arnaud is depicted as opportunistic. Seeking to take advantage of Bertrande’s vulnerability, Arnaud is as insensitive but deceptive, cunning and disingenuous. This is shown as he is widely accepted to be the husband of Bertrande by all within the household. Arnaud is later discovered to be an imposter seeking to take advantage of the household’s vulnerable position after the death of Monsieur Guerre.
