characters

• Crisostomo Ibarra


  Symbolized the idealism of the privileged youth
• Padre Damaso and Padre Salvi


  Embodied the rotten state of the clergy
• Maria Clara and Sisa


  Symbolized the country's condition – from beauty to madness
• Doña Victorina de Espadaña


  Represented colonial mentality
• Don Tiburcio


  A caricature of the ignorant Spaniards who took advantage of the poor Filipinos in the provinces
• Elias


  Represented the common Filipino who was aware of the injustice and wished to exact revenge
• Crispin


  The innocents who have been wrongly accused of a crime they did not commit
• Pilosopo Tasyo


  Symbolized the learner Filipinos who had once embraced the Spaniards but eventually became disenchanted
• Crisostomo Ibarra


  A Filipino who studied in Europe for 7 years, the main character of the novel and the love interest of Maria Clara
• Elias


  Ibarra's mysterious friend, a fugitive
• Maria Clara


  Ibarra's sweetheart; the illegitimate daughter of Padre Damaso and Pia Alba
• Padre Damaso


  A Franciscan friar and Maria Clara's biological father
• Linares


  Maria Clara's would-be fiancé; a distant nephew of Don Tiburcio
• Sisa


  Mother of Crispin and Basilio, who went insane after losing her sons
• Crispin


  The younger son of Sisa who died at the hands of the soldiers
• Basilio


  The elder son of Sisa
• Kapitan Tiago


  Also known as Don Santiago de los Santos, the known father of Maria Clara
• Padre Salvi


  Described as thin, sickly and silent; a secret admirer of Maria Clara
• Pilosopo Tasio


  An intelligent pessimistic old man
• Don Filipo


  Close relative of Ibarra and a filibuster
• The Alferez


  Mortal enemy of the priests for the power in San Diego
• Don Tiburcio


  A charlatan who is limp and submissive to his wife
• Doña Victorina


  A woman who passes herself off as one of the Peninsulares; wife of Don Tiburcio
• Doña Consolacion


  Wife of the Alferez; also passes herself off as a Peninsular
• Pedro


  Abusive husband of Sisa; loves cockfighting