Victoria+Guzman

** Character's Name: ** || Victoria Guzmán || ** Role in Novel: ** || Victoria Guzmán is Santiago Nasar and Plácida Linero’s cook, as well as the mother of Divina Flor. She had been Ibrahim Nasar’s lover in her youth, but he brought her to be a house servant once he tired of her. As such, she is bitter and distrusting of Santiago, Ibrahim’s son, and does everything in her power to attempt to protect her daughter from the sexual advances of Santiago Nasar. || ** Significance of Name: ** || Victoria’s presence in the novel is vital to establishing the social positions and characterizations of Santiago Nasar and his father. The bitterness she feels towards the deceased Ibrahim Nasar is carried over to his son, and manifests itself both in her protectiveness of her daughter and the fact that she doesn’t warn Santiago when she learns of the plan to kill him. Her name, Victoria, is intriguing in that it seems in direct contrast to her life. Of Latin origins, Victoria was the name of the Roman goddess of victory (the equivalent of the Greek Nike). The most notable bearers of the name include Queen Victoria, the longest reigning British monarch in history, and Saint Victoria, a 4th century saint and martyr from North Africa. The irony of this name can be seen in the contrast between the societal roles of the famed Queen Victoria and Marquez’s character. Ibrahim Nasar was a wealthy and powerful man; his status in the small town was comparable to that of a lord or a ‘king’. In his youth, he carried on a sexual relationship with Victoria Guzmán for several years, but instead of marrying her or legitimizing the relationship (symbolically making her his ‘queen’), he brought her to be a house servant once he tired of her. Furthermore, the contrariety of Saint Victoria with Guzmán can be seen in her inaction after learning of the Vicario brothers’ plan to murder Santiago. Rather than warning him or alerting authorities, she says nothing, largely due to her lasting spite and bitterness towards Santiago’s father, Ibrahim- a distinctly un-saintly course of action. Later, she feigns innocence and lies about her knowledge of the plot to Placida Linero. ||