Mattia Pascal

Mattia Pascal is a young Italian thrust into an unfortunate marriage with Romilda Pescatore, which compels him to flee impulsively. In Monte Carlo, he experiences a windfall at the gaming tables. En route home, he discovers that a dead man’s body has been misidentified by his wife as his own, offering him a chance to reinvent himself as Adriano Meis. Despite this new identity, Mattia struggles with both legal ambiguities and a lack of personal fulfillment. As Adriano, he becomes a nonentity, unable to fully embrace this fabricated life. Eventually, he returns to his village after staging a fake suicide, only to find Romilda remarried to his best friend, Gerolamo Pomino. Choosing to avoid disrupting their lives, he adopts a quiet existence, marked by an ironical detachment from both his past identities.

Batty Malagna

Batty Malagna, the deceitful steward of Mattia’s widowed mother, plays a significant role in pushing Mattia into his ill-fated marriage with Romilda. His betrayal sets off a chain of events that radically alter Mattia’s life.

Signora Marianna Dondi-Pescatore

Signora Marianna Dondi-Pescatore, Mattia’s domineering mother-in-law, contributes to his departure by creating an unbearable home environment. Her shock and unease are palpable upon Mattia’s unexpected reappearance after being presumed dead.

Romilda Pescatore

Romilda Pescatore, initially Mattia's wife, remarries his best friend Gerolamo Pomino after his supposed death. Despite her beauty, she lacks moral integrity, and upon Mattia’s return, she shows no inclination to rekindle their relationship, prioritizing her new life over past commitments.

Don Eligio Pellegrinotto

Don Eligio Pellegrinotto, an elderly priest and librarian, supports Mattia by encouraging him to document his extraordinary experiences. His guidance provides a literary outlet for Mattia’s reflections on his dual existence.

Roberto Pascal

Roberto Pascal, Mattia’s brother, enters into a prosperous marriage and shows little interest in aiding their widowed mother or Mattia. Upon Mattia’s return, he highlights the legal challenges posed by Mattia’s previous declaration of death, underscoring the complexities of his situation.

The Cavaliere Tito Lenzi

The Cavaliere Tito Lenzi becomes a fleeting acquaintance of "Adriano Meis." His escapist fantasies and superficial knowledge serve as a cautionary example for Mattia, highlighting the hollowness of a life without roots.

Adriana Paleari

Adriana Paleari, a virtuous and devout Roman woman, finds herself drawn to Mattia yet struggles to grasp the nuances of his predicament. Unaware of the constraints imposed by his false identity, she is puzzled by his refusal to press charges against her brother-in-law for theft.

Anselmo Paleari

Anselmo Paleari, Adriana’s father, is Mattia Pascal’s landlord and a devout spiritualist. His interest in séances inadvertently contributes to the unraveling of Mattia’s life as "Adriano Meis," precipitating a decisive crisis for the protagonist.

Terenzio Papiano

Terenzio Papiano, Adriana’s unscrupulous brother-in-law, resorts to theft, stealing from Mattia to repay the dowry of his deceased wife. His actions further complicate Mattia’s already precarious circumstances.

Silvia Caporale

Silvia Caporale, a middle-aged Roman music teacher, serves as Adriana’s confidant. Through both persuasion and spiritual sessions, she attempts to sway Mattia toward proposing marriage, entwining her interests with the spiritualist activities around Mattia.

The Marquis Giglio d’Auletta

The Marquis Giglio d’Auletta, Terenzio Papiano’s employer, harbors ambitions of reviving the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. His grandiose dreams contrast sharply with the grounded realities faced by Mattia.

Pepita Pantagoda

Pepita Pantagoda, the Marquis d’Auletta’s granddaughter, nearly ensnares Mattia in a duel due to her vanity. Her interactions with Mattia further highlight the social entanglements he must navigate.

Manuel Bernaldez

Manuel Bernaldez, a Spanish painter, captures a likeness of Pepita’s dog and later poses a threat of a duel with Mattia, adding another layer of tension to Mattia’s complex social web.

Francesco Meis

Francesco Meis, purported to be a relative of Adriano Meis, instills fear in Mattia when they encounter one another, serving as a stark reminder of the fragile nature of his assumed identity.