Francesco Ingravallo

Francesco Ingravallo (frahn-CHEHS-koh een-grah-VAHL-loh), more familiarly known as Don Ciccio (CHEE-kee-oh), serves as a Roman police inspector tasked with unraveling the intricacies of a robbery and homicide. Despite his tough exterior and cynical outlook, which mirror the author Gadda’s own views on human nature, Ingravallo is deeply affected by the murder of his friend, Liliana Balducci. His emotional involvement adds depth to his character, as does his methodical approach to dissecting the complex and sordid threads of the case. Don Ciccio’s individuality emerges through his subtle defiance of societal norms; he exhibits a profound empathy for the less fortunate, resisting the temptation to hastily judge them based on their social standing.

Though the novel is not primarily centered around the personal destinies of its characters, Ingravallo functions as an organizing presence within its narrative. His satirical portrayal reflects the broader depiction of Romans as flawed, driven by self-interest and hormonal instincts, yet ingrained with a compulsive sociability. Inspector Ingravallo, while a central figure, is portrayed as yet another piece in the larger mosaic of the city, rather than a standalone protagonist.

Liliana Balducci

Liliana Balducci (lee-lee-AH-nah bahl-DEW-chee) was a middle-aged woman whose emotional and physical barrenness was hidden beneath her facade of perfect femininity. Her life ended tragically, found in her apartment with her throat slit and her jewels missing, suspected to be killed by one of the young women she once tried to support. Unable to have children, Liliana channeled her maternal instincts into caring for young orphan girls, employing them as housemaids and assisting them in securing marriages. Despite repeated betrayals by these young women, Liliana persistently believed in their potential, encouraged by her husband, Remo. The thematic interplay between Liliana and the sinister Zamira Pacori, who also surrounds herself with young women for nefarious purposes, deepens the sordid undertones of Liliana's actions.

Liliana, though a victim, is depicted with little sympathy; she embodies the pathetic image of a sexually appealing yet childless woman on the brink of middle age, driven to fill the void of childlessness with her maids, possibly nurturing unspoken affections for them. Her story is a commentary on the superficial and transactional human connections prevalent in the novel's world.

Corporal Pestalozzi

Corporal Pestalozzi (pehs-tah-LOHZ-zee), a member of the national police force, is characterized by coarseness and spite. Operating with a touch of arrogance, he embodies the petty, sadistic tendencies that found validation under Mussolini’s Fascist regime. Pestalozzi’s reliance on brute force and intimidation contrasts sharply with Ingravallo’s more contemplative methods. It is Pestalozzi and his men who eventually locate the stolen jewelry connected to the crime on Via Merulana, bringing the investigation to a critical juncture. Despite the reprehensible nature of their treatment of suspects, within the context of the novel, such behavior is portrayed as an unfortunate norm, expected by the young women entangled in the investigation.

Zamira Pacori

Zamira Pacori (zah-MEE-rah PAH-kohr-ree) stands as a grotesque figure in the narrative, an aging laundress with a shadowy past as a prostitute. Her current guise conceals her roles as a bawd, sorceress, and self-proclaimed faith healer. Zamira’s life mirrors Liliana’s in that she too collects young, impoverished women around her, yet her motives are sinister, contrasting starkly with Liliana’s misguided benevolence. The thematic juxtaposition between these two women underscores the dark and complex social dynamics at play in the novel.

Within the wider narrative, Gadda’s characters, including Zamira, are not isolated figures but rather integral parts of Rome’s intricate social tapestry. Their lives, defined more by their interconnections and mutual dependencies than by any singular destiny, reinforce the notion of the city as the true protagonist. Rome itself, depicted as a bustling anthill or beehive, serves as a living backdrop where every individual’s life is inextricably linked to the others, creating a collective identity overshadowing personal stories.

Although the novel often downplays the individual significance of its characters, these portrayals, woven together, reflect Gadda's satirical vision of humanity: fallible, self-serving, and bound by cultural and geographic ties that shape their existence in profound, if sometimes invisible, ways.