Leo Merumeci

Leo Merumeci, Mariagrazia's forty-two-year-old lover, is a shrewd and unscrupulous businessman with a singular goal: to acquire Mariagrazia's wealth. Despite his financial motivations, Leo is equally driven by his desires and intends to keep both Mariagrazia and her daughter, Carla, entangled in his life. He plans to marry Carla, yet does not intend to sever ties with Mariagrazia, maintaining the luxurious benefits of the Ardengo villa and his intimate relationship with Carla. Leo is depicted as a character who, even in the face of commitment, assures himself that his hedonistic pursuits will continue unaltered. He remains a manipulative presence, exploiting both women for his own gain.

Mariagrazia Ardengo

Mariagrazia Ardengo is depicted as a frivolous and neurotic middle-aged widow whose life revolves around sustaining her relationship with Leo. Despite her frequent jealous outbursts, which risk alienating Leo, her desperation to keep him in her life leads her to accept the unthinkable: sharing him with her daughter, Carla. Her fear of poverty and loss of social status compels her to approve of Carla's marriage to Leo, whom she wishes to retain as a guest in her home. Mariagrazia's character is marked by her willingness to sacrifice her dignity to keep her former lover close, even as it means the disintegration of traditional family bonds.

Carla Ardengo

Carla Ardengo, the twenty-four-year-old daughter of Mariagrazia, is entangled in her mother's manipulative schemes. As a passive and indifferent young woman, she is a true victim of her circumstances, yearning for an escape from her tedious existence. Her consent to Leo's proposal stems not from love but from a desire for change. Yet, this decision only transforms her into a replacement for her mother in a loveless relationship. Despite her longing for transformation, Carla's life remains static as she becomes Leo's wife, her quest for a different life unfulfilled and her personal autonomy compromised.

Michele Ardengo

Michele Ardengo, a first-year law student and Mariagrazia's son, epitomizes the emotionally detached intellectual in Alberto Moravia's narrative universe. Although he dreams of breaking free from his listless existence, he is paralyzed by his own indifference. Michele's reaction to Leo's involvement with Carla is one of feigned outrage; cynically, he had considered "selling" her to Leo for financial gain. His ineffective attempt to shoot Leo, thwarted by his own forgetfulness to load the gun, underscores his passivity. This failure imparts a lesson on the value of love, honesty, and familial connections, yet Michele remains trapped in apathy. Even his agreement to pursue an affair with Lisa is marked by a lack of real enthusiasm, reflecting his ongoing struggle to engage meaningfully with life.

Lisa

Lisa, initially Leo's lover before he met Mariagrazia, shifts her romantic aspirations to Michele after Leo turns his attention to both Mariagrazia and Carla. She seeks change and passion, hoping that Michele might inject vitality into her life. However, Michele's incapacity for spontaneous emotion leaves Lisa's aspirations unmet. Her dreams of a passionate romance are dashed by the reality of Michele's indifference, and even if their relationship becomes intimate, her life's monotony is unlikely to alter. Lisa's journey underscores the recurring theme of unfulfilled desires and the quest for redemption within the novel's character dynamics.