The Violent Land Characters
by Jorge Amado

Colonel Horacio Silveira is one of the main characters struggling for land that is prized for its ability to grow cacao. His marriage to Ester ends with her death and revelations of her affair with Virgilio Cabral. Despite the revelations, he remains loyal to his wife. He, along with other "colonels," is involved in a bloody battle to obtain control over the plantations. He ultimately wins, as he successfully kills his principle rival, Sinhó, and survives many trials.

Colonel Sinhó Badaró is the other main patriarch in the struggle for obtaining land for growing cacao. He is father to Ana and abhors resorting to violence, incorporating a ritual of reading from the Bible into his daily life. He is forced to abandon his home and plantation once he is wounded by Horacio. Ester Silveira is the wife of Horacio and mother of his son. She falls in love with Virgilio and dreams of a different life. Her life is cut short, as she falls victim to typhoid fever.

Virgilio Cabral, a lawyer, is hired by Silveira. He falls in love with Horacio's wife, Ester. He manages to successfully survey the contested land in Silveira's name. He meets his death once Horacio becomes aware of his affair with Ester.

João Magalhães is a gambler and opportunist turned captain and military engineer. He reinvents his class and social status by becoming a useful asset to the Badaró family. He fakes a survey of the contested land at their request. He falls in love with Ana Badaró and is accepted into the family.

Don'Ana Badaró is the daughter of the Colonel and heir to their fortune. She falls in love with João Magalhães. She is the last defender of the Badaró household and is admired by Horacio's men for her courage. After her family's enemies have succeeded in obtaining the Badaró household, she is let go.

Juco Badaró is the brother of Sinhó Badaró. His character is more hostile than his brother. He is married to Olga with no children of their own. He does not survive the battle and is assassinated by Horacio's men. Margot is the mistress to Juca and a previous lover of Virgilio.

Raimunda is friend to Ana and member of the Badaró household. She marries Antonio. Antonio Victor creates his own destiny, as he climbs the social ladder from field hand to hired hand after saving Juca's life. His reward for saving Juca twice is a marriage to Raimunda.

João Magalhães

João Magalhães (zhoh-OWN mah-gahl-YAYS), a gambler and drifter who claims to be a captain and military engineer who has participated in several revolutions. Although he won his engineer’s ring at a gaming table, he agrees to survey the Sequeiro Grande (see-KAY-roh GRAHN-dee), a rich area of fiercely contested tropical forest. While working for the Badaró family, he falls in love with the only heir, Ana. João’s shadowy background notwithstanding, Ana’s family considers his ability to reinvent himself and adapt to his circumstances a useful asset in a land that is in the process of self-creation, and they approve the match. He agrees to change his surname to Badaró and continue the family line.

Colonel Horacio da Silveira

Colonel Horacio da Silveira (oh-RAH-see-oh seel-vay-EE-rah), a former mule driver who by hard work becomes the wealthiest of the cacao plantation owners. Widowed, he marries the young and cultured Ester, with whom he has one son. Like other “colonels” of the region, he employs many bodyguards and ruffians to protect his life and to forward his interests. With their aid, he launches a bloody campaign to claim the Sequeiro Grande as part of his already extensive cacao holdings, using his hired guns to assassinate those who stand in his way. He survives the fever that kills his wife, has his principal rival assassinated, and, when political power shifts to his party, even wins the legal battles related to the acquisition of the forest.

Ester Silveira

Ester Silveira, Horacio’s wife and the mother of his only son. She does not adapt well to the roughness of plantation life. She falls in...