Antonieta

Mexican writer and social activist who moves between Mexico City's cultural milieu and Paris' intellectual circles. She forms a passionate, complex bond with Manuel Lozano and becomes Vasconcelos' lover and confidante, shaping both art and politics. Her life unfolds amid the era's stormy history and ends with a dramatic act inside Notre Dame.

Mexican painter whose marriage anchors him to convention, while Antonieta's feelings for him remain unrequited due to his sexuality. Their relationship is intense but platonic, sustained by a long correspondence that reveals longing and devotion. The dynamic highlights the tension between art, love, and social norms.

Mexican intellectual and reformist politician who campaigns on education for the masses. Antonieta becomes his lover and closest adviser, linking personal influence to public reform. After political defeat, he goes into exile with her to Paris, underscoring the fragility of idealistic movements.

Poet who recounts Antonieta's life to Anna, providing a narrator's lens that blends memory with historical perspective. He frames events and adds a literary texture to the timeline of the era.

Architect and Antonieta's father figure, his status and achievements illuminate the social expectations and formative surroundings that shape her ambitions.

Husband whom Antonieta marries and later leaves; his role marks the personal cost of her autonomy and defiance of conventional marriage.

Historical figure representing the older political order that sets the stage for the revolutionary times in which Antonieta lives.

Historical leader whose era intersects with Vasconcelos' reformist thrust, illustrating the shifting sands of Mexican politics.

A public speaker whose words frame key political moments, underscoring the power of rhetoric in the era's social movements.

A North American figure who appears in the cross-cultural backdrop of the story, reflecting foreign influence and perspective in the era.

Husband of the North American figure, part of the ensemble that frames international ties and personal relationships within the narrative.