Antagonist

Character Role Analysis

Selim Bey

We know you might be thinking the antagonist is every Turkish gendarme (a.k.a. police officer), and we could certainly see a case made for that. But our money is on Selim Bey as the big antagonist. He's the face of the gendarmes and the torture Armenians are put through in the novel—he's even called the "butcher of the Armenians," in case we were confused—plus he's the enemy that Vahan is asked to battle directly.

He might be well dressed and generous with Vahan sometimes, but deep down, we know Selim Bey is behind the rape of Seranoush and the murder of countless others. As Vahan learns more and more about Selim, he becomes more disgusted with what this jerk can do to other human beings. And we do too.