Antagonist

Character Role Analysis

Harpagon

We're not going out on a limb with this one. Harpagon is one of the meanest, cheapest guys you'll ever meet in fictional form. Nothing makes him happier than money, but criticizing his children and telling them what to do comes in at a close second. All of the conflict in this play is caused by Harpagon's cheapness and his desire to marry Mariane, in part because money and marriage are the only two things his children really want. By the end of the play, it looks like Harpagon still hasn't learned his lesson. But at least he no longer has the power to control his children.