A Column of Fire

Margery Fitzgerald is one of the main characters in A Column of Fire. Her significance to the plot lies in her role as a devout Catholic, for she is torn many ways and struggles to reconcile her religious convictions and her loyalty to her family with her love for Ned Willard. The interplay of love, fear, and duty forms the backbone of Margery's character arc. She is initially resistant to her arranged marriage, which stems from her perception that her family is manipulating her for their own gain. However, her unwavering belief in God's control over her life eventually leads her to accept the marriage and reject Ned. As the years progress, this marriage brings her nothing but misery, for her husband, Bart, is unfaithful. She is also repeatedly sexually assaulted by her father-in-law, and her first son, Bartlet, is the result of these incidents. This situation leads her to begin an affair with Ned, with whom she has a second son, Roger. Despite her relationship with Ned, Margery remains an advocate for England’s nonviolent return to Catholicism. To this end, she uses her networks to smuggle Catholic priests into the country. Unlike her brother, Rollo, she opposes using assassinations and riots to further Catholic ends. This difference in opinion strains her relationship with her family. Despite their differing beliefs on religion, Margery ultimately decides to side with Ned and reveals her brother’s involvement in the Catholic plots against Queen Elizabeth and, later, King James. As a result, she is pardoned by the king and returns with Ned to Kingsbridge as his second wife, living with him until her death.

Rollo Fitzgerald is the primary antagonist of A Column of Fire. He is a Catholic man who is driven by his desire for power and his unwavering belief in his version of God. His deep-seated hatred for Protestants fuels his desire to eliminate them, and this stance reflects a rigid and uncompromising worldview. Rollo’s goals directly oppose those of Ned, who serves as a champion for religious tolerance. Also, unlike Ned, who values genuine connections and romance, Rollo perceives such sentiments as an unnecessary obstacle. Rollo's dedication to Catholicism aligns him with characters who share this belief, notably Pierre. Both Rollo and Pierre support the use of violence to advance the political power of the Catholic faith: a sharp contrast to Margery's nonviolent approach. Throughout the novel, Rollo’s actions become increasingly desperate when Ned repeatedly thwarts his plans. However, Ned does not realize that the man he has been hunting is his old rival, as Rollo adopted the alias “Jean Langlais” upon beginning his work for the Catholic uprising. Rollo’s practical approach to relationships causes him to view those around him (including his sister, Margery) as a means to an end. As a result, he continually underestimates her. While he is initially able to blackmail her into compliance, her love for Ned leads her to betray Rollo and reveal his involvement in the plot to assassinate King James. This revelation leads to Rollo’s arrest following the Gunpowder Plot. At the end of the novel, it is revealed that Rollo is the unnamed man who is executed in the novel’s Prologue.

Sylvie Palot is one of the main narrators from France, and her character is deeply rooted in her dedication to the Protestant faith. She is the daughter of a Parisian bookseller and spreads the Protestant faith by selling illegal Protestant texts, such as French Bibles and the works of Nostradamus. The first major turning point in her life comes from her brief marriage to Pierre, for she realizes that the relationship was no more than a means for him to spy on the Parisian Protestants. During the wedding, he betrays the congregation. Sylvie survives, but her father and many others are killed for heresy. Rather than succumbing to despair, Sylvie furthers her commitment to the Protestant cause. She successfully restarts her father's business, using the sale of paper and ink to hide her distribution of illegal Bibles. Her primary focus is spreading what she believes to be the true word of God. Her activities lead her to Ned, who admires her for her dedication. While she previously resisted romantic relationships with men and viewed them as distractions from her work, she ultimately marries him. She returns with him to England following the destruction of her business in the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre. While she loves Ned, she is also accepting of his prior relationship with Margery, and Sylvie encourages him to rekindle this relationship if she were to die before him. This moment serves as foreshadowing of her tragic death at Rollo’s hands, when he pushes her from the roof of the Kingsbridge Cathedral. Her death is ruled an accident, but Ned later suspects his rival’s involvement.

Pierre Aumande, also known as Pierre Aumande de Guise, is the novel’s other major antagonist. He is driven by ambition and is willing to betray and manipulate anyone to secure additional political power. He is the doubly illegitimate child of a Guise priest and is initially presented as a confidence man who wants to appear noble. He begins working for the Guise family as a spy on the Protestants and is later instrumental in maintaining the family’s power in the French court. He allies with Mary Stuart to control France through her husband. However, his plans often backfire. After his brief marriage to Sylvie as part of the plot against the Protestants, he is forced to marry a maid named Odette to cover up the indiscretions of a different Guise. This leads him to brutally abuse Odette and his stepson, Alain. However, the unwanted hindrance of an arranged marriage does not stop him from using increasingly violent and destructive means to further the Guise family’s ends as well as his own. He orchestrates a massacre and a civil war to secure power. Significantly, his relationships with others mirror those of Rollo, as both characters view everyone as a means to an end. However, unlike Rollo, Pierre does not act for God; he instead acts to further his own desires. In addition to ambition, he is driven by a desire for revenge. He tracks Sylvie down and destroys her business and forces the Protestant marchioness, Louise, into a sexual relationship to humiliate her for an earlier slight against him. This ultimately leads to his downfall, as he is outmaneuvered by Sylvie and Ned. He is ultimately killed by Alain, who wishes to avenge the death of his mother at Pierre’s hands.

Barney Willard is Ned’s older brother and a supporting character in the story. While most of the characters remain primarily in England or France, Barney spends the novel making multiple trips, sometimes as far as the Caribbean. The essence of his character lies in his embodiment of the adventurous spirit of a sailor. From a young age, Barney dreams of life at sea. Despite never actually intending to follow this path, he joins the crew of the Hawk after he, Carlos, and Ebrima are forced to flee from Spain. Throughout the novel, he becomes an experienced sailor and eventually commands his own ship, the Alice. Barney's expertise contributes significantly to England's unexpected victory over Spain, and these skills are showcased in a naval battle where the odds are heavily stacked against the English. Barney is also a flirt who revels in the company of beautiful women but is very particular about romance. He begins the novel by constantly flirting with Jeronima but acknowledges that he is unprepared for marriage and would not marry her even if he were. Later, he falls in love with Bella, the illegitimate daughter of Hispaniola’s mayor. For Bella, he considers giving up his life at sea, but he ultimately has to leave without her. When he returns, she is dying and requests that he take care of their son, Alfo. Eventually, he marries a German wine dealer and widow named Helga.

Ebrima Dabo is another supporting character in the novel. He is a West African man who was formerly enslaved by Carlos, one of the Willards’ Spanish relatives. While he is publicly Catholic, he also maintains his traditional worship of his village’s river god. This provides a different facet to the religious themes of the novel, which primarily focus on the Catholic-Protestant divide. The character of Ebrima also illustrates the nuanced ways in which individuals must renegotiate their identities in the face of oppression. Ebrima collaborates with Carlos on a modified furnace, bringing success to Carlos's business. However, rivals destroy the business, forcing them to flee with Barney. They first join the Spanish Army before settling in Antwerp, Belgium. Ebrima finally lives as a free man and becomes Carlos's business partner there. He marries an older woman named Evie. In the latter half of the novel, he largely disappears, only reappearing to reject Ned’s request for aid against the Spanish, maintaining that he is now too old for fighting.