Antagonist

Character Role Analysis

Frocin / The Three Barons

The three barons are jealous of our Tristan almost from the moment he arrives in King Mark's court. They see how cozy he's getting with Mark, become jealous of his position at court, and immediately want him gone. The text signals their antagonist role by calling them evil and wicked almost every time it refers to them. The same is true of Frocin, the dwarf who aids the men in their plot to expose Tristan and Yseut's affair. Frocin's dwarfism should also clue us into his antagonist role, since medieval literature often used physical disability or disfigurement to symbolize a sinful soul.