Love in Excess

D’elmont is the protagonist of the novel. The action of the plot follows his adventures and misadventures, and concludes once he is happily married to a woman whom he truly loves.

D’elmont is from an aristocratic family. He is handsome and charismatic, which explains why “the beauty of his person, the gaity of his air, and the unequalled charms of his conversation, made him the admiration of both sexes” (37). D’elmont is generally a loyal friend and tends to display a sense of justice and integrity in situations that are not related to his romantic life. For example, when he sees Frankville facing a fight in which he is outnumbered, “D’Elmont was moved to the highest indignation at the sight of such baseness” (172). In many ways, D’elmont exemplifies the traits of a romantic hero.

D’elmont displays significant growth and development as a character over the course of the novel. Up until he meets Melliora, D’elmont is callous and cold in his attitude towards love and women. He finds Amena attractive but he has no intention of marrying her; he is also willing to marry Alovisa even though he does not love her. This decision to marry without love is a serious error but D’elmont makes the mistake because he is motivated by ambition: “[A]mbition was certainly the reigning passion in his soul” (76).