Although “Mateo Falcone” and “Tamango” are both short stories Mérimée still achieves in-depth characterisation of the title characters and the other protagonists, through various means such as detailed descriptions of physical features and ideas as well as the use of dialogue. The detailed description of Mateo Falcone at the beginning of the story is an example of how Mérimée achieves characterisation. This level of detail initially appears unnecessary, especially as Mateo himself is not present again until the end of the story, but it becomes essential to understand Mateo’s actions at the end. Mérimée begins the tale with a description of the hostile Corsican landscape and the connection of the “maquis” to Mateo contributes to his characterisation as a formidable man. Mateo is described as “un homme petit mais robust” and the harshness and resilience of the landscape seems to be reflected in Mateo’s character. The story of Mateo’s murder of a rival makes the reader even more wary. Mérimée gives some detail of this part of Mateo’s past and the phrase “il s’était débarrassé fort rigoureusement d’un rival” reinforces his characterisation as a man who should be feared. Mérimée’s description of his shooting skill which “passait pour extraordinaire” reinforces this idea and also establishes the idea of reputation.
This idea of reputation and family honour being of the utmost importance to Mateo is essential in understanding his actions at the end of the story. Mérimée’s emphasis on the fact that Fortunato, as the only son, is “l’espoir de sa famille, l’inheritier du nom” becomes increasingly important as the story progresses. We see this idea developed at the end of the tale, where Fortunato’s actions have enormous implications on Mateo. We do not see extensive dialogue from Mateo but there are three key phrases that are essential in the characterisation of Mateo. “Cet enfant est-il de moi?” shows Mateo in disbelief that a son of his could betray his ideas of