Count Almaviva

Almaviva The Count's main interest in the play is fulfilling his amorous desires, and intrigue surrounds his efforts to seduce Suzanne. To this end, he promises her money if she will spend her first night as a married woman with him. Although he places a monetary figure on the situation and also holds the power to prevent Suzanne and Figaro's marriage, the Count views his designs as merry and lighthearted; as Beaumarchais describes the character of the Count in the playscript, "In keeping with the morals of those days, the great regarded the conquest of women as a frolic." While he actively pursues women, the Count becomes extremely angry when he suspects his wife of infidelity, thus demonstrating the double standards of his day.

The Count holds the ultimate authority on his estate, even deciding the outcome of Figaro and Marceline's court case. He demands the respect...