Character Relationship Map: Waterloo

Characters

• Napoleon Bonaparte (played by Rod Steiger) — protagonist

  The French Emperor drives the central conflict after returning from exile on Elba and rallying France behind him. He defeats the Prussians at Ligny, orders Grouchy to block their advance, and personal...

• Louis XVIII (played by Orson Welles) — supporting

  The restored French king is displaced when Napoleon returns from Elba. As the French rally to Napoleon during his march toward Paris, Louis XVIII flees, and the European powers declare war again. His...

• Duchess of Richmond (played by Virginia McKenna) — supporting

  The Duchess of Richmond provides the Brussels setting for the ball at which Wellington is warned that Napoleon has marched into Belgium. Her ball therefore becomes the social backdrop for the Allied c...

• Gordon (played by Rupert Davies) — supporting
• Marshal Michel Ney (played by Dan O'Herlihy) — supporting

  Ney commands French forces at Quatre-Bras, where he fights the British to a draw, then rides to Napoleon with his report. During Napoleon's temporary withdrawal, Ney takes command and later misinterpr...

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Gordon → Louis XVIII (related)
• Napoleon Bonaparte → Marshal Michel Ney (related)
• Napoleon Bonaparte → Duchess of Richmond (Social Acquaintance) — The Duchess's ball becomes the social setting where news of Napoleon's advance reaches the allied leadership.

  The plot places the warning about Napoleon's march during the Duchess of Richmond's ball in Brussels.

• Napoleon Bonaparte → Louis XVIII (Conflict Political Rival) — Their political rivalry frames Napoleon's return and the collapse of Louis XVIII's restored rule.

  After Napoleon is forced to abdicate, Louis XVIII rules France. When Napoleon returns, Louis XVIII flees as the French rally to Napoleon.

Story Analysis

Napoleon's return from exile culminates in a vast battle where battlefield confusion and allied resistance end his renewed campaign.

Plot Progression

1. Exile and Return — Napoleon is forced to abdicate and exiled to Elba. After ten months, he returns to France and attracts enthusiastic popular support.
2. War Reignited — Louis XVIII flees as Napoleon's return restores the imperial challenge. European powers declare war, and news of Napoleon's advance reaches the ball in Brussels.
3. Opening Battles — The fighting at Quatre-Bras ends in a draw while Napoleon defeats the Prussians at Ligny. Napoleon divides his forces before confronting the allied army.
4. Waterloo Escalates — French attacks test the allied flanks, while battlefield confusion and failed cavalry assaults increase the cost of the fighting. La Haye Sainte eventually falls.
5. The Guard Breaks — Napoleon commits the Imperial Guard to a final attack. A devastating volley repulses it, reinforcements arrive, and the allied forces win Waterloo.