What is the name of the bullfighter in The Sun Also Rises?

The bullfighter in The Sun Also Rises is Pedro Romero. He is a young Spanish matador whom Jake Barnes and his expatriate friends watch during the fiesta in Pamplona.

Romero becomes especially important because Lady Brett Ashley is drawn to him. Unlike the novel’s older, disillusioned expatriates, Romero represents youth, physical courage, discipline, and a connection to traditional Spanish culture. His skill in the bullring contrasts with the emotional confusion and aimlessness of the other characters.

The bullfighting episodes are central to the novel’s structure. Hemingway describes the rituals of the corrida in detail, including the work of the matador, the danger of the bulls, and the expectations surrounding public performance. Romero’s presence also intensifies the tensions among Brett, Mike Campbell, and Robert Cohn.

Readers sometimes confuse Romero with famous real-life Spanish bullfighters such as Manolete, Belmonte, or Cagancho. Those were historical matadors; Pedro Romero is the character named in Hemingway’s 1926 novel.