Paths of Glory - Characters & Cast

Dax is motivated by a powerful sense of justice, morality, and a genuine concern for the lives of his men. Having been a lawyer in civilian life, he is driven by principles of fairness and human dignity, which are in direct opposition to the cynical careerism of his superiors.

Colonel Dax begins as a dutiful, yet weary, officer who understands the horrors of war but still believes in the system. His arc is one of profound disillusionment. While he fights passionately for justice during the trial, his ultimate failure to save his men and his final confrontation with General Broulard shatter his remaining faith in the military's honor. He ends the film a broken but still deeply humane man, realizing the corruption is inescapable.

Mireau's sole motivation is personal glory and advancement within the military hierarchy. He is obsessed with his reputation and is willing to sacrifice hundreds of his soldiers to secure a promotion. His actions are driven by a fragile, yet enormous, ego.

General Mireau remains a static character, consumed by his own vanity and ambition from beginning to end. He starts by feigning concern for his men but is easily swayed by the promise of a promotion. His arrogance leads to the failed attack, and his cowardice makes him scapegoat his own soldiers. His arc concludes not with redemption, but with his own downfall, as Broulard announces he will be investigated for ordering artillery to fire on his own men.

Broulard is motivated by the preservation and smooth functioning of the military power structure. He is a master of political maneuvering, using others as pawns to maintain stability and advance the army's interests as he sees them. His actions are not driven by personal ambition in the same way as Mireau's, but by a cold, cynical pragmatism.

General Broulard is also a static character, but a more complex and insidious one than Mireau. He is the embodiment of the detached, aristocratic officer class. He manipulates Mireau into the attack and observes the subsequent trial with a calculating, almost amused, detachment. His arc is non-existent; he remains the ultimate insider, effortlessly navigating the corrupt system. His final scene reveals his complete inability to comprehend Dax's genuine morality, assuming Dax's actions were just a clever play for Mireau's job.