Based on the novella "Dreverhaven en katadreuffe"(1928) and the novel "Karakter"(1938) by F. Bordewijk, the film Character is a story of ambition, desperation and hate. katadreffe, the bastard son of Joba Katadreuffe and the relentless bailiff Dreverhaven, discovers the need to improve his social standing. He attempts to advance his social status by taking over a tobacco store with the help of a loan. But when his business goes bankrupt, he discovers that his father is the head of the bank that gave him the loan. Although he later discovers his true calling as a lawyer, he learns that his own father stands in the way of his future. The hate that ensues inevitably leads to the tragic end for these characters.