Richard Papen

Richard Papen is a fictional character from Donna Tartt's novel *The Secret History*. He is an outsider who enrolls at an elite college and becomes involved with a close-knit group of intellectually driven students studying classical languages. Charismatic and curious, Richard is influenced by their mysterious and often morally ambiguous behaviors. His perspective offers readers insight into the group’s complex dynamics and the darker themes of beauty, obsession, and crime. As the narrator, he guides us through the story, providing a personal and reflective viewpoint on the events that unfold around him.