The main antagonists are James Rearden who is running the railroad and Lillian Rearden the rich wife and a socialite. Then high ranking professors, lobbyists, a

The main antagonists are James Rearden who is running the railroad and Lillian Rearden the rich wife and a socialite. Then high ranking professors, lobbyists, and generally the military and religious institutions. She thinks that rich people who get rich by scheming and lying are the villains. The titular character is working as a poor railroad hand for most of the book and that is seen as heroic.