Georges Querelle, its protagonist and antihero, is a bisexual thief, prostitute and serial killer who manipulates and kills his lovers for thrills and profit.

One night, when the ship is docked in the French port town of Brest, Querelle slits Vic's throat.

Querelle sleeps with Mario in an attempt to get him to back away from arresting him or Gil, but the captain is unmoved from turning him into yet another of his jailed conquests.

Genet writes that Querelle views sex as an act of either domination or submission, and so treats his partners as objects that exist for the sole purpose of enacting his sadomasochistic fantasies of power and punishment.

His mysterious, brooding persona and sexual ambiguity make him an object of fascination and attraction to everyone in his orbit, especially Madame Lysiane and Lieutenant Seblon, his closeted superior officer.