Makak is the central protagonist of the play and the man whose dream gives the play its title. Now comfortably in his old age, Makak is an elderly man of African descent who lives on an unnamed island that still feels the echoes of a recent colonialist past. Poor and uneducated, Makak is a charcoal burner. He lives in a small house on the side of the titular Monkey Mountain.  

Throughout the play, Makak suffers from fits. Few characters know how to deal with them, so they simply watch as Makak seizes. Occasionally, these fits bring on visionary dreams. After his arrest, Makak has a fit in the jail cell and begins dreaming that he the ghostly apparition of a white woman has visited him. A deeply insecure and self-loathing man, Makak is disgusted by the sight of himself, but the apparition soothes his worries. She tells him that he is descended from African kings. In fact, he should travel back to Africa, where he will be able to retake his throne and follow in the footsteps of his royal ancestors.  

Makak becomes so obsessed with the message of this dream that he sets off the next day. Accompanied by his friend Moustique, he begins to believe that he has special powers. When Makak heals a sick man on the road and Moustique suggests exploiting this healing power for financial gain, but Makak is uninterested—he only wants to travel to Africa.