Middlemarch · Characters
Character guide
Key figures in Middlemarch by George Eliot.
Dorothea Brooke
major
Also known as Dorothea, Poor Dorothea, Dorothea Brooke, Miss Brooke, Mrs. Casaubon, Dodo
An idealistic young woman who marries the elderly scholar Edward Casaubon.
Tertius Lydgate
major
Also known as Mr. Lydgate, Lydgate, Doctor Lydgate, Tertius, young Lydgate
An ambitious young doctor who comes to Middlemarch to reform medical practice.
Will Ladislaw
major
Also known as Mr. Ladislaw, Will, Ladislaw, Will Ladislaw, young Ladislaw
A passionate young artist and Casaubon's cousin, drawn to Dorothea.
Rosamond Vincy
major
Also known as Rosamond, Vincy, Rosamond Vincy, Miss Rosamond, Rosy
A beautiful and self-centered young woman who marries Lydgate.
Fred Vincy
supporting
Also known as Fred, Vincy, Frederic, young Vincy
A good-hearted but irresponsible young man who hopes to inherit Featherstone's wealth.
Mr. Brooke
supporting
Also known as Mr. Brooke, Brooke, good Mr. Brooke
Dorothea and Celia's uncle, a well-meaning but muddled landowner.
Edward Casaubon
major
Also known as Mr. Casaubon, Casaubon, Poor Mr. Casaubon, the Reverend Edward Casaubon
A dry, scholarly clergyman who marries Dorothea and works on a never-finished book.
Mary Garth
supporting
Also known as Mary, Garth, Mary Garth, Miss Garth
A sensible, plain young woman who works as a nurse and loves Fred Vincy.
Sir James Chettam
supporting
Also known as Sir James Chettam, Chettam, Sir James, James
A wealthy baronet who initially courts Dorothea and later marries Celia.
Celia Brooke
supporting
Also known as Celia, little Celia, Miss Celia, the second Miss Brooke
Dorothea's more practical and conventional younger sister.
Caleb Garth
supporting
Also known as Caleb Garth, Caleb, Garth
An honest, hardworking land agent and builder, father of Mary Garth.
Nicholas Bulstrode
major
Also known as Mr. Bulstrode, Bulstrode, Brother Bulstrode, Nicholas
A pious but morally compromised banker and leading Middlemarch figure.
John Raffles
supporting
Also known as Mr. Raffles, Raffles, this Raffles, John Raffles
A disreputable man who knows a dark secret about Bulstrode's past.
Camden Farebrother
supporting
Also known as Mr. Farebrother, Farebrother, The Rev. Camden Farebrother, Camden
A kind, intelligent vicar and naturalist who becomes Lydgate's friend.
Mrs. Garth
minor
Also known as Mrs. Garth, the exemplary Mrs. Garth, Garth
Caleb Garth's capable, sharp-tongued wife and mother of their children.
Mrs. Cadwallader
supporting
Also known as Mrs. Cadwallader, Cadwallader
The rector's wife, a sharp-tongued gossip who meddles in local affairs.
Mr. Vincy
minor
Also known as Mr. Vincy, Vincy, young Vincy
Rosamond and Fred's father, a prosperous but imprudent manufacturer.
Mrs. Bulstrode
supporting
Also known as Mrs. Bulstrode, Bulstrode, Harriet, Harriet Vincy
Bulstrode's loyal, devout wife and sister of Mr. Vincy.
Peter Featherstone
supporting
Also known as Mr. Featherstone, Featherstone, old Featherstone, Peter Featherstone, old Mr. Featherstone
A wealthy, miserly old landowner whose death sparks a contest over his will.
Joshua Rigg
minor
Also known as Rigg, Mr. Rigg, Joshua Rigg, Mr. Rigg Featherstone
Featherstone's illegitimate son who inherits Stone Court and sells it.
Borthrop Trumbull
minor
Also known as Mr. Borthrop Trumbull, Trumbull, Mr. Trumbull
A pompous auctioneer who handles the Featherstone estate sale.
Frank Hawley
minor
Also known as Mr. Frank Hawley, Mr. Hawley, Hawley, Frank Hawley
A lawyer and outspoken critic of Bulstrode in Middlemarch politics.
Mrs. Farebrother
minor
Also known as Mrs. Farebrother
The vicar's mother, a dignified elderly woman living with him.
Henrietta Noble
minor
Also known as Henrietta Noble, Miss Noble, tiny Miss Noble, little Miss Noble
Farebrother's elderly, sweet-natured aunt who dotes on everyone.
Mrs. Waule
minor
Also known as Mrs. Waule, The Mrs. Waule, Waule
Featherstone's sister, a greedy and suspicious woman.
Lady Chettam
minor
Also known as Lady Chettam, the Dowager Lady Chettam, the young Lady Chettam
Sir James's mother, a kindly but conventional dowager.
Mrs. Plymdale
minor
Also known as Plymdale, Mrs. Plymdale
A Middlemarch matron and mother of Ned Plymdale.
Ned Plymdale
minor
Also known as Mr. Plymdale, young Plymdale, Mr. Ned Plymdale, Ned
A young man who briefly courts Rosamond Vincy.
Mrs. Hackbutt
minor
Also known as Mrs. Hackbutt
A gossipy Middlemarch lady who spreads rumors about Lydgate.
Mr. Wrench
minor
Also known as Mr. Wrench, Wrench
A local surgeon and rival of Lydgate in Middlemarch.
Mr. Toller
minor
Also known as Mr. Toller, Henry, Toller, Mr. Harry Toller
A Middlemarch apothecary and local medical man.
Dr. Sprague
minor
Also known as Dr. Sprague, Sprague
An elderly physician in Middlemarch, part of the medical establishment.
Dr. Minchin
minor
Also known as Dr. Minchin, Minchin
A physician in Middlemarch who competes with Lydgate for patients.
Sister Martha
minor
Also known as Sister Martha, Martha, sister Martha
A nun or religious sister who appears briefly in the narrative.
Mrs. Lydgate
minor
Also known as Mrs. Lydgate, the charming Mrs. Lydgate
Lydgate's mother, a wealthy woman who disapproves of his career.
Mr. Mawmsey
minor
Also known as Mr. Mawmsey, Mawmsey
A Middlemarch grocer and local tradesman.
Letty Garth
minor
Also known as Letty, Letty Garth
One of Caleb and Mrs. Garth's younger daughters.
Mr. Standish
minor
Also known as Mr. Standish, Standish, Lawyer Standish
A lawyer in Middlemarch who handles legal matters for the town.
Dagley
minor
Also known as Dagley, Mr. Dagley
A poor tenant farmer on Mr. Brooke's estate.
Abel
minor
Also known as Abel, Mrs. Abel
A servant or minor tradesman in Middlemarch.
Mr. Tyke
minor
Also known as Mr. Tyke, Tyke
A clergyman supported by Bulstrode for a hospital chaplaincy.
Mrs. Dollop
minor
Also known as Mrs. Dollop, Dollop
The landlady of the Tankard inn, a source of local gossip.
Adolf Naumann
minor
Also known as Naumann, Adolf Naumann
A German painter and friend of Will Ladislaw in Rome.
Mrs. Dagley
minor
Also known as Mrs. Dagley, Dagley
The wife of the tenant farmer Dagley.
Tantripp
minor
Also known as Tantripp, Dismissing Tantripp
Dorothea's maid and personal attendant.
Madame Laure
minor
Also known as Madame Laure, Laure
A French actress whom Lydgate was infatuated with in Paris.
Mr. Cadwallader
minor
Also known as Mr. Cadwallader, Cadwallader
The rector of Tipton, husband of Mrs. Cadwallader.
Mr. Powderell
minor
Also known as old Mr. Powderell, Mr. Powderell, good Mr. Powderell
An elderly, charitable Middlemarch tradesman.
Sir Godwin Lydgate
minor
Also known as Sir Godwin Lydgate, Godwin, Sir Godwin, Godwin Lydgate
Lydgate's wealthy uncle, a baronet who disapproves of his nephew's marriage.
Brother Jonah
minor
Also known as Brother, Brother Jonah, Jonah
A member of Bulstrode's religious circle.
Mrs. Mawmsey
minor
Also known as Mrs. Mawmsey, Mawmsey
The wife of the grocer Mr. Mawmsey.
Mr. Hackbutt
minor
Also known as Mr. Hackbutt, Hackbutt
A Middlemarch gentleman and local gossip.
Mr. Thesiger
minor
Also known as Mr. Thesiger
A clergyman in Middlemarch involved in the hospital dispute.
Horrock
minor
Also known as Horrock, Mr. Horrock
A horse-dealer and associate of Mr. Bambridge.
Christian
minor
Also known as Christian, Kitty, Kate, Kit Downes, Christy
A servant or minor character associated with Raffles.
Mr. Peacock
minor
Also known as Mr. Peacock, Peacock
A former curate who tutored Fred Vincy.
Hiram Ford
minor
Also known as Hiram Ford, Hiram
A workman or tenant on the Garths' farm.
Miss Winifred Farebrother
minor
Also known as Miss Winifred Farebrother, Miss Winifred, Miss Farebrother
Farebrother's unmarried sister who lives with him.
Mr. Bowyer
minor
Also known as Mr. Bowyer, Bowyer
A Middlemarch tradesman or minor official.
Jane Featherstone
minor
Also known as Jane Featherstone, Jane
Featherstone's sister, another relative hoping for his money.
Mr. Gambit
minor
Also known as Mr. Gambit, Hence Mr. Gambit
A minor character associated with the hospital or town.
Timothy Cooper
minor
Also known as old Timothy Cooper, Timothy, Tim
An old workman on the Garths' farm.
Mr. Dover
minor
Also known as Mr. Dover, Dover
A Middlemarch businessman or tradesman.
Tucker
minor
Also known as Tucker, Mr. Tucker
A servant or minor employee in Middlemarch.
Mrs. Lemon
minor
Also known as Mrs. Lemon
A minor female character in Middlemarch society.
Mrs. Taft
minor
Also known as Mrs. Taft
A minor character in Middlemarch.
Young Cranch
minor
Also known as Young Cranch, young Cranch
A relative of the Featherstone family.
Flavell
minor
Also known as Flavell
A minor character, possibly a servant or tradesman.
Mrs. Fitchett
minor
Also known as Mrs. Fitchett
A minor female character in Middlemarch.
Mrs. Sprague
minor
Also known as Mrs. Sprague
The wife of Dr. Sprague.
Miss Morgan
minor
Also known as Miss Morgan, Morgan
A minor female character in Middlemarch.
Mrs. Tom Toller
minor
Also known as Toller, Mrs. Tom Toller
The wife of Mr. Toller's son or relative.
Mr. Larcher
minor
Also known as Mr. Larcher, Mr. Caius Larcher
A Middlemarch gentleman and local figure.
Mrs. Larcher
minor
Also known as Mrs. Larcher, Larcher
The wife of Mr. Larcher.
Mrs. Cranch
minor
Also known as Poor Mrs. Cranch, poor Mrs. Cranch, Mrs. Cranch
A relative of the Featherstone family.
John Waule
minor
Also known as Mr. John Waule, John Waule, John
A relative of Mrs. Waule and the Featherstone family.
Ellen Bulstrode
minor
Also known as Ellen Bulstrode, Bulstrode, Ellen
Bulstrode's daughter from his first marriage.
Hopkins
minor
Also known as Hopkins, Mr. Hopkins
A servant or minor employee in Middlemarch.
Mr. Clintup
minor
Also known as Mr. Clintup
A minor character in Middlemarch.
Mrs. Renfrew
minor
Also known as Mrs. Renfrew
A minor female character in Middlemarch society.
