Character guide

Stephen Gordon

major

Also known as Miss Stephen, little Stephen, Stephen dully

The protagonist, a masculine woman who becomes a writer and struggles with her identity.

Mary Llewellyn

major

Also known as Mary, Llewellyn, Mary neurasthenia

Stephen's beloved companion, a gentle woman who shares her life in Paris.

Puddle

supporting

Also known as Mademoiselle Puddle, old Puddle, loyal Puddle

Stephen's devoted governess and lifelong friend who supports her through hardships.

Angela Crossby

supporting

Also known as Crossby, old Crossby

A married woman who has a brief affair with Stephen, causing scandal.

Sir Philip Gordon

supporting

Also known as Philip, Sir Philip, Philip Gordon

Stephen's father, a kind and understanding country gentleman.

Lady Anna Gordon

supporting

Also known as Anna, Anna Gordon, Lady Anna, Anna Molloy

Stephen's mother, who struggles to accept her daughter's nature.

Jonathan Brockett

supporting

Also known as Brockett, the chattering Brockett

A flamboyant playwright and friend who introduces Stephen to Parisian society.

Martin Hallam

supporting

Also known as Martin, young Hallam, poor Martin

A childhood friend who later proposes to Stephen, but is rejected.

Valérie Seymour

supporting

Also known as Valérie, Seymour

A confident lesbian writer and salon hostess who mentors Stephen.

Raftery

minor

Also known as poor Raftery

An Irish groom at Morton who becomes a loyal friend to Stephen.

Collins

minor

Also known as old Collins, poor Collins

The elderly, half-blind butler at the Gordon family estate.

Jim

minor

Also known as James, Jamie

A stable boy and childhood friend of Stephen at Morton.

Wanda

minor

Also known as this Wanda

A Polish woman who briefly stays with Stephen and Mary in Paris.

Mademoiselle Duphot

minor

Also known as the poor Mademoiselle Duphot, Kind Mademoiselle Duphot

A kind French governess who teaches Stephen as a child.

Roger Antrim

minor

Also known as Roger, young Roger, Roger Antrim

A local boy who teases Stephen during her childhood.

Mrs. Breakspeare

minor

Also known as the Breakspeare Unit, Mrs. Claude Breakspeare

A motherly ambulance unit leader during World War I.

Barbara

minor

Also known as VII Barbara, V Barbara

A friend of Stephen and Mary in the Parisian circle.

David

minor

Also known as Mary! David

A friend who interacts with Mary and Stephen in Paris.

Violet Antrim

minor

Also known as Violet, VI

Roger's sister, a childhood acquaintance of Stephen.

Miss Gordon

minor

Also known as Gordon

A formal reference to Stephen by servants or acquaintances.

Colonel Antrim

minor

A neighbor and father of Roger and Violet Antrim.

Lady Massey

minor

Also known as Massey

A society woman who visits Morton and gossips about Stephen.

Aunt Sarah

minor

Also known as Sarah, the patient Aunt Sarah

Stephen's aunt who lives at Morton and is kind to her.

Pat

minor

Also known as the scandalized Pat

A servant or acquaintance at Morton who reacts to Stephen.

Dickie West

minor

Also known as Dickie

A friend from Stephen's ambulance unit during the war.

Miss Puddleton

minor

Also known as Puddleton

Another name for Puddle, Stephen's governess.

Pedro

minor

Also known as the unhappy Pedro

A Spanish man who works or stays in the Parisian circle.

Henry Jones

minor

Also known as Henry

A minor acquaintance in the Parisian social scene.

Monsieur Pujol

minor

Also known as Pujol, the ingratiating Pujol

A Frenchman who interacts with Stephen in Paris.

Adèle

minor

A French woman who is part of the Parisian lesbian circle.

Adolphe Blanc

minor

Also known as Blanc

A French acquaintance in the Parisian arts scene.

Blakeney

minor

A friend from the ambulance unit during World War I.

Mrs. Antrim

minor

Mother of Roger and Violet Antrim, a neighbor of the Gordons.

Jean Maurel

minor

Also known as Jean, young Jean, Jeanne Maurel, Poor Jean

A young French woman in the Parisian circle.

Dupont

minor

A French acquaintance in the Parisian social world.

Lincoln

minor

An American friend from the ambulance unit.

Nelson

minor

Also known as young Nelson

A young man in the Parisian circle of friends.

Mrs. Bingham

minor

Also known as the surprised Mrs. Bingham

A woman who interacts with Stephen during the war.

Peter Ibbetson

minor

Also known as Peter

A literary reference or minor character in the narrative.

Violet Peacock

minor

Also known as Violet, VI

A woman in the Parisian lesbian circle, possibly a rival.

Mrs. Crossby

minor

Angela Crossby's mother-in-law or relative.

Alec Peacock

minor

Also known as young Alec Peacock

A young man in the Parisian circle, possibly Violet's brother.

Miss Bless

minor

Also known as Bless

A minor acquaintance in the Parisian social scene.

Captain Ramsay

minor

Also known as Ramsay, poor Captain Ramsay

An officer in the ambulance unit during World War I.

Margaret Roland

minor

Also known as Margaret

A woman who appears in the later part of the novel.

Ogilvy

minor

A friend from the ambulance unit during the war.

Miss Delmé-Howard

minor

Also known as Howard

A woman in the Parisian social circle.

Polinska

minor

A Polish woman in the Parisian lesbian circle.

Esmeralda

minor

A woman in the Parisian circle of friends.

Agnes Massey

minor

Also known as Agnes

A society woman who gossips about Stephen.

Colonel Fitzmaurice

minor

A military man who may join the Parisian circle.

Mr. Hopkins

minor

Also known as Hopkins

A minor acquaintance in the novel.

Miss Thurloe

minor

Also known as Thurloe

A woman who appears in the later part of the story.

Jane Grigg

minor

Also known as The Grigg, Grigg

A minor character in the Parisian social scene.

Nanny

minor

Stephen's childhood nurse at Morton.

Mrs. Wilson

minor

A servant or acquaintance at Morton.

Young Mrs. Thompson

minor

Also known as Mrs. Thompson

A woman in the neighborhood of Morton.

Comtesse de Mirac

minor

Also known as the Comtesse

A French countess in the Parisian social circle.

Clothilde

minor

Also known as Aunt Clothilde

An aunt or relative of a character in the novel.

Celestino

minor

Also known as old Celestino

An Italian or Spanish servant in the Parisian household.

MacGregor

minor

Also known as that young MacGregor

A young man in the Parisian circle.

Else Weining

minor

Also known as Weining, Else

A German woman in the Parisian lesbian circle.