Agnes Grey · Character

Mr. Hatfield

The rector of Horton, a pompous and self-important clergyman who courts Rosalie and resents any rival for influence or attention.

supporting

Also known as Hatfield, Maister Hatfield

First appearance: vii horton lodge

As a supporting figure in Agnes Grey, Mr. Hatfield is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Attended the ball as an admirer of Rosalie; refrained from dancing but looked eager to ask her hand.

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Mr. Hatfield is a man of the cloth whose vanity rivals Rosalie's own, striding through the parish with a sense of his own consequence and a taste for flattery. He pursues Rosalie with calculated attention, but his resentment of Mr. Weston's popularity among the common people reveals a petty jealousy beneath his dignified bearing. His eventual marriage to an elderly spinster for her fortune confirms what Agnes suspects early: that his religion is chiefly self-worship.

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See Mr. Hatfield in vii horton lodge

Character Web

12 connections

A slice of how Mr. Hatfield sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Rivalry
Other

Character groups

Moral and social contrasts
Protagonist

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

In this excerpt, the emotional and psychological peak occurs as Agnes articulates a profound shift from passiv…

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Relationships

Agnes Grey
rivalry · negative
Rosalie Murray
rivalry · negative
Edward Weston
rivalry · negative
Agnes Grey
rivalry · negative
Rosalie Murray
rivalry · negative
Edward Weston
rivalry · negative

Agnes Grey
Mr. Hatfield is a pompous, hypocritical clergyman who pursues Agnes condescendingly, but she rejects him and sees through his vanity.
Rosalie Murray
Mr. Hatfield pursues Rosalie for her beauty and fortune, but she toys with him and ultimately rejects him for a wealthier man.
Edward Weston
Edward Weston and Mr. Hatfield are rival clergymen, with Weston's sincere piety contrasting sharply with Hatfield's hypocrisy.
Agnes Grey
Mr. Hatfield is a pompous, hypocritical clergyman who pursues Agnes condescendingly, but she rejects him and sees through his vanity.
Rosalie Murray
Mr. Hatfield pursues Rosalie for her beauty and fortune, but she toys with him and ultimately rejects him for a wealthier man.
Edward Weston
Edward Weston and Mr. Hatfield are rival clergymen, with Weston's sincere piety contrasting sharply with Hatfield's hypocrisy.

Relationship notes

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See Mr. Hatfield in vii horton lodge

In the story

Mr. Hatfield appears across 5 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

The Ball
Attended the ball as an admirer of Rosalie; refrained from dancing but looked eager to ask her hand.
X: The Church
Mr. Hatfield is depicted as artificial and self-important, with studied gestures and sermons focused on ritual and obedience, lacking genuine spirituality.
XI: The Cottagers
The rector; contrasted unfavorably with Mr. Weston for his harsh and thoughtless manner toward the sick.
XIV: The Rector
Mr. Hatfield is observed by Mrs. Murray walking near Rosalie's haunts; he later proposes to Rosalie and is refused, reacting with mortification and bitterness.
XV: The Walk
Performs church services as usual after Rosalie's rejection, though with less confidence; avoids looking at the Murray pew.

Chapter companion notes

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See Mr. Hatfield in vii horton lodge

See Mr. Hatfield in The Ball