Character guide

Amaryllis Iden

major

Also known as Amaryllis, old Iden, the real Iden, chivey Iden, Amaryllis of the younger, Already Amaryllis, Reckless Amaryllis, Rebellious Amaryllis, the revolutionary Amaryllis

Amaryllis is the daughter of an embarrassed household, sent in her shabbiest hat to dine at her grandfather's and be shown off before the young heir Raleigh Pamment. She refuses to perform: she will not lift her eyes, will not admire the old Masters, will not be a 'piece' for young gentlemen to appraise. Her stubborn honesty turns a family errand into a small rebellion, and the delight her parents take in her disgrace reveals how much the Idens' fortunes depend on her compliance.

Mr. Iden

major

Also known as Iden, Mr. and Mrs. Iden, old Iden, Guilty Mrs. Iden, this Mrs. Iden

Iden works his land, draws his quart of ale in the bow window, and trades barbs with his London-born wife about whose family drank away more. He is caught between a father whose money he needs and a pride he will not quite surrender, and he takes a sly, guilty pleasure in Amaryllis's defiance of the old man. His quiet resentments and his dependence on Grandfather Iden's purse set the household's whole economy of flattery and spite in motion.

Mrs. Iden

supporting

Also known as Iden, Mr. and Mrs. Iden, old Iden, Guilty Mrs. Iden, this Mrs. Iden

Mrs. Iden is the household's weather: one day she lets Amaryllis do as she pleases, the next she demands minute obedience and a changed dress. She despises Grandfather Iden's worship of the Pamments and yet is the first to remind her daughter that they have not a farthing and must be civil to him. Her contradictions — scolding, coaxing, shrieking about quart pots and lardy-cakes — make the Iden home a place where affection and calculation are hopelessly tangled.

Grandfather Iden

supporting

Also known as old Iden, Grandfather, XII Old Grandfather Iden, Iden junior, Old Iden, Grandfather Iden's

Grandfather Iden leads the way through Raleigh Pamment's galleries, great grey hat in hand, pointing out old Masters to a girl who will not look. His dim eyes rest on the pair together and think of intermarriage between Pamments and Idens; his worship of the aristocrat is so complete that feeling, heart, and hope are long dead words in him. His money keeps the younger Idens attentive and his favour keeps them cruel, and his rage at Amaryllis's 'smoky' verdict sets the family's central conflict alight.

Old Flamma

supporting

Also known as Alere Flamma, Alere, Flamma, the Alere Flamma, foolish Alere

Old Flamma was once in business with the Idens and hates Grandfather Iden for his veneration of the aristocratic, medieval Pamments. His family — 'revolutionary Flamma' — celebrates Amaryllis's small rebellion as a triumph, and their glee gives the girl a rare morning of being petted by both parents at once. Flamma's grudge against the Pamments sharpens the novel's portrait of a countryside divided between grovelling and resentment.

Amadis Iden

supporting

Also known as Amadis the invalid, Iden, Amadis

Amadis is poor, debilitated, and talking of seeing the doctor again about his fearful debility, yet he sits with Amaryllis on the brown oak timber in the long grass and is happier than he has been in months. He knows he cannot offer her the life she deserves — a Launcelot du Lake with the income of Sir Gorgius Midas — and the narrator grieves over the mismatch. Their summer idyll becomes the book's tenderest interlude, a pause in the play of human life before care and poverty resume.

Raleigh Pamment

supporting

Also known as the Hon. Raleigh Pamment, young Raleigh Pamment, Raleigh junior, Raleigh

Raleigh Pamment is the wealthy young gentleman whose family estate, with its galleries and old masters, makes him a glittering prospect in Grandfather Iden's eyes. He is affable and unperceiving: he shakes the old man's hands till tears come, calls Amaryllis fond of pictures, and leads her through corridors while her face burns with stifled pride. His courtship matters because it forces Amaryllis to choose between the world's approval and her own unspoken will.

John Duck

supporting

Also known as big John Duck, Duck, John

Big John Duck is the neighbouring farmer who enters the Iden house without ceremony, ale in hand, and offers Mrs. Iden a seat in his dog-trap for the fair. He is a mountain of slowness and stolidity, yet not the fool his clumsiness suggests, and his visits give Mrs. Iden the small, innocent spice of Another Man's attention. He anchors the novel's rural world, where courtship, ale, and a grubbed hedge carry equal weight.

Nobbs

minor

A servant or laborer on the Iden estate, occasionally mentioned.

Jearje

minor

Also known as Rough-headed Jearje

A rough farmhand or local character in the village.

Bill Nye

minor

Also known as Bill, Round-headed Bill Nye

A local laborer with a distinctive round head, often in the fields.

Ned Marks

minor

A young man from the village, possibly a friend or acquaintance.

The Master

minor

A title used for the head of the household, likely Mr. Iden.

Jack Duck

minor

Also known as Johnny, Jack, clumsy Jack Duck

John Duck's son, a clumsy but good-natured young man.

Alexander

minor

Also known as Freddie, Fred, Al Hariri

A visitor or relative, possibly a suitor or friend of the family.

Tiras Wise

minor

Also known as Tiras

A local character, possibly a laborer or farmer.

Pa

minor

A familiar term for Mr. Iden used by his children.

Iden Pacha

minor

Also known as This miserable old Iden Pacha, the Pacha, Iden, old Iden

A mocking nickname for Mr. Iden, suggesting autocratic behavior.

Luce

minor

Also known as stolid Luce

A servant in the Iden household, known for her stolid demeanor.

Miss Iden

minor

Also known as Iden

Probably a reference to Amaryllis or another female Iden relative.

Granfer Iden

minor

Also known as old Granfer Iden, Iden

Another name for Grandfather Iden, used affectionately.

Measter Duck

minor

A dialectal title for John Duck, used by locals.

The Doctor

minor

The local physician who attends to the Iden family.

Mr. Cobb

minor

Also known as Cobb

A neighbor or tradesman in the village.

Mr. George Saintsbury

minor

Also known as Mr. Saintsbury, George

A literary figure or acquaintance mentioned in passing.

Proud Iden

minor

Also known as Iden

A nickname for a particularly prideful member of the Iden family.

Old Duck

minor

An elder member of the Duck family, possibly John Duck's father.

Adam

minor

A biblical reference or a minor character in the narrative.

Father Iden

minor

Also known as Iden

Another title for Mr. Iden, emphasizing his role as father.

Joseph Speechify

minor

Also known as Joseph, the Rev. Joseph Speechify, Joe

A local clergyman who appears in the story.