# Captain Grimes — Decline and Fall character guide > Captain Grimes in Decline and Fall by Evelyn Waugh. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Grimes, Poor old Grimes **First appearance:** 0003-part-i-iii-captain-grimes ## Snapshot A disgraced schoolmaster with a talent for surviving drownings, firings, and scandals, who treats his own catastrophes as proof of an invincible life force. ## Who they are Grimes teaches at Llanabba alongside Paul, forever on the verge of being sacked and forever bouncing back, a man whose past includes Flanders, Wales, and a string of women he has somehow married or escaped. His charm is inseparable from his shamelessness: he borrows, boasts, and philanders with such good humor that even his ruinous example seems enviable. When he vanishes into Egdon Mire and is declared dead, Paul's quiet realization that Grimes is one of the immortals — a force that will rise again somewhere — gives the novel its most memorable image of resilience without virtue. ## Relationships ### [Paul Pennyfeather](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/characters/paul_pennyfeather) _friendship_ Grimes is a boisterous, amoral companion who repeatedly drags Paul into chaotic schemes with a mix of camaraderie and exploitation. ### [Philbrick](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/characters/philbrick) _professional_ Grimes and Philbrick interact as fellow staff at Llanabba, sharing a mutual disdain and engaging in petty deceptions. ### [Margot Beste-Chetwynde](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/characters/margot_beste_chetwynde) _social_ Grimes is a peripheral acquaintance of Margot, mostly through his connection to Paul and her social circle. ### [Mr. Prendergast](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/characters/mr_prendergast) _professional_ Grimes and Prendergast are colleagues at Llanabba, with Grimes mocking Prendergast's nervous piety and incompetence. ### [Dr. Fagan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/characters/dr_fagan) _professional_ Grimes works as a master under Dr. Fagan, who tolerates his drunkenness and lies out of convenience. ### [Mr. Prendergast](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/characters/mr_prendergast) _professional_ Grimes and Prendergast are colleagues at Llanabba, with Grimes mocking Prendergast's nervous piety and incompetence. ### [Margot Beste-Chetwynde](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/characters/margot_beste_chetwynde) _social_ Grimes is a peripheral acquaintance of Margot, mostly through his connection to Paul and her social circle. ### [Paul Pennyfeather](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/characters/paul_pennyfeather) _friendship_ Grimes is a boisterous, amoral companion who repeatedly drags Paul into chaotic schemes with a mix of camaraderie and exploitation. ### [Paul Pennyfeather](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/characters/paul_pennyfeather) _friendship_ Grimes is a boisterous, amoral companion who repeatedly drags Paul into chaotic schemes with a mix of camaraderie and exploitation. ### [Philbrick](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/characters/philbrick) _professional_ Grimes and Philbrick interact as fellow staff at Llanabba, sharing a mutual disdain and engaging in petty deceptions. ### [Margot Beste-Chetwynde](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/characters/margot_beste_chetwynde) _social_ Grimes is a peripheral acquaintance of Margot, mostly through his connection to Paul and her social circle. ### [Philbrick](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/characters/philbrick) _professional_ Grimes and Philbrick interact as fellow staff at Llanabba, sharing a mutual disdain and engaging in petty deceptions. ## In the story ### [I: Vocation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/chapters/part-i-i-vocation) Mentioned by Dr. Fagan as a staff member he may need to dismiss due to lack of 'tone'. ### [II: Llanabba Castle](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/chapters/part-i-ii-llanabba-castle) A short man with an artificial leg, he demonstrates a lack of discipline and a confrontational attitude toward the boys. ### [III: Captain Grimes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/chapters/part-i-iii-captain-grimes) Reveals his engagement to Flossie Fagan and recounts his history of getting into trouble and being saved by the public-school system. ### [Discipline](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/chapters/part-i-v-discipline) Shows up late to prayers, smells of drink, and gives Paul a walking stick for discipline. ### [Conduct](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/chapters/part-i-vi-conduct) Encourages Paul to accept the money, sends a wire to Potts to expedite the payment, and proposes a binge at the Metropole. ### [VII: Philbrick](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/chapters/part-i-vii-philbrick) Returns from shopping and fabricates the sports day results to be sent to the printers. ### [VIII: The Sports](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/chapters/part-i-viii-the-sports) Wears a stiff evening collar and acts as referee for the race, declaring Clutterbuck the winner. ### [IX: The Sports—Continued](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/chapters/part-i-ix-the-sports-continued) Circulates among the guests, commenting on the afternoon's poor atmosphere and making flippant remarks about Mr. Prendergast and the racial tensions. ### [X: Post Mortem](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/chapters/part-i-x-post-mortem) Tries to cheer Paul up and teases him about being in love with Margot. ### [XI: Philbrick—Continued](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/chapters/part-i-xi-philbrick-continued) Grimes recounts Philbrick's story about being a novelist haunted by his sister Gracie's ghost, and expresses skepticism about Philbrick's various identities. ### [XII: The Agony of Captain Grimes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/chapters/part-i-xii-the-agony-of-captain-grimes) Reveals he is already married; announces engagement to Flossie; despondent about the marriage; attends the dinner at the Hotel Metropole. ### [XIII: The Passing of a Public School Man](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/chapters/part-i-xiii-the-passing-of-a-public-school-man) Marries Flossie, then becomes increasingly depressed under Dr. Fagan's treatment; disappears and is presumed dead. ### [II: Interlude in Belgravia](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/chapters/part-ii-ii-interlude-in-belgravia) Paul tells Potts about Grimes's death. ### [Resurrection](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/chapters/part-ii-iv-resurrection) Returns disguised with a red beard, having faked his death, and secures a job through Margot's syndicate. ### [IV: Nor Iron Bars a Cage](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/chapters/part-iii-iv-nor-iron-bars-a-cage) Also imprisoned at Egdon Heath; reveals he was arrested for bigamy after Flossie Fagan turned up; discusses his future after prison. ### [V: The Passing of a Public School Man](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/chapters/part-iii-v-the-passing-of-a-public-school-man) Grimes expresses his inability to endure prison life, escapes during a fog by stealing a horse, and is presumed dead after his hat is found on Egdon Mire. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/characters/captain_grimes - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/decline_and_fall_se/characters