Dombey and Son · Character

Mrs. MacStinger

A landlady of volcanic temper and unshakable respectability, she rules her household with such ferocity that even a sea captain flees rather than face her.

supporting

Also known as Mrs. MacStinger, MacStinger, the dreadful Mrs. MacStinger

First appearance: xvii captain cuttle does a little business for the young people

As a supporting figure in Dombey and Son, Mrs. MacStinger is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Referenced as the person from whom Captain Cuttle is imagined to be secluding himself.

In the storyPreface of 1867Open this moment free

See Mrs. MacStinger in Preface of 1867 Book page

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Mrs. MacStinger presides over her lodgings as a petty tyrant, her respectability a weapon she wields against anyone who threatens her order. Captain Cuttle, who has faced storms at sea, lives in mortal dread of her tongue and her umbrella, and his terror is one of the novel's richest comedies. She matters because she embodies the domestic power that humbles the masculine bluster around her, and because her pursuit of the Captain drives some of the book's most delightful scenes.

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See Mrs. MacStinger in xvii captain cuttle does a little business for the young people

Character Web

17 connections

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

Relationship types

Other

Character groups

Minor and background figures
Central characters and household
Sailor acquaintances

+12 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

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

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

In this scene, Susan Nipper’s bold, unauthorized confrontation with Mr. Dombey represents the story’s emotiona…

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In the story

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

Preface of 1867
Referenced as the person from whom Captain Cuttle is imagined to be secluding himself.
XV: Amazing Artfulness of Captain Cuttle, and a New Pursuit for Walter Gay
Mentioned as attending the Reverend Melchisedech Howler's services on Sundays.
Strange News of Uncle Sol
Captain Cuttle's landlady, from whom he plans to secretly flee.
XXXIX: Further Adventures of Captain Edward Cuttle, Mariner
Confronts Captain Cuttle at the Midshipman, demanding he return home. She is eventually pacified and led away by Captain Bunsby.
LX: Chiefly Matrimonial
Leads the wedding procession, having married Bunsby; wears his watch and appendages.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Mrs. MacStinger unlock in the free preview.

See Mrs. MacStinger in xvii captain cuttle does a little business for the young people

See Mrs. MacStinger in Preface of 1867