# Captain Mirvan — Evelina character guide > Captain Mirvan in Evelina by Fanny Burney. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** the Captain, Captain, Mirvan, Captain Mirvan **First appearance:** 0004-letter-i-lady-howard-to-the-rev-mr-villars ## Who they are A bluff, mocking sea captain who turns every drawing-room encounter into a skirmish and reserves his cruelest sport for Madame Duval. ## Relationships ### [Madame Duval](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/characters/madame_duval) _rivalry_ Captain Mirvan delights in tormenting and humiliating Madame Duval through crude pranks and verbal abuse. ### [Sir Clement Willoughby](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/characters/sir_clement_willoughby) _rivalry_ Captain Mirvan and Sir Clement Willoughby are antagonistic rivals, with Mirvan's coarse aggression clashing against Willoughby's polished deceit. ### [Mr. Lovel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/characters/mr_lovel) _rivalry_ Captain Mirvan mercilessly mocks and bullies the effete Mr. Lovel, treating him as a target for his crude humor. ### [Lord Orville](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/characters/lord_orville) _social_ Captain Mirvan and Lord Orville are polite acquaintances, with Mirvan's roughness tempered by Orville's civility. ### [Lady Howard](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/characters/lady_howard) _family_ Captain Mirvan is Lady Howard's son-in-law, and their relationship is marked by his boorishness and her patient exasperation. ### [Madame Duval](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/characters/madame_duval) _rivalry_ Captain Mirvan delights in tormenting and humiliating Madame Duval through crude pranks and verbal abuse. ### [Sir Clement Willoughby](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/characters/sir_clement_willoughby) _rivalry_ Captain Mirvan and Sir Clement Willoughby are antagonistic rivals, with Mirvan's coarse aggression clashing against Willoughby's polished deceit. ### [Mr. Lovel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/characters/mr_lovel) _rivalry_ Captain Mirvan mercilessly mocks and bullies the effete Mr. Lovel, treating him as a target for his crude humor. ### [Sir Clement Willoughby](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/characters/sir_clement_willoughby) _rivalry_ Captain Mirvan and Sir Clement Willoughby are antagonistic rivals, with Mirvan's coarse aggression clashing against Willoughby's polished deceit. ### [Lord Orville](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/characters/lord_orville) _social_ Captain Mirvan and Lord Orville are polite acquaintances, with Mirvan's roughness tempered by Orville's civility. ### [Madame Duval](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/characters/madame_duval) _rivalry_ Captain Mirvan delights in tormenting and humiliating Madame Duval through crude pranks and verbal abuse. ### [Lady Howard](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/characters/lady_howard) _family_ Captain Mirvan is Lady Howard's son-in-law, and their relationship is marked by his boorishness and her patient exasperation. ## In the story ### [Letter VIII: Evelina to the Rev. Mr. Villars](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/chapters/letter-viii-evelina-to-the-rev-mr-villars) Expected to arrive in a day or two; his study is being prepared. ### [Letter XII: Evelina in Continuation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/chapters/letter-xii-evelina-in-continuation) Captain Mirvan arrives and immediately shocks Evelina with his rude and vulgar behavior, including jesting about his daughter's appearance. ### [Letter XIII: Evelina in Continuation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/chapters/letter-xiii-evelina-in-continuation) Mentioned as gross and likely to have added to Evelina's confusion if present; plans to take the group to the fantoccini. ### [Letter XIV: Evelina in Continuation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/chapters/letter-xiv-evelina-in-continuation) Hostile toward Madame Duval due to her foreignness; reluctantly allows her into the coach and later becomes Evelina's abrupt defender out of pique. ### [Letter XVI: Evelina to the Rev. Mr. Villars](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/chapters/letter-xvi-evelina-to-the-rev-mr-villars) Openly hostile to the French; sarcastic and quarrelsome; eventually leaves Madame Duval stranded in the rain. ### [Letter XVII: Evelina in Continuation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/chapters/letter-xvii-evelina-in-continuation) Captain Mirvan invited Sir Clement Willoughby to dinner, and is mentioned as having offended Madame Duval with his 'barbarous brutality.' ### [Letter XVIII: Evelina in Continuation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/chapters/letter-xviii-evelina-in-continuation) Agrees to the invitation, sarcastically mentioning Madame Duval's Lyons negligee. ### [Letter XIX: Evelina in Continuation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/chapters/letter-xix-evelina-in-continuation) Provokes Madame Duval with teasing and mockery; mimics her at the museum and plays a prank with smelling salts. ### [Letter XX: Evelina in Continuation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/chapters/letter-xx-evelina-in-continuation) Captain Mirvan engages in a sarcastic exchange with Mr. Lovel about the play and about the cost of attending the theatre. ### [Letter XXII: Evelina in Continuation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/chapters/letter-xxii-evelina-in-continuation) Captain Mirvan provokes Madame Duval with rude speeches, worsening the dispute about Evelina's departure from London. ### [Letter XXIII: Evelina in Continuation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/chapters/letter-xxiii-evelina-in-continuation) Part of the party at the Pantheon, criticizes the entertainment, and invites Sir Clement to Howard Grove, causing Evelina distress. ### [Letter XXIV: Mr. Villars to Evelina](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/chapters/letter-xxiv-mr-villars-to-evelina) Mr. Villars mentions that he shares Captain Mirvan's low opinion of London's manners and diversions. ### [Letter XXV: Evelina to the Rev. Mr. Villars](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/chapters/letter-xxv-evelina-to-the-rev-mr-villars) Instigates a quarrel with Madame Duval and physically removes Monsieur Du Bois from the coach. ### [Letter XXVI: Evelina to the Rev. Mr. Villars](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/chapters/letter-xxvi-evelina-to-the-rev-mr-villars) Peremptorily opposes the plan, merely because it was proposed by Madame Duval; battles the point with her violently. ### [Letter XXX: Evelina to the Rev. Mr. Villars](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/chapters/letter-xxx-evelina-to-the-rev-mr-villars) Quarrels with Madame Duval whenever the subject of the letter is discussed. ### [Letter XXXII: Evelina to the Rev. Mr. Villars](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/chapters/letter-xxxii-evelina-to-the-rev-mr-villars) Welcomes Sir Clement boisterously and plots a scheme against Madame Duval. ### [Letter XXXIII: Evelina in Continuation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/chapters/letter-xxxiii-evelina-in-continuation) Captain Mirvan orchestrates the cruel prank against Madame Duval, taking pleasure in her distress. He stages the mock rescue and later laughs at her predicament. ### [Letter XXXIV: Evelina in Continuation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/chapters/letter-xxxiv-evelina-in-continuation) Captain Mirvan is determined to continue tormenting Madame Duval, rebuffs Evelina's plea, and is chagrined when Sir Clement leaves, disrupting his plans. ### [Letter XXXVI: Evelina to the Rev. Mr. Villars](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/chapters/letter-xxxvi-evelina-to-the-rev-mr-villars) Sneers and railleries at Madame Duval, increasing her anger. ### [Letter XL: Evelina to the Rev. Mr. Villars](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/chapters/letter-xl-evelina-to-the-rev-mr-villars) Mentioned as the perpetrator of the trick on Madame Duval; his actions are the subject of her legal complaint. ### [Letter LXXXII: Evelina in Continuation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/chapters/letter-lxxxii-evelina-in-continuation) Arrives unexpectedly, teases Evelina about Madame Duval, and torments Mr. Lovel with crude remarks. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/characters/captain_mirvan - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/evelina_se/characters