Hay Fever · Character

Judith Bliss

Retired actress and Bliss matriarch who treats her family like a captive audience, forever casting herself in some new role to impress a fresh victim.

major

Also known as Judith, Judith Myra Arundel, Myra Arundel, Judith David, Judith Tyrell, Judith Airily, Judith Nonsense, Judith Sharply

First appearance: hay fever

As a major figure in Hay Fever, Judith Bliss is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

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Judith runs the household as a stage, learning flower names by heart and tapping the barometer when a plan is brewing. Her children distrust her 'Squire's lady' moods, and her husband is too buried in his novel to notice. She is the engine of the weekend's chaos: every guest is potential audience, every game a chance to perform, and her need for drama will collide with everyone else's private schemes.

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The fuller portrait of Judith Bliss sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

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Character Web

12 connections

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

Relationship types

Family
Rivalry
Social
Other

Character groups

Main House Party Guests
Protagonist
Minor Offstage Characters

+7 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book.

Setup
Breaking point

This is the dramatic climax because it marks the emotional and psychological breaking point for Jackie, who op…

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Relationships

Sorel Bliss
family · ambivalent
Mother and daughter with a theatrical, competitive, and emotionally volatile bond. How this plays out →
Simon Bliss
family · ambivalent
Sandy Tyrell
romantic · ambivalent
Jackie Coryton
rivalry · negative
Myra Arundel
rivalry · negative
David Bliss
family · positive
Pam
social · ambivalent
Pam
social · ambivalent
Sorel Bliss
family · ambivalent
Mother and daughter with a theatrical, competitive, and emotionally volatile bond. How this plays out →
Jackie Coryton
rivalry · negative

Sorel Bliss
Mother and daughter with a theatrical, competitive, and emotionally volatile bond.
Simon Bliss
Mother and son with a flirtatious, dramatic dynamic where Judith treats Simon as an admirer.
Sandy Tyrell
Judith flirts with and manipulates Sandy, treating him as a romantic conquest for her own amusement.
Jackie Coryton
Jackie is a rival for Simon's attention, and Judith sees her as a threat to her own theatrical dominance.
Myra Arundel
Judith sees Myra as a romantic rival for Sandy and a social threat, leading to sharp exchanges.
David Bliss
Husband and wife with a long-standing, affectionate but chaotic marriage built on mutual theatricality.
Pam
Judith treats Pam as a minor player in her social drama, mostly ignoring her except when useful.
Pam
Judith treats Pam as a minor player in her social drama, mostly ignoring her except when useful.
Sorel Bliss
Mother and daughter with a theatrical, competitive, and emotionally volatile bond.
Jackie Coryton
Jackie is a rival for Simon's attention, and Judith sees her as a threat to her own theatrical dominance.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

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