Little Dorrit · Character

Henry Gowan

A charming, sardonic artist who marries Pet Meagles, then coolly decides that knowing her family is no longer agreeable to him.

supporting

Also known as Gowan, Mr. Henry Gowan

First appearance: Fellow Travellers

As a supporting figure in Little Dorrit, Henry Gowan is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

An artist with a cynical charm, courting Pet; his manner is easy but his character is questionable.

In the storyNobody's RivalOpen this moment free

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Gowan is a well-connected but idle painter whose wit and good looks win Pet Meagles despite his family's contempt for trade. Once married, he treats the Meagleses with polite dismissal, arranging to be 'best fellows but best apart,' and accepts their money while disdaining its source. His casual cruelty and self-regard make him a study in genteel selfishness, and his marriage becomes a quiet tragedy at the edge of the novel's social panorama.

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See Henry Gowan in Fellow Travellers

Character Web

21 connections

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Relationship types

Other

Character groups

Inventors, Artists, and Shadows
Protagonist
Circumlocution Office and Society

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Rising action.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This excerpt represents the story's dramatic climax because it depicts Arthur Clennam’s psychological nadir an…

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In the story

Henry Gowan appears across 14 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Nobody's Rival
An artist with a cynical charm, courting Pet; his manner is easy but his character is questionable.
Nobody's State of Mind
Visits Clennam and speaks lightly of Doyce and the world; arranges a visit to his mother at Hampton Court.
A Shoal of Barnacles
The groom, who ostentatiously displays his poverty and resentment toward his family at the wedding.
Fellow Travellers
Listed in the travellers' book as Mr. Henry Gowan, traveling with his wife.
On the Road
Observed standing aloof with a cigar and pencil during the family's departure from the convent.
A Letter from Little Dorrit
Mr. Gowan is mentioned as fond of his wife but lacking earnestness, causing Little Dorrit concern.
Something Right Somewhere
Gowan treats his wife like a beautiful child and shows a lack of earnestness; Little Dorrit questions whether he has any depth of feeling.
Mostly, Prunes and Prism
Negotiates with Mr. Dorrit to paint his portrait in Rome, presenting himself as a gentleman artist; his marriage to Pet is discussed as a source of family tension.
A Letter from Little Dorrit
Little Dorrit observes his careless and discontented manner, noting that he applies himself little to his profession and treats his wife in a way that may not suit her.
Taking Advice
Gowan mocks Sparkler's appointment publicly, drawing him out in company, but is stung by Fanny's sharp retorts.
Missing
Mr. Dorrit mentions Henry Gowan as an acquaintance of Blandois in Italy.
Introduces the Next
Mentioned by Miss Wade as a 'dear friend' of Clennam and the object of her hatred.
The History of a Self-Tormentor
Appears at the end of the chapter as the first person who understood Miss Wade's situation.
Going!
Decides to distance himself from the Meagleses, allowing Mr. Meagles to support Pet and her child more liberally.

Chapter companion notes

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See Henry Gowan in Fellow Travellers

See Henry Gowan in Nobody's Rival