# Sarah Gamp — Martin Chuzzlewit character guide

> Sarah Gamp in Martin Chuzzlewit by Charles Dickens.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Mrs. Sarah Gamp, Gamp, Mrs. Gamp, Mr. Gamp, Sarah, Sairey Gamp, Sairey, Sairah, Sairah Gamp

**First appearance:** 0019-xvii

## Snapshot

A gin-soaked night-nurse who attends births and deaths with equal relish, forever quoting her invisible friend Mrs. Harris to clinch an argument or cadge a glass of rum.

## Who they are

Mrs. Gamp moves through the novel's sickrooms and funerals as a paid witness to other people's grief, her shawl, her umbrella, and her bottle never far from hand. She invokes the conveniently absent Mrs. Harris to lend authority to every self-serving claim, and her patter is so richly self-deceiving that it becomes its own kind of comedy. Dickens uses her to expose the callous commerce that surrounds death, and her rambling monologues are among the book's most quoted passages.

## Relationships

### [Seth Pecksniff](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/martin_chuzzlewit_se/characters/seth_pecksniff)

_social_

Sarah Gamp is a drunken, disreputable nurse who occasionally interacts with Pecksniff in his professional capacity.

### [Chuffey](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/martin_chuzzlewit_se/characters/chuffey)

_social_

Chuffey and Sarah Gamp share a grim, incidental acquaintance through their connections to the Chuzzlewit household.

### [Tom Pinch](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/martin_chuzzlewit_se/characters/tom_pinch)

_social_

Sarah Gamp encounters Tom Pinch occasionally, treating him with her characteristic rudeness and drunkenness.

### [Seth Pecksniff](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/martin_chuzzlewit_se/characters/seth_pecksniff)

_social_

Sarah Gamp is a drunken, disreputable nurse who occasionally interacts with Pecksniff in his professional capacity.

### [Chuffey](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/martin_chuzzlewit_se/characters/chuffey)

_social_

Chuffey and Sarah Gamp share a grim, incidental acquaintance through their connections to the Chuzzlewit household.

### [Seth Pecksniff](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/martin_chuzzlewit_se/characters/seth_pecksniff)

_social_

Sarah Gamp is a drunken, disreputable nurse who occasionally interacts with Pecksniff in his professional capacity.

### [Tom Pinch](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/martin_chuzzlewit_se/characters/tom_pinch)

_social_

Sarah Gamp encounters Tom Pinch occasionally, treating him with her characteristic rudeness and drunkenness.

### [Tom Pinch](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/martin_chuzzlewit_se/characters/tom_pinch)

_social_

Sarah Gamp encounters Tom Pinch occasionally, treating him with her characteristic rudeness and drunkenness.

### [Chuffey](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/martin_chuzzlewit_se/characters/chuffey)

_social_

Chuffey and Sarah Gamp share a grim, incidental acquaintance through their connections to the Chuzzlewit household.

## In the story

### [XIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/martin_chuzzlewit_se/chapters/xix)

A monthly nurse and midwife hired for the funeral; fond of drink and food, she partakes in the feasting and converses with Mr. Mould.

### [XXV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/martin_chuzzlewit_se/chapters/xxv)

Visits Mr. Mould's home, discusses marriage and nursing, then goes to the inn to take up night-nursing duties.

### [An Unexpected Meeting, and a Promising Prospect](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/martin_chuzzlewit_se/chapters/xxvi)

Mrs. Gamp is the nurse and housekeeper at Jonas's house, being replaced by the new bride; she is sly, professional, and curious about the marriage.

### [Chapter XXIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/martin_chuzzlewit_se/chapters/xxix)

Prepares to travel with her patient Lewsome; speaks cryptically about the Bull and about hidden hearts.

### [Secret Service](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/martin_chuzzlewit_se/chapters/xxxviii)

Discusses Nadgett's mysterious behavior with Mr. Sweedlepipe.

### [XL](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/martin_chuzzlewit_se/chapters/xl)

Mrs. Gamp is encountered at the wharf, delivering a dramatic monologue about the perils of steamships and a young lady passenger.

### [XLV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/martin_chuzzlewit_se/chapters/xlv)

Identified by John Westlock as the old lady involved in the mysterious letter.

### [XLVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/martin_chuzzlewit_se/chapters/xlvi)

Mrs. Gamp arrives at the house for tea, delivering a characteristic rambling speech about Mrs. Harris and her own opinions.

### [XLIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/martin_chuzzlewit_se/chapters/xlix)

Deeply offended by Betsey Prig's denial of Mrs. Harris, she ends their partnership and becomes more pliable to John and Martin's plans.

### [Chapter LI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/martin_chuzzlewit_se/chapters/li)

Present in the room, affected to tears by Chuffey's words; keeps partly hidden behind the door.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/martin_chuzzlewit_se/characters/sarah_gamp
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/martin_chuzzlewit_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/martin_chuzzlewit_se/characters