Of Human Bondage · Character

Miss Wilkinson

A flirtatious governess with thinning charms and firm intentions, she introduces the adolescent Philip to desire and its disenchantments.

supporting

Also known as Miss Wilkinson

First appearance: xiii

As a supporting figure in Of Human Bondage, Miss Wilkinson is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Plans to visit Blackstable; Philip avoids traveling with her.

In the storyXXXIOpen this moment free

See Miss Wilkinson in XXXI Book page

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Miss Wilkinson arrives at the Blackstable vicarage as a woman of a certain age with a taste for younger men, and she sets her sights on Philip with a determination he mistakes for passion. She is neither beautiful nor kind, and Philip's affair with her teaches him that the overwhelming love he has read about can arrive as vanity, awkwardness, and regret. She is the first woman to show him what desire costs, and she lingers in his memory as a measure of how little he once understood.

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

See Miss Wilkinson in xiii

Character Web

31 connections

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

Relationship types

Other

Character groups

Heidelberg and Blackstable Circle
Minor Characters and Acquaintances

+26 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

This passage marks the dramatic climax because it reveals the full psychological inversion of Philip’s charact…

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Relationships

Philip Carey
romantic · ambivalent
An older woman who seduces the young Philip during his stay in Blackstable, marking his… How this plays out →
Philip Carey
romantic · ambivalent
An older woman who seduces the young Philip during his stay in Blackstable, marking his… How this plays out →
Philip Carey
romantic · ambivalent
An older woman who seduces the young Philip during his stay in Blackstable, marking his… How this plays out →

Relationship notes

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

See Miss Wilkinson in xiii

In the story

Miss Wilkinson appears across 8 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

XXXI
Plans to visit Blackstable; Philip avoids traveling with her.
XXXII
A flirtatious governess who tells Philip about her life in Paris, including a romantic adventure and encounters with famous writers.
XXXIII
Flirts with Philip, teaches him singing, and eventually allows him to kiss her; she is leaving Blackstable soon.
XXXIV
Miss Wilkinson feigns a headache to stay home with Philip, then later resists but ultimately yields to his advances, expressing love and admiration.
XXXV
Shows intense emotional dependence on Philip, crying at his detachment and making a scene before her departure.
XXXVII
Writes passionate, reproachful letters to Philip, threatening suicide and expressing her misery over his coldness.
XLIV
Philip ignores her letters and decides to end their relationship, feeling guilt but moving on.
Chapter CX
Mentioned as having married a widower; Philip asks about her to distract his uncle.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Miss Wilkinson unlock in the free preview.

See Miss Wilkinson in xiii

See Miss Wilkinson in XXXI