# Sir Edwin — Short Fiction character guide

> Sir Edwin in Short Fiction by E. M. Forster.

**Role:** supporting

**First appearance:** 0001-i

## Snapshot

An elderly, courtly gentleman whose serene dignity and conciliatory manner conceal a lifetime of modified ideals and quiet compromises with the world.

## Who they are

Sir Edwin has weathered the death of his wife and the flight of his son, and in old age he has merged his personal voice into the great voice of tradition. His enemies claim to see through him, but no impartial observer agrees; his purity of record springs from purity within, and his conciliatory manner from a conciliated soul. He stands as a figure of dignified compromise, the kind of man whose long life of adjusted ideals the story holds up for quiet examination.

## Relationships

### [Harold](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_13_se/characters/harold)

_family_

Harold and Sir Edwin are likely father and son or close relatives, given their frequent interactions and shared surname context.

### [Mildred Peaslake](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_13_se/characters/mildred_peaslake)

_family_

Mildred Peaslake and Sir Edwin are likely in-laws or close family members, given their connection to Harold.

### [Harold](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_13_se/characters/harold)

_family_

Harold and Sir Edwin are likely father and son or close relatives, given their frequent interactions and shared surname context.

### [Mildred Peaslake](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_13_se/characters/mildred_peaslake)

_family_

Mildred Peaslake and Sir Edwin are likely in-laws or close family members, given their connection to Harold.

### [Harold](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_13_se/characters/harold)

_family_

Harold and Sir Edwin are likely father and son or close relatives, given their frequent interactions and shared surname context.

### [Mildred Peaslake](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_13_se/characters/mildred_peaslake)

_family_

Mildred Peaslake and Sir Edwin are likely in-laws or close family members, given their connection to Harold.

## In the story

### [Albergo Empedocle](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_13_se/chapters/albergo-empedocle)

Mentioned as part of the traveling party, apparently unaffected by the fatigue.

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_13_se/chapters/i)

Keeps the diary and expresses concern over Harold's sleep trick.

### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_13_se/chapters/ii)

Irritated by Harold's behavior, fails to understand him, and senses a mystery in Harold that he finds troubling.

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_13_se/chapters/iii)

Sir Edwin rebukes Mildred for her imagination, blames Harold's condition on sunstroke, and takes charge of the situation.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_13_se/characters/sir_edwin
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_13_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_13_se/characters