# Mrs. Molloy — Short Fiction character guide

> Mrs. Molloy in Short Fiction by J. Sheridan Le Fanu.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** old Mrs. Molloy, Molloy, old Molloy, old Mother Molloy

**First appearance:** 0025-ii-the-fairies-in-the-castle

## Snapshot

A grim, religious old servant whose hatred of her mistress's brutal husband and store of cursed stories haunt the household he cannot quite expel.

## Who they are

Old Molly Doyle attends the unhappy Mrs. Walshawe, a woman shut away in her room after a disastrous marriage to a man who spends her money and breaks her heart. The Captain loathes Molly for her stories and her watchfulness, threatening to throw her out the window, yet she remains in the house, a silent witness to his cruelty. When her mistress dies, Molly's presence and the tales she carries become the instrument through which the story's supernatural justice begins to close in on the man who wronged them both.

## In the story

### [X: How It All Happened](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_31_se/chapters/x-how-it-all-happened)

The Irish maid at the inn, who suspects the visitors might be disguised law enforcement.

### [II: The Blessed Candle](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_31_se/chapters/ii-the-blessed-candle)

Moll Doyle, the old serving-woman who defies the Captain and defends the blessed candle.

### [The White Cat of Drumgunniol](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_31_se/chapters/the-white-cat-of-drumgunniol)

Old Sal Doolan, a woman who leads the group to investigate the corpse with a candle.

### [Madam Crowl's Ghost](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_31_se/chapters/madam-crowl-s-ghost)

Mentioned as Mrs. Wyvern, one of the women attending Dame Crowl during her final illness.

### [Hyacinth O’Toole](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_31_se/chapters/hyacinth-o-toole)

Mother of Miss Molloy; behaves scandalously by leaning into the viceregal box and engaging in a loud altercation.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_31_se/characters/mrs_molloy
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_31_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_31_se/characters