# The Major — Short Fiction character guide

> The Major in Short Fiction by Anthony Trollope.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** the Major, him—would, The Major, him—and

**First appearance:** 0096-ii-major-rossiter

## Snapshot

A military man whose presence unsettles the quiet currents of Alice Dugdale's world, the Major carries the weight of past choices into present affections.

## Who they are

The Major moves through the social circles of the Alice Dugdale story with the ease of a man accustomed to command, yet his arrival stirs complications that no rank can settle. He is connected to the web of family expectations and romantic possibilities that surround Alice, and his intentions—whether honorable or self-serving—remain a matter of anxious speculation among those who watch him. His presence forces the characters around him to reckon with questions of duty, suitability, and the difference between a soldier's confidence and a suitor's sincerity.

## In the story

### [The Two Generals](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_4_se/chapters/the-two-generals)

Father of Tom and Frank, torn between pride in his sons and grief over the divided family.

### [Mrs. Brumby](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_4_se/chapters/mrs-brumby)

The narrator-editor who recounts his miserable experiences with Mrs. Brumby, describing her as the most hateful and feared person he encountered.

### [Sir Walter Up in London](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_4_se/chapters/viii-sir-walter-up-in-london)

Major Rossiter is deeply in love with Alice Dugdale and rejects Sir Walter's confrontation about Georgiana.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_4_se/characters/the_major
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_4_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_4_se/characters