# Old Verena Marsh — Summer character guide

> Old Verena Marsh in Summer by Edith Wharton.

**Role:** minor

**Also known as:** Verena Marsh, Verena, old Verena

**First appearance:** 0002-iii

## Who they are

An elderly woman from the mountain who knows Charity's origins.

## Relationships

### [Charity Royall](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/summer_se/characters/charity_royall)

_family_

Old Verena is Charity's grandmother, a symbol of the squalid mountain life Charity was rescued from.

### [Lawyer Royall](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/summer_se/characters/lawyer_royall)

_social_

Lawyer Royall has a strained, transactional relationship with Old Verena, connected through Charity's origins.

### [Lucius Harney](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/summer_se/characters/lucius_harney)

_social_

Lucius visits Old Verena out of anthropological curiosity, treating her as a specimen of rural decay.

### [Lucius Harney](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/summer_se/characters/lucius_harney)

_social_

Lucius visits Old Verena out of anthropological curiosity, treating her as a specimen of rural decay.

## In the story

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

Hired by Mr. Royall as a deaf cook; her presence at meals excuses silence between Charity and Mr. Royall.

### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/summer_se/chapters/viii)

Mentioned as deaf and unable to provide news; sets the table for meals.

### [Chapter XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/summer_se/chapters/xv)

Tells Charity that Mr. Royall has gone to Worcester and Portland.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/summer_se/characters/old_verena_marsh
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/summer_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/summer_se/characters