# Miles Coverdale — The Blithedale Romance character guide > Miles Coverdale in The Blithedale Romance by Nathaniel Hawthorne. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Mr. Coverdale, Coverdale, Mr. Miles Coverdale, Miles **First appearance:** 0002-i-old-moodie ## Snapshot A bachelor poet who joins Blithedale half as believer and half as spectator, narrating the experiment with wit, evasion, and a poet's itch for other people's secrets. ## Who they are Coverdale leaves his apartments for the farm after consulting a Veiled Lady about the enterprise, and arrives as the community's resident observer and versifier. He is drawn into the lives of Hollingsworth, Zenobia, and Priscilla until they absorb his own, yet he keeps a stubborn reluctance to be fully known or fully committed. His divided stance, sympathetic and withholding at once, shapes how the reader sees every other character. ## Relationships ### [Zenobia](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/characters/zenobia) _psychological_ Coverdale is obsessively fascinated by Zenobia, observing her as a detached voyeur rather than a genuine friend or lover. ### [Old Moodie](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/characters/old_moodie) _social_ Coverdale encounters Old Moodie as a mysterious figure whose fragmented stories reveal the backstory of the other characters. ### [Priscilla](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/characters/priscilla) _friendship_ Coverdale feels a protective, brotherly affection for Priscilla, though his interest is tinged with curiosity and detachment. ### [Zenobia](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/characters/zenobia) _psychological_ Coverdale is obsessively fascinated by Zenobia, observing her as a detached voyeur rather than a genuine friend or lover. ### [Old Moodie](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/characters/old_moodie) _social_ Coverdale encounters Old Moodie as a mysterious figure whose fragmented stories reveal the backstory of the other characters. ## In the story ### [The Blithedale Romance](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/chapters/the-blithedale-romance) Narrator and protagonist, arrives at Blithedale with idealistic hopes. ### [Old Moodie](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/chapters/i-old-moodie) Narrator and protagonist; returning from the Veiled Lady exhibition, preparing to leave for Blithedale. ### [Blithedale](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/chapters/ii-blithedale) Narrator and protagonist; leaves his cozy city rooms to join the Blithedale experiment, reflecting on heroism and the value of daydreams. ### [A Knot of Dreamers](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/chapters/iii-a-knot-of-dreamers) The narrator and poet, he is flattered by Zenobia's praise and observes her closely; he reflects on the group's estrangement from society and the illusory nature of their enterprise. ### [IV: The Supper-Table](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/chapters/iv-the-supper-table) Narrates the scene, observes Priscilla's arrival with curiosity and some irony, and reflects on Hollingsworth's influence. ### [Until Bedtime](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/chapters/v-until-bedtime) Coverdale observes the interactions, suggests 'Utopia' as a name, and falls ill with a cold, experiencing feverish dreams that foreshadow future events. ### [VI: Coverdale’s Sick-Chamber](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/chapters/vi-coverdale-s-sick-chamber) The narrator, lying sick in bed, regrets joining the Blithedale community and longs for his former comfortable life in town. ### [The Convalescent](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/chapters/vii-the-convalescent) The convalescent narrator, observing Priscilla and Hollingsworth from his sickbed. ### [A Modern Arcadia](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/chapters/viii-a-modern-arcadia) Narrator who descends from his sickroom on May Day, observes Zenobia and Priscilla, and reflects on the community. ### [IX: Hollingsworth, Zenobia, Priscilla](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/chapters/ix-hollingsworth-zenobia-priscilla) Narrator who analyzes the trio and feels isolated despite his love for Hollingsworth. ### [A Visitor from Town](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/chapters/x-a-visitor-from-town) Narrator who observes Old Moodie's visit and reflects on his character. ### [XI: The Wood-Path](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/chapters/xi-the-wood-path) Takes a solitary walk to renew his individuality; encounters and converses with Professor Westervelt; reflects on his role as a detached observer. ### [XII: Coverdale's Hermitage](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/chapters/xii-coverdale-s-hermitage) Narrator who retreats to his hermitage and observes others from above. ### [XIII: Zenobia's Legend](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/chapters/xiii-zenobia-s-legend) Coverdale narrates the chapter, describing the evening's entertainments and Zenobia's legend, and is called upon to fetch water for Priscilla. ### [Eliot's Pulpit](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/chapters/xiv-eliot-s-pulpit) Narrator who observes and comments on the interactions, feeling excluded and bitter. ### [XV: A Crisis](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/chapters/xv-a-crisis) Narrator who resists Hollingsworth's demand for total commitment, questioning the morality of his secretive methods. ### [XVI: Leave-Takings](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/chapters/xvi-leave-takings) Decides to leave Blithedale temporarily, feeling discontent and a need for change; reflects on his relationships and the community's altered mood. ### [The Hotel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/chapters/xvii-the-hotel) The narrator and protagonist, who has returned to the city and is staying in a hotel, reflecting on his time at Blithedale and observing the urban scene from his window. ### [XVIII: The Boardinghouse](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/chapters/xviii-the-boardinghouse) Narrator observing from his boardinghouse window, tormented by dreams and a sense of unresolved duty toward his friends. ### [XIX: Zenobia’s Drawing-Room](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/chapters/xix-zenobia-s-drawing-room) Narrator and observer; reflects on his own perceptive nature and feels insulted by Zenobia's scorn; visits Zenobia's drawing-room to confront her. ### [XX: They Vanish](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/chapters/xx-they-vanish) Narrator who visits Zenobia and Priscilla, attempts to intervene, and is rebuked by Zenobia. ### [An Old Acquaintance](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/chapters/xxi-an-old-acquaintance) Narrator who seeks out Old Moodie to uncover hidden truths. ### [A Village Hall](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/chapters/xxiii-a-village-hall) Narrator; reflects on his painful separation from Blithedale and his three friends, then attends the Veiled Lady exhibition. ### [The Masqueraders](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/chapters/xxiv-the-masqueraders) Returns to Blithedale after two nights away, walking from town and observing the community from the woods. ### [The Three Together](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/chapters/xxv-the-three-together) Arrives at Eliot's Pulpit and witnesses the climax of the conflict between Zenobia and Hollingsworth. He feels like an intruder on a battlefield. ### [XXVI: Zenobia and Coverdale](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/chapters/xxvi-zenobia-and-coverdale) Witnesses Zenobia's anguish, feels a deep sympathetic connection, and is asked to be a messenger to Hollingsworth. ### [XXVII: Midnight](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/chapters/xxvii-midnight) Narrator who discovers Zenobia's handkerchief and leads the search for her body. ### [Blithedale Pasture](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/chapters/xxviii-blithedale-pasture) Narrates the burial and later visits Hollingsworth; reflects on the moral dangers of philanthropy. ### [Miles Coverdale's Confession](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/chapters/xxix-miles-coverdale-s-confession) Narrator and protagonist, now middle-aged, reflecting on his empty life and confessing his love for Priscilla. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/characters/miles_coverdale - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blithedale_romance_se/characters