# The Master — The Charwoman’s Shadow character guide > The Master in The Charwoman’s Shadow by Lord Dunsany. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Master, the master, The master, Master of the Art, the Master of the Art **First appearance:** 0000-i-the-lord-of-the-tower-finds-a-career-for-his-son ## Who they are The venerable magician of the House in the Wood, who buys a girl from her parents with a flute-note and a handful of uncounted gold, and keeps what he takes. ## Relationships ### [Ramon Alonzo](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/characters/ramon_alonzo) _professional_ Ramon serves as an apprentice to the Master, learning magic under his tutelage. ### [Father Joseph](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/characters/father_joseph) _friendship_ Father Joseph and the Master are old friends and occasional collaborators in magical matters. ### [The Charwoman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/characters/the_charwoman) _psychological_ The Charwoman manipulates and deceives the Master, using her shadow magic against him. ### [Ramon Alonzo](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/characters/ramon_alonzo) _professional_ Ramon serves as an apprentice to the Master, learning magic under his tutelage. ### [Ramon Alonzo](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/characters/ramon_alonzo) _professional_ Ramon serves as an apprentice to the Master, learning magic under his tutelage. ### [Father Joseph](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/characters/father_joseph) _friendship_ Father Joseph and the Master are old friends and occasional collaborators in magical matters. ### [The Charwoman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/characters/the_charwoman) _psychological_ The Charwoman manipulates and deceives the Master, using her shadow magic against him. ### [The Charwoman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/characters/the_charwoman) _psychological_ The Charwoman manipulates and deceives the Master, using her shadow magic against him. ## In the story ### [I: The Lord of the Tower Finds a Career for His Son](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/chapters/i-the-lord-of-the-tower-finds-a-career-for-his-son) The Lord of the Tower, Ramon's father, who arranges for Ramon to study magic to obtain gold for the family. ### [II: Ramon Alonzo Comes to the House in the Wood](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/chapters/ii-ramon-alonzo-comes-to-the-house-in-the-wood) The magician who welcomes Ramon, recalling a debt to his grandfather and discussing the Art and his elixir vitae. ### [III: The Charwoman Tells of Her Loss](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/chapters/iii-the-charwoman-tells-of-her-loss) The Master is the magician who leads Ramon to his room and is later revealed to have taken the charwoman's shadow. ### [IV: Ramon Alonzo Learns a Mystery Known to the Reader](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/chapters/iv-ramon-alonzo-learns-a-mystery-known-to-the-reader) The magician attempts to persuade Ramon to trade his shadow for knowledge of transmutation, but eventually agrees to teach reading for half his eyesight. ### [V: Ramon Alonzo Learns of the Box](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/chapters/v-ramon-alonzo-learns-of-the-box) Teaches Ramon the alphabet, remains unseen during meals, and is suspected of luring Ramon to further studies to obtain his shadow. ### [VII: Ramon Alonzo Follows the Art](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/chapters/vii-ramon-alonzo-follows-the-art) Cuts a false shadow for Ramon, severs his true shadow, locks it in the shadow-box, and lectures on gold's corrupting power. ### [VIII: Ramon Alonzo Shares the Idleness of the Maidens of Aragona](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/chapters/viii-ramon-alonzo-shares-the-idleness-of-the-maidens-of-aragona) Lectures on the oneness of matter and warns Ramon against lateness. ### [IX: The Technique of Alchemy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/chapters/ix-the-technique-of-alchemy) Agrees to make a shadow for the charwoman but then lectures on alchemy, focusing on the challenge of color in transmutation. ### [X: The Exposure of the False Shadows](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/chapters/x-the-exposure-of-the-false-shadows) Teaches Ramon about the philosopher's stone and warns him to return before evening, though he secretly cares only for Ramon's shadow. ### [XI: The Chill of Space](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/chapters/xi-the-chill-of-space) The magician who controls the shadow-box and sends shadows on dreadful journeys; Ramon confronts him upon returning. ### [XII: Mirandola Demands a Love-Potion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/chapters/xii-mirandola-demands-a-love-potion) Teaches Ramon about alchemy and love-potions; refuses to return Ramon's shadow, claiming it as his fee for teaching the oneness of matter. ### [XIII: Ramon Alonzo Compounds the Potion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/chapters/xiii-ramon-alonzo-compounds-the-potion) Not present in the chapter but referenced as the magician whose laboratory and spell Ramon uses. ### [XVII: The Three Fair Fields](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/chapters/xvii-the-three-fair-fields) The Lord of the Tower, negotiates the sale of three fields to Gulvarez for Mirandola's hand, shows regret over the loss. ### [XX: The Magician Imitates a Way of the Gods](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/chapters/xx-the-magician-imitates-a-way-of-the-gods) Broods on interstellar lore and the Chair of Magic at Saragossa; suspicious of Ramon's motives, he refuses to take back the false shadow. ### [XXI: White Magic Comes to the Wood](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/chapters/xxi-white-magic-comes-to-the-wood) Implied as the magician who might read the spell again; Ramon worries whether he will cooperate. ### [XXII: Ramon Alonzo Crosses a Sword with Magic](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/chapters/xxii-ramon-alonzo-crosses-a-sword-with-magic) The magician refuses to return Ramon's shadow, fights him with a magical lightning sword, and drives him from the room. ### [XXIII: The Plan of Ramon Alonzo](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/chapters/xxiii-the-plan-of-ramon-alonzo) The magician who teaches Persian lore, unaware of Ramon's secret plan; he leaves the shadow-box unguarded at night. ### [XXIV: Ramon Alonzo Dances with His Shadow](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/chapters/xxiv-ramon-alonzo-dances-with-his-shadow) Teaches Ramon Persian spells and reproaches him for lateness. He leaves the room for hours, returning for another lesson. ### [XXV: The Release of the Shadow](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/chapters/xxv-the-release-of-the-shadow) The magician pursues Ramon and the charwoman through the house after they retrieve the shadow. ### [XXX: The End of the Golden Age](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/chapters/xxx-the-end-of-the-golden-age) Feeling abandoned, he destroys his elixir, plays a magical flute, and leads all mythical creatures out of Spain eastward. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/characters/the_master - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_charwoman_s_shadow_se/characters