The Conscious Lovers · Character

Myrtle

Bevil's friend and would-be duellist, whose jealousy over Lucinda drives him to challenge the very man trying to help him win her.

supporting

Also known as Mr. Myrtle, Charles Myrtle, Charles

First appearance: act i

As a supporting figure in The Conscious Lovers, Myrtle is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

See Myrtle in act i Book page

Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.

Myrtle loves Lucinda with a heat that makes him read betrayal into every cool word from Bevil, and he comes close to trading friendship for a sword-point. His temper is his defining flaw: he accuses Bevil of hiding behind conscience while hoarding a mistress abroad, and only Bevil's refusal to fight shames him back into reason. His eventual disguise as old Sir Geoffry, scheming to outwit the Cimberton match, shows how far a hot-headed lover will go when patience fails him.

Continue beside the text

The fuller portrait of Myrtle sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Myrtle in act i

Character Web

12 connections

A slice of how Myrtle sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Social
Friendship
Romantic
Rivalry

Character groups

Comic servant subplot
Protagonist
Central love plot

+7 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Closing

This scene is the dramatic climax because it presents the peak of dramatic irony and emotional tension, as Myr…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

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Relationships

Sir John Bevil
social · positive
Myrtle is a friend of Bevil Jr. How this plays out →
Bevil Jr.
friendship · positive
Phillis
social · ambivalent
Lucinda
romantic · positive
Cimberton
rivalry · negative

Sir John Bevil
Myrtle is a friend of Bevil Jr. and an acquaintance of Sir John, often involved in the romantic subplots.
Bevil Jr.
Close friends and confidants, with Myrtle often jealous of Bevil Jr.'s apparent interest in Lucinda.
Phillis
Myrtle uses Phillis as a go-between to communicate with Lucinda, creating a conspiratorial dynamic.
Lucinda
Lucinda and Myrtle are secretly in love, but their relationship is complicated by arranged marriage pressures.
Cimberton
Cimberton is Myrtle's rival for Lucinda's hand, with Myrtle despising Cimberton's absurd pretensions.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Myrtle in act i