# Stella Musgrave — The Cords of Vanity character guide > Stella Musgrave in The Cords of Vanity by James Branch Cabell. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Stella, Stella Blagden, little Stella, the Musgrave **First appearance:** 0005-i-writing ## Snapshot The narrator's beautiful, capricious cousin, who seems painted for a Watteau garden and treats marriage as one more agreeable arrangement. ## Who they are Stella drifts through drawing rooms and afternoon drives with a tiger at her back and roses everywhere, an anachronism the narrator can't quite stop adoring. She is married — twice over, by the second wedding anniversary the flowers commemorate — yet her charm lies precisely in how lightly she wears her obligations. Her presence gives the early chapters their shimmer and their ache: she is the thing the narrator wants and the thing he will never quite deserve. ## Relationships ### [Unknown Narrator](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/characters/unknown_narrator) _romantic_ Stella is the narrator's primary romantic interest, with intense emotional and possibly obsessive attachment. ### [Peter Blagden](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/characters/peter_blagden) _friendship_ Peter and Stella share a friendly rapport, often interacting within the narrator's social orbit. ### [Unknown Narrator](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/characters/unknown_narrator) _romantic_ Stella is the narrator's primary romantic interest, with intense emotional and possibly obsessive attachment. ### [Unknown Narrator](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/characters/unknown_narrator) _romantic_ Stella is the narrator's primary romantic interest, with intense emotional and possibly obsessive attachment. ### [Peter Blagden](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/characters/peter_blagden) _friendship_ Peter and Stella share a friendly rapport, often interacting within the narrator's social orbit. ## In the story ### [I: He Sits Out a Dance](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/i-he-sits-out-a-dance) Stella is nearly fifteen, described as awkward with many corners, but she engages in a deep conversation about life and death, and later rebuffs the narrator's kiss. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/i) Stella is introduced as an awkward fifteen-year-old, with nervous laughter and fidgety habits. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/ii) Stella is described as having 'multitudinous corners' and being self-conscious about her appearance, yet she agrees to sit out a dance with the narrator. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/iv) Expresses fear of the future and death, then allows a kiss but asks not to repeat it. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/v) Flushed and indignant, she angrily tells the narrator she hates him and orders him away. ### [II: He Loves Extensively](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/ii-he-loves-extensively) Mentioned by Bettie as visiting for the Finals; the narrator feels a nervous desire to see her again. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/i) Mentioned as not seen for a lengthy while after earlier events. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/v) Mentioned as visiting for the Finals; the narrator is curious and nervous about seeing her again. ### [III: He Earns a Stickpin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/iii-he-earns-a-stickpin) Stella is courted by the narrator and Peter, eventually marrying Peter Blagden. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/i) Playfully teases the narrator about his appearance and his attempts at romance, showing her critical and flirtatious demeanor. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/ii) Stella is cross and scornful about not attending the Baccalaureate Address with the narrator. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/iii) Stella has left Fairhaven that afternoon, after the Finals. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/iv) Stella puts the narrator on a waiting list for suitors, calls him a 'cube' to her 'triangle,' and expresses a half-humorous fear of him. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/v) Stella hesitated between the narrator and Peter Blagden through the winter, but ultimately chose Peter. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/vi) The narrator devotes most of his time to Stella. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/vii) Described as having star-like blue eyes; a coquette who repeatedly leads young men on and then feigns surprise and grief at their declarations of love. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/viii) Stella declines the narrator's proposal, informing him she is to marry Peter Blagden. She appears as a bride with glad, frightened eyes and a tranquil voice. ### [IV: He Talks with Charteris](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/iv-he-talks-with-charteris) Recently married to Peter Blagden; the narrator's unrequited love for her is the subject of his 'disastrous love-business' and the reason for his melancholy. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/i) Stella is implied as the bride (Mrs. Blagden) who has just been married and left with Peter. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/iii) Referenced as the woman the narrator has loved and lost, whose wedding prompted his new dress-suit. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/iv) Stella is mentioned as being remote from the narrator's thoughts, compared to historical figures. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/iv) Her marriage three weeks prior marks the timeline for this chapter's events. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/vii) The beloved, addressed as 'Bobbie,' who gently questions the narrator's arguments and ultimately refuses to make any promises. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/i) Charteris reminds the narrator that he was previously heartbroken over Stella. ### [XII: He Faces Himself and Remembers](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/xii-he-faces-himself-and-remembers) Glimpsed driving on Regis Avenue in Lichfield; later makes tea for the narrator. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/vi) Stella is the object of the narrator's temptation; she drives on Regis Avenue in Lichfield on fine afternoons. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/vii) Stella, now married to Peter Blagden, does not recognize the narrator at first but later makes tea for him. ### [He Baits Upon the Journey](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/xiii-he-baits-upon-the-journey) Stella is dressed in pink, celebrates her second wedding anniversary, and expresses frustration with the limited role of women, calling herself a 'butterfly-woman' while yearning for more. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/i) Greets the narrator, makes tea, and teases him about his melancholy, suggesting he fall in love with someone else. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/ii) Dressed in a pink gown, likened to a marquise from Watteau or Fragonard, celebrating her second wedding anniversary. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/iii) Now Stella Blagden, she discusses her husband Peter's success, her own desire for a meaningful life, and her strategy of using her charm to help Peter's career. ### [XIV: He Participates in a Brave Jest](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/xiv-he-participates-in-a-brave-jest) Stella is critically injured in a carriage accident; she dies believing in the narrator's fabricated story of Peter's triumph, expressing satisfaction with her life and her role in making Peter a success. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/i) Stella drives by in an equipage with a tiger, nodding in recognition to the narrator. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/iii) Stella is injured and possibly dying; she is calling for Peter Blagden. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/iv) On her deathbed, Stella reflects on her role in making Peter a success, expresses vanity and pride, and accepts her death with a mix of fear and contentment. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/v) Stella bids farewell, recalls their first meeting, and explains she always cared more for the narrator but he was not dependable like Peter. ### [He Decides to Amuse Himself](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/xv-he-decides-to-amuse-himself) Recently deceased; the narrator mourns her funeral and recalls her as the first love. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/i) Stella's funeral is the central memory haunting the narrator. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/ii) Stella is deceased; the narrator mourns her and mentions her funeral. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/iii) Her death prompts the narrator's return to Lichfield; she had a marvellous dinner-company at the theatre. ### [He Spends an Afternoon in Arden](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/xviii-he-spends-an-afternoon-in-arden) Referenced as the girl in the narrator's story—the object of his idealized love who ultimately did not reciprocate his feelings. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/ii) Stella receives the narrator with cordiality and an assumption of friendship, baffling him by not acknowledging his previous neglect. ### [He Plays the Improvident Fool](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/xix-he-plays-the-improvident-fool) Referenced as the sister of Lizzie and the woman Peter Blagden married; Lizzie compares the narrator's situation to Peter's treatment of Stella. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/ii) Stella is deceased, but her memory haunts the narrator, who sees her likeness in Lizzie. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/iii) Appears in the narrator's dreams as a medieval lady and as a child; married Peter Blagden; central to the narrator's longing. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/iv) Referenced as the woman Peter Blagden married and deceived; Lizzie compares the narrator's situation to hers. ### [He Cleans the Slate](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/xxii-he-cleans-the-slate) Referenced as the original recipient of the sonnet-sequence the narrator plagiarizes and sends to Elena. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/iv) The original recipient of the sonnet-sequence the narrator plagiarizes; she is dead and cannot know of its reuse. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/iii) The heiress of Selwoode, encountered reading in the garden; she questions the narrator's presence on private property. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/i) The young woman being described; her features are noted as elusive and beautiful, with amber eyes, shifting hair color, red lips, and cloud-like cheeks. ### [XXV: He Advances in the Attack on Selwoode](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/xxv-he-advances-in-the-attack-on-selwoode) Mentioned as having died two years ago on April 28; Townsend reflects on his past love for her. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/i) Stella is remembered as the woman both the narrator and Peter loved; she died two years ago on this day. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/iii) Surprised by the narrator's visit; flushes when opening the book. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/i) Likely the 'she' in the meeting, as the chapter introduces the romantic encounter. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/iii) Mentioned as deceased; Peter reflects on her being too good for him. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/ix) The narrator recalls Stella's understanding of wanting to leave something in the world that wasn't there before. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/ii) Peter's first wife, remembered by the narrator as not the saint others depict. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/iv) Referenced as 'Stella Blagden,' the only person Robin has ever loved, according to Bettie. ### [He Allows the Merits of Imperfection](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/xxix-he-allows-the-merits-of-imperfection) Deceased; the narrator brings daffodils to her grave on her birthday and remembers her vanity, childishness, and love for Peter. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/i) Stella is the woman the narrator once loved; tomorrow is her birthday, the anniversary prompting his holiday. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/ii) Stella is dead; the narrator remembers her vanity, her love of daffodils, and her dreams for Peter Blagden. He contrasts the real Stella with the idealized version others remember. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/iv) Stella is referenced in the narrator's reflection about honey and what wasn't in the world before he came. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/characters/stella_musgrave - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/characters