# Mrs. Fisher — The Enchanted April character guide > Mrs. Fisher in The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Briggs, poor Briggs **First appearance:** 0000-i ## Snapshot An imperious Victorian widow whose rigid opinions and sharp tongue make her the unlikely guardian of San Salvatore's social order. ## Who they are Mrs. Fisher arrives at San Salvatore as the eldest and most formidable of the four women, armed with a lifetime of literary connections and an unshakable conviction that her way is the only way. Her refusal to be charmed by Italy, or by her companions, sets her in comic opposition to Lotty's effusiveness and Rose's quiet longing. Yet the castle's beauty works on her imperceptibly, and her gradual thaw — glimpsed in small surrenders — becomes one of the novel's most satisfying transformations. ## Relationships ### [Scrap](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/characters/scrap) _psychological_ Mrs. Fisher is initially critical and controlling toward Scrap, but later develops a grudging admiration and protective interest in her. ### [Mr. Wilkins](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/characters/mr_wilkins) _rivalry_ Mr. Wilkins and Mrs. Fisher clash over authority and opinions, with mutual irritation and a battle of wills. ### [Mrs. Arbuthnot](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/characters/mrs_arbuthnot) _social_ They are fellow guests at the castle, maintaining a polite but distant acquaintance with occasional moments of understanding. ### [Mrs. Wilkins](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/characters/mrs_wilkins) _psychological_ Mrs. Fisher initially dismisses Mrs. Wilkins as frivolous, but gradually comes to respect her transformative influence. ### [Frederick](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/characters/frederick) _social_ Frederick and Mrs. Fisher are polite acquaintances, with Frederick often deferring to her as an older, authoritative figure. ### [Francesca](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/characters/francesca) _professional_ Francesca is a maid at the castle who serves Mrs. Fisher, with a respectful but somewhat distant servant-employer dynamic. ### [Kate Lumley](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/characters/kate_lumley) _professional_ Kate Lumley is Mrs. Fisher's longtime maid, serving her with loyalty and quiet efficiency. ### [Mr. Fisher](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/characters/mr_fisher) _family_ Mr. Fisher is Mrs. Fisher's deceased husband, remembered with a mix of reverence and resentment for his domineering nature. ### [Scrap](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/characters/scrap) _psychological_ Mrs. Fisher is initially critical and controlling toward Scrap, but later develops a grudging admiration and protective interest in her. ### [Mr. Wilkins](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/characters/mr_wilkins) _rivalry_ Mr. Wilkins and Mrs. Fisher clash over authority and opinions, with mutual irritation and a battle of wills. ### [Scrap](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/characters/scrap) _psychological_ Mrs. Fisher is initially critical and controlling toward Scrap, but later develops a grudging admiration and protective interest in her. ### [Mrs. Wilkins](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/characters/mrs_wilkins) _psychological_ Mrs. Fisher initially dismisses Mrs. Wilkins as frivolous, but gradually comes to respect her transformative influence. ## In the story ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/chapters/iii) Interviewed by Lotty and Rose; absorbed in memories of Carlyle, Meredith, and others; asks for references but eventually waives them. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/chapters/vi) Mentioned as having traveled with Lady Caroline despite both wanting to arrive first; her presence is a source of mild tension. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/chapters/vii) Already arrived and established at the head of the breakfast table; she has claimed the honey-colored sitting room and rearranged the bedrooms, asserting her authority over the household. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/chapters/ix) Claims the sitting room and battlements for herself, blocks the shared door, and reflects on her past and finances. ### [Scrap's Disillusionment and the Search for Anonymity](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/chapters/x) Interacts with Scrap, offering conventional advice and misunderstanding her need for anonymity. ### [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/chapters/xi) Claims the sitting room as her own, asserting her need for quiet and privacy; clashes with Mrs. Wilkins and Mrs. Arbuthnot over the space. ### [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/chapters/xii) Disapproves of the conversation and Mrs. Wilkins' plan to invite her husband; decides to invite Kate Lumley to regularize the situation. ### [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/chapters/xiii) Finds herself restless, trotting in and out without her stick, unable to read, and puzzled by her own behavior. ### [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/chapters/xiv) Disapproves of Mrs. Wilkins not meeting her husband at the station, and is introduced to Mr. Wilkins after the explosion. ### [XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/chapters/xv) Develops a secret understanding with Mr. Wilkins, values his companionship, and abandons the idea of sending for Kate Lumley. ### [XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/chapters/xvi) Mrs. Fisher grows restless and uneasy, fearing she is on the brink of an unsuitable 'green' renewal; she wanders aimlessly in the garden. ### [XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/chapters/xvii) Is having coffee in the top garden when Mr. Briggs arrives; he sends word that he will see her later. ### [XVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/chapters/xviii) Mrs. Fisher, encouraged by Briggs's appreciation, begins to laugh and relax. She is kissed by Lotty, which deeply moves her, and she starts to feel young and budding inside, a sensation she finds both odd and exciting. ### [XIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/chapters/xix) Speaks placidly about Kate Lumley's delayed arrival and invites Briggs to stay. ### [XXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/chapters/xxi) Greets Frederick graciously at dinner, noting the house is now full and making a playful remark about getting their money's worth. ### [XXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/chapters/xxii) Feels lonely and craves the living; responds warmly to Mrs. Wilkins's kiss, suggesting a budding friendship. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/characters/mrs_fisher - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enchanted_april_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/characters