# Hilary Townshend — The Green Hat character guide

> Hilary Townshend in The Green Hat by Michael Arlen.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Hilary

**First appearance:** 0001-the-green-hat

## Who they are

The narrator and close friend of Iris, deeply involved in her story.

## In the story

### [The Green Hat](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_green_hat_se/chapters/i-the-green-hat)

Mentioned as having told Iris about the narrator, and as someone who also felt a sense of incapability with Iris.

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_green_hat_se/chapters/iii)

Mentioned as having told Iris about the narrator and as someone who also felt her unique presence.

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_green_hat_se/chapters/i)

A friend of the narrator and a man of principle who disapproves of Iris's behavior and believes in caste despite his stated liberalism.

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_green_hat_se/chapters/i)

Mentioned as dining with the narrator at the Café Royal.

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_green_hat_se/chapters/iii)

Hilary is described as helping a Liberal fight a bye-election in Staffordshire, which he loses.

### [III: For Purity!](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_green_hat_se/chapters/iii-for-purity)

The 'man of principle' and 'friend of childhood' who is deeply attached to Iris; reveals details about her past and expresses anger and bewilderment over her life.

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_green_hat_se/chapters/i)

The narrator is on his way to dinner at Hilary's house in Chesterfield Street.

### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_green_hat_se/chapters/ii)

Described as a Liberal MP, stamp collector, and friend of Guy; portrayed as kind, gloomy, and childless, with a deep sense of conduct.

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_green_hat_se/chapters/iii)

Dines with the narrator, expresses conflicted feelings about Iris, recalls her childhood, and discusses modern moral decay.

### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_green_hat_se/chapters/iv)

Debates with the narrator about Iris's character and Boy Fenwick's suicide; defends the conventional moral judgment of Iris.

### [IV: Aphrodite](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_green_hat_se/chapters/iv-aphrodite)

Hilary accompanies the narrator and Iris to the Loyalty Club, makes comments about Venice Pollen and Mr. Pollen, and is present during the walk.

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_green_hat_se/chapters/i)

Dines with the narrator and accompanies him to the Loyalty Club.

### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_green_hat_se/chapters/ii)

Present at the Loyalty Club; suggests asking Venice Pollen's father to suppress the news; shows concern for Iris.

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_green_hat_se/chapters/i)

Mentioned in Iris's letter as having told her about the narrator.

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_green_hat_se/chapters/i)

Mentioned as one of the two people Iris asked to be treated kindly if they called.

### [XI: St. George for England!](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_green_hat_se/chapters/xi-st-george-for-england)

Mentioned as the narrator's intended dinner companion who was called away to the country.

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_green_hat_se/chapters/i)

The narrator was to dine with Hilary, but he was called to the country.

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_green_hat_se/chapters/iii)

Arranged the meeting; tries to mediate and reminds Iris of her childhood.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_green_hat_se/characters/hilary_townshend
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_green_hat_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_green_hat_se/characters