The House of Mirth · Character

Percy Gryce

Immensely rich, profoundly dull, and paralyzed by his own decorum, Percy Gryce is the marriage market's great prize and its most tedious prospect.

supporting

Also known as Mr. Percy Gryce, Mr. Gryce, Gryce, Percy

First appearance: Chapter II

As a supporting figure in The House of Mirth, Percy Gryce is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

A wealthy but dull young man whom Lily considers as a marriage prospect due to his fortune and social standing.

In the storyBook IOpen this moment free

See Percy Gryce in Book I Book page

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

Gryce arrives at Bellomont trailing Americana collections and a horror of impropriety, exactly the kind of heavy, passive fortune Lily has been trained to pursue. His shyness makes him manageable and his wealth makes him worth managing, but his conventional sensibilities are a trap as much as a target. He matters because the campaign to secure him forces Lily to weigh what she wants against what she is willing to perform.

Continue beside the text

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

See Percy Gryce in Chapter II

Character Web

24 connections

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

Relationship types

Other

Character groups

High society insiders
Peripheral and background figures

+19 more in the full Character Web

Open in reader

Narrative arc

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

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

In this scene, the emotional and psychological peak occurs when Lily, driven by an intense longing to dispel t…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

Follow the arc while reading

Relationships

Lily Bart
romantic · negative
A calculated courtship by Lily to secure a wealthy marriage, which fails due to her… How this plays out →
Bertha Dorset
social · negative
Bertha Dorset
social · negative
Lily Bart
romantic · negative
A calculated courtship by Lily to secure a wealthy marriage, which fails due to her… How this plays out →
Lily Bart
romantic · negative
A calculated courtship by Lily to secure a wealthy marriage, which fails due to her… How this plays out →

Lily Bart
A calculated courtship by Lily to secure a wealthy marriage, which fails due to her inability to maintain the required facade.
Bertha Dorset
A manipulative social interaction where Bertha deliberately steals Percy's attention from Lily to ruin her prospects.
Bertha Dorset
A manipulative social interaction where Bertha deliberately steals Percy's attention from Lily to ruin her prospects.
Lily Bart
A calculated courtship by Lily to secure a wealthy marriage, which fails due to her inability to maintain the required facade.
Lily Bart
A calculated courtship by Lily to secure a wealthy marriage, which fails due to her inability to maintain the required facade.

Relationship notes

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

See Percy Gryce in Chapter II

In the story

Percy Gryce appears across 6 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Book I
A wealthy but dull young man whom Lily considers as a marriage prospect due to his fortune and social standing.
Chapter II
Travels with Lily to Bellomont; she successfully engages him by discussing his collection of Americana.
Chapter IV
Percy Gryce is the object of Lily's matrimonial plans; he is shy, easily shocked, and wealthy, with a passion for Americana.
Chapter V
Mentioned as Lily's intended marriage prospect; his crestfallen face is noted when she misses the church omnibus.
VI
Percy Gryce is mentioned as Lily's suitor whom she has stood up for the walk. He is described as departing in a motorcar, resembling a 'baffled beetle,' and is concerned about Lily's health and its implications for future progeny.
Chapter VIII
Seen at the wedding; Lily considers him a target for recapture.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Percy Gryce unlock in the free preview.

See Percy Gryce in Chapter II

See Percy Gryce in Book I