# Clifford Pyncheon — The House of the Seven Gables character guide > Clifford Pyncheon in The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Mr. Pyncheon, Clifford, Dear Clifford, Poor Clifford **First appearance:** 0001-the-house-of-the-seven-gables ## Snapshot A tender, beauty-loving Pyncheon broken by decades of imprisonment, he returns to the family house a fragile ghost of the man he might have been. ## Who they are Clifford reenters the House of the Seven Gables after a long, ruinous confinement, dependent on his sister Hepzibah and startled by ordinary daylight, music, and human kindness. His exquisite sensitivity makes the world both a torment and a rapture, and his childlike delight in Phoebe's brightness contrasts painfully with the shadow that hangs over his name. His presence transforms the old mansion into a stage for the family's buried guilt and for the question of whether such a wounded spirit can ever be restored. ## Relationships ### [Hepzibah Pyncheon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/characters/hepzibah_pyncheon) _family_ Hepzibah is Clifford's devoted sister, caring for him after his long imprisonment with protective and often anxious affection. ### [Judge Jaffrey Pyncheon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/characters/judge_jaffrey_pyncheon) _rivalry_ Clifford and Judge Jaffrey are bitter enemies, as the Judge falsely accused Clifford of murder and had him imprisoned for decades. ### [Phoebe Pyncheon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/characters/phoebe_pyncheon) _family_ Clifford is Phoebe's elderly cousin, and her gentle, cheerful presence soothes his traumatized mind. ### [Matthew Maule](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/characters/matthew_maule) _psychological_ Clifford is haunted by the ghostly presence and curse of Matthew Maule, whose wronged spirit is tied to the Pyncheon family's fate. ### [Alice Pyncheon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/characters/alice_pyncheon) _family_ Alice is Clifford's ancestor, and her tragic story of Maule's curse casts a shadow over Clifford's own life. ### [Holgrave](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/characters/holgrave) _social_ Clifford is intrigued by Holgrave's youthful energy and modern ideas, though they have limited direct interaction. ### [Uncle Venner](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/characters/uncle_venner) _social_ Clifford enjoys Uncle Venner's gentle, philosophical company as a rare source of calm in his troubled life. ### [Hepzibah Pyncheon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/characters/hepzibah_pyncheon) _family_ Hepzibah is Clifford's devoted sister, caring for him after his long imprisonment with protective and often anxious affection. ### [Judge Jaffrey Pyncheon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/characters/judge_jaffrey_pyncheon) _rivalry_ Clifford and Judge Jaffrey are bitter enemies, as the Judge falsely accused Clifford of murder and had him imprisoned for decades. ### [Phoebe Pyncheon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/characters/phoebe_pyncheon) _family_ Clifford is Phoebe's elderly cousin, and her gentle, cheerful presence soothes his traumatized mind. ### [Hepzibah Pyncheon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/characters/hepzibah_pyncheon) _family_ Hepzibah is Clifford's devoted sister, caring for him after his long imprisonment with protective and often anxious affection. ### [Matthew Maule](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/characters/matthew_maule) _psychological_ Clifford is haunted by the ghostly presence and curse of Matthew Maule, whose wronged spirit is tied to the Pyncheon family's fate. ## In the story ### [The Old Pyncheon Family](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/chapters/i-the-old-pyncheon-family) Nephew convicted of murdering his uncle; sentenced to perpetual imprisonment, now rumored to be released. ### [II: The Little Shopwindow](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/chapters/ii-the-little-shopwindow) The brother of Hepzibah, represented by a miniature in a secret drawer; his gentle, beautiful face is the object of Hepzibah's undying faith and devotion. ### [IV: A Day Behind the Counter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/chapters/iv-a-day-behind-the-counter) Mentioned indirectly by Uncle Venner, who asks when Clifford will come home, stirring Hepzibah's grief. ### [May and November](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/chapters/v-may-and-november) Mentioned only through the miniature; Hepzibah suggests he may still be alive and might return to the house. ### [The Guest](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/chapters/vii-the-guest) The guest, recently returned, appears frail and disoriented, with a refined but faded beauty; he is sensitive to beauty and struggles to grasp reality. ### [VIII: The Pyncheon of Today](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/chapters/viii-the-pyncheon-of-today) Clifford's weak, wailing voice is heard from the inner room, begging Hepzibah to entreat the Judge not to enter, revealing his profound fear. ### [IX: Clifford and Phoebe](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/chapters/ix-clifford-and-phoebe) Remains withdrawn and unresponsive to Hepzibah's efforts, but becomes animated and youthful in Phoebe's presence, showing a capacity for joy. ### [The Pyncheon Garden](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/chapters/x-the-pyncheon-garden) Clifford is revived by the garden, enjoys flowers and Phoebe's readings, but is troubled by visions in Maule's well and expresses a deep longing for happiness. ### [XI: The Arched Window](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/chapters/xi-the-arched-window) Watches the street from the arched window, expresses a desire to go to church, but feels like a ghost and cannot leave the house. Later, he is almost drawn to leap into a political procession. ### [XII: The Daguerreotypist](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/chapters/xii-the-daguerreotypist) Exhausted by daily life, retires early; his presence drains Phoebe's vitality. ### [XIV: Phoebe’s Goodbye](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/chapters/xiv-phoebe-s-goodbye) Described as a dead and long-buried person who exists only through Phoebe; Phoebe feels a motherly sentiment toward him. ### [XV: The Scowl and Smile](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/chapters/xv-the-scowl-and-smile) Becomes bedridden and despondent after Phoebe's departure; briefly plays Alice Pyncheon's harpsichord. ### [XVI: Clifford's Chamber](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/chapters/xvi-clifford-s-chamber) Absent from his chamber when Hepzibah finally enters; his fragile nature is contrasted with Judge Pyncheon's hardness. ### [XVII: The Flight of Two Owls](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/chapters/xvii-the-flight-of-two-owls) Exhilarated and possessed by a powerful excitement, he takes control of their flight, leading Hepzibah onto the train. He engages in a philosophical conversation about the railroad replacing home and fireside. ### [Governor Pyncheon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/chapters/xviii-governor-pyncheon) Mentioned as a potential heir to the Pyncheon property if the Judge's son is dead. ### [XIX: Alice’s Posies](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/chapters/xix-alice-s-posies) Imagined by children as making awful gestures from a window in a faded dressing-gown. ### [XX: The Flower of Eden](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/chapters/xx-the-flower-of-eden) Has fled with Hepzibah, likely terrified by the similarity of the Judge's death to the earlier one that led to his imprisonment. ### [The Departure](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/chapters/xxi-the-departure) Exonerated by new theory; inherits wealth; experiences invigorating effect from the judge's death; plans to move to the country-seat. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/characters/clifford_pyncheon - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_house_of_the_seven_gables_se/characters