The Last Chronicle of Barset · Character

Mrs. Dobbs Broughton

A beautiful London hostess whose glittering marriage dissolves under financial ruin, leaving her vulnerable to scandal and the attentions of a younger man.

supporting

Also known as Mrs. Broughton, Dobbs Broughton, Mrs. Dobbs

First appearance: Mrs. Dobbs Broughton's Dinner-Party

As a supporting figure in The Last Chronicle of Barset, Mrs. Dobbs Broughton is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

The beautiful hostess, painted by Dalrymple as a Grace, who tries to arrange a match between Dalrymple and Miss Van Siever.

In the storyMrs. Dobbs Broughton's Dinner-PartyOpen this moment free

Maria Dobbs Broughton presides over a fashionable Bayswater mansion funded by her husband's City speculations, her beauty immortalized in Conway Dalrymple's paintings. When Dobbs Broughton's finances collapse and he takes his own life, she is left exposed—financially dependent, socially precarious, and emotionally entangled with Dalrymple. Her plight reveals how quickly a woman's position can unravel when the men who sustain it fail.

See Mrs. Dobbs Broughton in Mrs. Dobbs Broughton's Dinner-Party Book page

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Character Web

17 connections

A slice of how Mrs. Dobbs Broughton sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Other

Character groups

Central plot characters
Hook Court subplot
Minor romantic figures
Protagonist

+12 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

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

Setup
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

In this chapter, the emotional and psychological peak occurs when John Eames, after years of unrequited love f…

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In the story

Mrs. Dobbs Broughton appears across 10 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Mrs. Dobbs Broughton's Dinner-Party
The beautiful hostess, painted by Dalrymple as a Grace, who tries to arrange a match between Dalrymple and Miss Van Siever.
Miss Madalina Demolines
Discussed by Miss Demolines as being flighty and possibly too familiar with Dalrymple; the painting scheme is said to risk causing her trouble.
The Picture
Hosts Dalrymple and Clara; initially supports the painting idea but later withdraws, insisting Dalrymple must marry Clara and ending their flirtation.
Jael
Engages in flirtatious banter with Conway Dalrymple, advises him to marry Clara Van Siever, and eagerly participates in the secret painting scheme.
The Bayswater Romance
Mentioned in connection with Dalrymple's portrait; Madalina warns that Mrs. Van Siever has heard of it and that Maria Clutterbuck is infatuated.
Mrs. Dobbs Broughton Piles Her Fagots
Piles her fagots of romantic melodrama, oscillating between jealousy and self-sacrifice, as she presides over the secret portrait sittings.
The End of Jael and Sisera
Reveals her husband's ruin and her own distress, faints during the confrontation, and arranges one more sitting for the painting despite the chaos.
The Tragedy in Hook Court
Unaware of her husband's death; Dalrymple breaks the news to her.
Miss Van Siever Makes Her Choice
Grieving widow who claims credit for bringing Clara and Conway together, despite her own past attachment to Dalrymple.
Madalina's Heart Is Bleeding
Mentioned as having given her heart to Conway Dalrymple after marrying Dobbs Broughton.

Chapter companion notes

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See Mrs. Dobbs Broughton in Mrs. Dobbs Broughton's Dinner-Party