The Last Post · Character

Christopher Tietjens

A principled English gentleman who has shed wife, career, and ancestral estate, now peddling old furniture in the country and quietly deciding he is done with the world.

major

Also known as Tietjens, A Tietjens, the miserable Christopher, poor old Christopher, Chris

First appearance: The Last Post Part I

As a major figure in The Last Post, Christopher Tietjens is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Described as the recreation of a deceased friend, the last English Tory, omniscient, slightly contemptuous, and sentimental in human contacts.

In the storyDedicatory LetterOpen this moment free

See Christopher Tietjens in Dedicatory Letter Book page

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In Dedicatory Letter: Described as the recreation of a deceased friend, the last English Tory, omniscient, slightly contemptuous, and sentimental in human contacts. Ford imagines him in Avignon, disappointed in Louis…

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See Christopher Tietjens in The Last Post Part I

Character Web

25 connections

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

Relationship types

Family
Rivalry
Romantic
Other

Character groups

Protagonist
Tietjens family circle
Minor characters and background figures
Christopher's domestic allies

+20 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

Sylvia’s direct proposal to the general—asking him to marry her if she divorces Christopher—represents the emo…

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Relationships

Mark Tietjens
family · positive
Brothers bound by deep loyalty and shared stoic values, though Mark is increasingly… How this plays out →
Sylvia Tietjens
rivalry · negative
Valentine Wannop
romantic · positive
Marie Léonie
family · positive
Father Consett
friendship · positive
Cammy Fittleworth
social · ambivalent
Sylvia Tietjens
rivalry · negative
Mark Tietjens
family · positive
Brothers bound by deep loyalty and shared stoic values, though Mark is increasingly… How this plays out →
Mark Tietjens
family · positive
Brothers bound by deep loyalty and shared stoic values, though Mark is increasingly… How this plays out →

Mark Tietjens
Brothers bound by deep loyalty and shared stoic values, though Mark is increasingly withdrawn and Christopher is burdened by duty.
Sylvia Tietjens
A bitterly estranged married couple locked in a destructive cycle of manipulation, resentment, and mutual psychological warfare.
Valentine Wannop
Deeply loving but socially complicated relationship as Christopher's true soulmate and eventual partner, built on mutual respect and passion.
Marie Léonie
Affectionate brother-in-law relationship, with Christopher respecting Marie Léonie as Mark's devoted partner and a stabilizing presence.
Father Consett
A trusted spiritual confidant and moral guide for Christopher, offering counsel during his marital and existential crises.
Cammy Fittleworth
A peripheral family connection who interacts with Christopher mainly through formal visits and family obligations.
Sylvia Tietjens
A bitterly estranged married couple locked in a destructive cycle of manipulation, resentment, and mutual psychological warfare.
Mark Tietjens
Brothers bound by deep loyalty and shared stoic values, though Mark is increasingly withdrawn and Christopher is burdened by duty.
Mark Tietjens
Brothers bound by deep loyalty and shared stoic values, though Mark is increasingly withdrawn and Christopher is burdened by duty.

Relationship notes

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

See Christopher Tietjens in The Last Post Part I

In the story

Christopher Tietjens appears across 11 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Dedicatory Letter
Described as the recreation of a deceased friend, the last English Tory, omniscient, slightly contemptuous, and sentimental in human contacts. Ford imagines him in Avignon, disappointed in Louis Seize furniture, wearing oppressive Harris tweeds.
The Last Post Part I
Takes an aeroplane to York to save the Groby Great Tree; his quarrel with Mark on Armistice Day is recalled.
II
Described as clumsy but perceptive; he arranged Mark's marriage to Marie Léonie and is now the heir to Groby.
Chapter IV
Mark compares Christopher's character to his own, noting Christopher's saintliness and his troubles with women, and expects his return if the aeroplane does not kill him.
V
Mark's brother, who obstinately refuses to accept any money or land from Groby, determined to live by his own talents in the old-furniture trade.
VI
Mark's brother; described as learned and gentle, reading Boswell to Mark during his illness.
VII
Goes out to stop the Last Post; returns to find Sylvia; shares a first embrace with Valentine on St. Martin's steps.
I
Discussed as the subject of Sylvia's gossip and schemes; described as living a tranquil life with his brother and Valentine, and as holding a financial charge over Macmaster's estate.
II
Referenced as the target of Sylvia's revenge; his boyhood bedroom was destroyed in the tree's fall.
Chapter III
Referenced through Valentine's thoughts; his 'half-crazed condition' and obsession with Groby Great Tree are central to her dilemma.
Chapter IV
Christopher arrives at Mark's bedside holding a bicycle and a chunk of the Groby Great Tree, looking weary and dejected.

Chapter companion notes

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See Christopher Tietjens in The Last Post Part I

See Christopher Tietjens in Dedicatory Letter