# Mrs. Barry — The Luck of Barry Lyndon character guide

> Mrs. Barry in The Luck of Barry Lyndon by William Makepeace Thackeray.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** the defunct Barry, Harry Barry, Mrs. Harry Barry

**First appearance:** 0002-i-my-pedigree-and-family-undergo-the-influence-of-the-tender-passion

## Snapshot

Barry's proud Irish mother, who believes her son's blood entitles him to a coronet and backs every scheme to get him one.

## Who they are

Mrs. Barry is the voice in Redmond's ear that keeps his self-regard polished, insisting on the family's ancient claims and the greatness he is owed. Her pride is both a gift and a poison: she feeds his ambition when prudence would counsel retreat, and she is the one who supplies the pedigree and the pretensions he later wields in London. She matters because Barry's sense of his own deserts, the engine of every misadventure, is her handiwork as much as his.

## In the story

### [My Pedigree and Family—Undergo the Influence of the Tender Passion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_luck_of_barry_lyndon_se/chapters/i-my-pedigree-and-family-undergo-the-influence-of-the-tender-passion)

The proud, beautiful widow who maintains dignity and fashion despite poverty, devoted to her son and her late husband's memory.

### [II: I Show Myself to Be a Man of Spirit](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_luck_of_barry_lyndon_se/chapters/ii-i-show-myself-to-be-a-man-of-spirit)

Anxious but supportive of her son's honor; she fetches wine and leaves the men to talk.

### [IV: In Which Barry Takes a Near View of Military Glory](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_luck_of_barry_lyndon_se/chapters/iv-in-which-barry-takes-a-near-view-of-military-glory)

Mentioned as having sent letters to Barry in Dublin, which he never received because he used an alias.

### [Barry Leads a Garrison Life, and Finds Many Friends There](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_luck_of_barry_lyndon_se/chapters/vii-barry-leads-a-garrison-life-and-finds-many-friends-there)

Barry's mother in Ireland, to whom he writes a letter after years of silence; her reply stirs deep melancholy in Barry.

### [XIV: I Return to Ireland, and Exhibit My Splendour and Generosity in That Kingdom](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_luck_of_barry_lyndon_se/chapters/xiv-i-return-to-ireland-and-exhibit-my-splendour-and-generosity-in-that-kingdom)

Barry's mother; reported to be planning to marry Mr. Jowls the preacher, and now living at Bray.

### [XV: I Pay Court to My Lady Lyndon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_luck_of_barry_lyndon_se/chapters/xv-i-pay-court-to-my-lady-lyndon)

Barry's mother; initially rejects him and his gifts but later welcomes him when he appears in distress after a duel.

### [I Appear as an Ornament of English Society](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_luck_of_barry_lyndon_se/chapters/xvii-i-appear-as-an-ornament-of-english-society)

Barry's mother, who buys back the ancestral lands of Ballybarry and Barryogue and dreams of Barry becoming Earl of Ballybarry.

### [Conclusion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_luck_of_barry_lyndon_se/chapters/xix-conclusion)

Barry's mother, who manages the household and spies on Lady Lyndon; remains faithful to Barry.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_luck_of_barry_lyndon_se/characters/mrs_barry
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_luck_of_barry_lyndon_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_luck_of_barry_lyndon_se/characters