The Mysteries of Udolpho · Character

St. Aubert

Emily's gentle, nature-loving father, whose failing health and quiet integrity shape her character long before his death sets her adrift.

supporting

Also known as Monsieur St. Aubert, the late Monsieur St. Aubert, the calm St. Aubert, Thomson St. Aubert

First appearance: the mysteries of udolpho

As a supporting figure in The Mysteries of Udolpho, St. Aubert is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Emily's father, a man of principle and refined taste who values a well-informed mind, promotes innocent happiness, and finds solace in nature and music.

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A retired French gentleman of refined taste, St. Aubert raises Emily in rural seclusion, teaching her to love landscape, music, and moderation rather than society's glitter. His delicacy of conscience makes him recoil from his sister's insensibility and from the worldly Italians he meets at her table, yet he restrains his disgust for Emily's sake. His decline and death in the novel's opening movement strip away her protection, launching her into the custody of relatives and, eventually, the shadow of Udolpho.

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Character Web

14 connections

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Relationship types

Other

Character groups

Key early influences
Emily's allies and friends

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This is the story's dramatic climax because it marks the emotional and psychological peak where Valancourt, ov…

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In the story

St. Aubert appears across 13 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

I
Emily's father, a man of principle and refined taste who values a well-informed mind, promotes innocent happiness, and finds solace in nature and music.
Chapter II
Leads family prayers after the funeral, counsels Emily on controlling grief, dismisses servants for economy, and is later discovered weeping over a hidden miniature portrait.
Chapter III
Travels with Emily through the Pyrenees, seeking health and solace in nature; accepts Valancourt's offer of a bed.
IV
Awakens refreshed, invites Valancourt to breakfast, and decides to take the route to Beaujeu. His heart is softened by the scenery and he reflects on Valancourt's ingenuousness.
Chapter V
Reflects on his lost sons and wife, gives money to the shepherd's wife, and offers a heartfelt compliment to Valancourt on his benevolence.
Chapter VI
Reveals his financial ruin due to M. Quesnel's misfortunes, and his health declines during the journey.
VII
Delivers his final advice to Emily, makes her promise to burn the hidden papers, and reveals the secret compartment in the closet.
Chapter VIII
Deceased; his remains are interred at the convent of St. Clair. Emily frequently remembers his teachings and their shared moments.
Chapter IX
Deceased; his memory and dying wishes (to destroy the manuscript papers) are central to Emily's thoughts.
Chapter X
Deceased; his instructions and papers drive Emily's actions, and his apparition appears to her in a hallucination.
Chapter XI
St. Aubert's memory and teachings on fortitude and patience guide Emily in her grief.
Chapter XXXV
Mentioned in recollection: he was deeply affected when near Château-le-Blanc years earlier.
LV
His mysterious attachment to the Marchioness is explained; he had requested that Emily remain ignorant of their relationship.

Chapter companion notes

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See St. Aubert in the mysteries of udolpho

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