# Dick Povey — The Old Wives’ Tale character guide

> Dick Povey in The Old Wives’ Tale by Arnold Bennett.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Dick, young Dick Povey, Mr. Dick Povey

**First appearance:** 0012-i-revolution

## Snapshot

Samuel Povey's cousin, a restless, warm-hearted young man whose energy and bad luck make him both the family's liveliest hope and its sharpest grief.

## Who they are

Dick arrives in the Baines orbit with more dash and appetite than the shop's sober world quite knows what to do with. He is affectionate, impulsive, and prone to schemes that outrun his means, a contrast to his cautious cousin Samuel. His fortunes and misfortunes ripple through the Povey household, giving the novel one of its most human measures of how quickly a life can turn.

## Relationships

### [Lily Holl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_wives_tale_se/characters/lily_holl)

_romantic_

Young lovers who marry, but Dick dies young, leaving Lily a widow.

### [Constance Baines](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_wives_tale_se/characters/constance_baines)

_family_

Mother and son, with Constance doting on Dick and grieving deeply after his premature death.

### [Lily Holl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_wives_tale_se/characters/lily_holl)

_romantic_

Young lovers who marry, but Dick dies young, leaving Lily a widow.

### [Lily Holl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_wives_tale_se/characters/lily_holl)

_romantic_

Young lovers who marry, but Dick dies young, leaving Lily a widow.

### [Constance Baines](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_wives_tale_se/characters/constance_baines)

_family_

Mother and son, with Constance doting on Dick and grieving deeply after his premature death.

### [Constance Baines](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_wives_tale_se/characters/constance_baines)

_family_

Mother and son, with Constance doting on Dick and grieving deeply after his premature death.

## In the story

### [Christmas and the Future](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_wives_tale_se/chapters/ii-christmas-and-the-future)

Daniel Povey's 11-year-old son, who rides a boneshaker through St. Luke's Square, drawing the attention of the whole town.

### [End of Constance](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_wives_tale_se/chapters/v-end-of-constance)

Constance's nephew by marriage, engaged to Lily Holl. He mentions Federation in Constance's presence, provoking her strong opposition.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_wives_tale_se/characters/dick_povey
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_wives_tale_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_wives_tale_se/characters