# Gerald Scales — The Old Wives’ Tale character guide

> Gerald Scales in The Old Wives’ Tale by Arnold Bennett.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Gerald, Mr. Gerald Scales, Mr. Scales, Scales, young Scales

**First appearance:** 0005-ii-the-tooth

## Snapshot

A handsome, glib commercial traveller whose charm wins Sophia Baines and whose fecklessness slowly reveals itself as a kind of weather she must live inside.

## Who they are

Gerald Scales arrives in Bursley as a bright smile and a lively gesture, the sort of man a shopgirl is warned against and a proud daughter cannot resist. He is irreclaimably a fool and a prodigy of irresponsibleness, resentful of his wife's height and her dignity, ready to suggest she write home for money. His weakness is the engine of Sophia's long exile, and his presence haunts the novel even when he is absent from it.

## Relationships

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

_romantic_

Passionate but ultimately destructive romantic relationship, with Gerald as a charming but unreliable suitor who abandons Sophia.

### [Madame Foucault](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_wives_tale_se/characters/madame_foucault)

_social_

Acquaintances through Sophia's Parisian life, with Gerald's visits to Madame Foucault's pension causing tension.

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

_romantic_

Passionate but ultimately destructive romantic relationship, with Gerald as a charming but unreliable suitor who abandons Sophia.

### [Madame Foucault](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_wives_tale_se/characters/madame_foucault)

_social_

Acquaintances through Sophia's Parisian life, with Gerald's visits to Madame Foucault's pension causing tension.

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

_romantic_

Passionate but ultimately destructive romantic relationship, with Gerald as a charming but unreliable suitor who abandons Sophia.

### [Madame Foucault](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_wives_tale_se/characters/madame_foucault)

_social_

Acquaintances through Sophia's Parisian life, with Gerald's visits to Madame Foucault's pension causing tension.

## In the story

### [Elephant](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_wives_tale_se/chapters/iv-elephant)

A commercial traveller for Birkinshaws who arrives during the Wakes and speaks with Sophia in the shop.

### [VI: Escapade](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_wives_tale_se/chapters/vi-escapade)

Gerald Scales is the object of Sophia's passion; his brief encounter with her in Wedgwood Street sparks her secret joy.

### [VII: A Defeat](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_wives_tale_se/chapters/vii-a-defeat)

Elopes with Sophia after inheriting twelve thousand pounds from an aunt.

### [Book III: Sophia](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_wives_tale_se/chapters/book-iii-sophia)

Sophia's husband; his reckless spending leads to the loss of their fortune.

### [I: The Elopement](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_wives_tale_se/chapters/i-the-elopement)

Gerald initially leaves Sophia but returns, overcome with desire and emotion, agreeing to marry her and arranging a boardinghouse.

### [II: Supper](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_wives_tale_se/chapters/ii-supper)

Gerald is proud, drunk, and careless. He abandons Sophia at the restaurant and later lies about his bleeding lip, adopting a magisterial tone to deflect blame.

### [III: An Ambition Satisfied](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_wives_tale_se/chapters/iii-an-ambition-satisfied)

Gerald is embarrassed by the orgy, hides the execution from Sophia, and remains cool toward her after the previous night's events.

### [A Crisis for Gerald](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_wives_tale_se/chapters/iv-a-crisis-for-gerald)

Abandons Sophia after borrowing money from Chirac, returns to demand she write for money, then leaves permanently.

### [Fever](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_wives_tale_se/chapters/v-fever)

Mentioned in Sophia's thoughts as the man she eloped with, now viewed with disdain and seen as having vanished from her life.

### [VII: Success](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_wives_tale_se/chapters/vii-success)

Mentioned as the source of the two hundred pounds Sophia used to build her fortune.

### [Book IV: What Life Is](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_wives_tale_se/chapters/book-iv-what-life-is)

Gerald's influence lingers as a symbol of fate and the irreversibility of choices, particularly through his relationship with Sophia.

### [I: Frensham’s](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_wives_tale_se/chapters/i-frensham-s)

No word from him; his past with Sophia is alluded to in her fears of being recognized.

### [IV: End of Sophia](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_wives_tale_se/chapters/iv-end-of-sophia)

His death is confirmed via a letter from Mr. Till Boldero.

## Links

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