# Mrs. Travers — The Rescue character guide > Mrs. Travers in The Rescue by Joseph Conrad. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Emma, Edith Travers, Edith **First appearance:** 0003-the-rescue ## Snapshot A yacht-bound wife whose ironic intelligence has made her an outsider, she finds herself drawn toward Lingard's dangerous, unpolished world. ## Who they are Mrs. Travers moves through the social world of the yacht as a woman whose 'detestable reputation of mental superiority' has left her admired by few and mistrusted by many. Her husband diagnoses her as 'imperfectly civilized'; she counters that she is the most severely disciplined person alive, a tension that defines her. Aboard the stranded Emma, where Lingard has built her a muslin-screened shelter, she becomes the hinge between the Europeans and the adventurer's cause, and her choices begin to carry weight for everyone. ## In the story ### [Author’s Note](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/author-s-note) Implied as one of the familiar faces waiting in the abandoned tale. ### [The Rescue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/the-rescue) A key figure from the stranded yacht, whose fate becomes intertwined with Lingard's. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/iv) Seen on the yacht, watching the brig's approach. ### [Part II: The Shore of Refuge](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/part-ii-the-shore-of-refuge) Seeks Lingard's help and engages in a deep conversation with him. ### [Part III: The Capture](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/part-iii-the-capture) Returns to the yacht to find her husband captured; becomes emotionally distraught and seeks Lingard's help. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/i) Mrs. Travers is introduced as a passive observer, with d'Alcacer noting her scorn and latent capacity for sympathy. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/ii) Answers d'Alcacer without looking up, appears indifferent and detached. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/iii) Watches the confrontation, exchanges remarks with d'Alcacer, and remains silent during the argument. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/iv) Moves impulsively to confront Immada, showing compassion and curiosity, and is persuaded by d'Alcacer to engage Lingard. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/v) Pensive and withdrawn, she reflects on the strangeness of Lingard and the dreamlike quiet of the evening. She engages in a subdued conversation with d'Alcacer about the captain. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/vi) Meets Lingard secretly at night, feeling immense curiosity and a longing for truth. She is startled by his actions and questions, and becomes fascinated by his passion and simple expressions. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/vii) She reflects on Lingard's trust, feels isolated and helpless, and learns of the kidnapping. She agrees to attempt the rescue. ### [Chapter VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/viii) Haunts Lingard's thoughts; he imagines seeing her on board, and his promise to protect her weighs on him. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/ix) Sends Carter with a message of trust for Lingard, which influences the outcome of the confrontation. ### [Part IV: The Gift of the Shallows](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/part-iv-the-gift-of-the-shallows) She is resolute in her decision to stay with Lingard, despite Carter's concerns and the danger. She is introspective, questioning her own motives and the nature of her relationship with Lingard. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/i) Leaves the yacht with Lingard, trusting him blindly. She is quiet and contemplative, and expresses her expectation of his actions and her desire to trust him. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/ii) Confronts Lingard in the cabin, demanding he save her husband and d'Alcacer. She asserts her knowledge of his secret and appeals to his generosity. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/iii) Pleads for the lives of the captives, feeling a deep compassion for Lingard and a sense of mission. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/iv) Listens intently, offers to help, and becomes the object of Lingard's intense emotional focus. ### [Part V: The Point of Honour and the Point of Passion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/part-v-the-point-of-honour-and-the-point-of-passion) Awakens in tears, emotionally conflicted over her feelings for Lingard and her duty to her husband. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/i) Engages in a heated argument with her husband, defending Lingard and d'Alcacer, and reflecting on her own disciplined nature. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/ii) Feels burdened by Lingard's confidences, considers sharing them with d'Alcacer, observes the negotiation with Daman, and insists on accompanying Lingard to the stockade. ### [Chapter III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/iii) Engages in intimate conversations with Lingard and d'Alcacer, revealing her disillusionment with life and her fascination with Lingard's world. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/iv) Austere and tense, Mrs. Travers is struggling to maintain her composure. She reads Carter's letter and understands the political implications, while also navigating the intense personal and emotional undercurrents of her interaction with Lingard. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/v) Supports Lingard's decision to return the captives, showing her courage and loyalty. She gives d'Alcacer a sign as he requested and is deeply affected by Lingard's intensity. ### [Chapter VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/vi) Emotionally conflicted, she calls Lingard back but he departs; later she informs d'Alcacer of the decision to surrender. ### [Part VI: The Claim of Life and the Toll of Death](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/part-vi-the-claim-of-life-and-the-toll-of-death) Consumed by anxiety and a profound sense of loss after Lingard's departure, she realizes the depth of her feelings for him. Her emotional state is central to this chapter. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/i) Exhausted and emotionally drained, she confronts Jörgenson and demands to go ashore to join the others. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/iii) Initially refuses to engage with Jörgenson but is convinced to undertake the dangerous task of delivering the ring to Lingard. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/iv) She is central to the chapter, navigating the political tensions, confronting Lingard, and wrestling with the secret ring and her mistrust of Jörgenson. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/v) Reflects on Lingard's belief in her, feels profound compassion for him, and is moved by his vulnerability. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/vii) Seen on the verandah with d'Alcacer, she has declared her intention to go out with the prisoners if they are given up. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/chapters/ix) Confronts Lingard, confesses despair, returns to yacht, then leaves again to meet Lingard at dawn. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/characters/emma_travers - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_rescue_se/characters