The Sign of the Four · Character
Captain Morstan
Mary Morstan's long-lost father, an Indian Army officer whose unexplained disappearance left his daughter with nothing but a mystery.
supporting
Also known as Morstan
First appearance: II: The Statement of the Case
As a supporting figure in The Sign of the Four, Captain Morstan is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
Miss Morstan's father, who disappeared on December 3, 1878, after returning from India.
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Morstan vanished years before the story opens, leaving his daughter Mary alone in London and a chain of unanswered questions behind him. His connection to Major Sholto and the Agra treasure is the thread that pulls…
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The fuller portrait of Captain Morstan sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.
See Captain Morstan in II: The Statement of the CaseCharacter Web
8 connectionsA slice of how Captain Morstan sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Other
Character groups
- Main characters and suspects
- Protagonist
+3 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
In this excerpt, the emotional and psychological peak occurs when Jonathan Small reveals he has thrown the tre…
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Captain Morstan appears across 3 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
Chapter companion notes
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See Captain Morstan in II: The Statement of the Case