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The Subjection of Women · Character

Her Master

The husband whose legal absorption of his wife's property, earnings, children, and body makes him, in Mill's accounting, a more total master than any slaveholder.

supporting

Also known as her master, himself

First appearance: i

As a supporting figure in The Subjection of Women, Her Master is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

The husband is described as the legal master of the wife, with power over her property and person.
In the storyChapter II: The Marriage Contract and Legal SubordinationOpen this moment free

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He is not a caricature of cruelty but the ordinary man the law arms with extraordinary power: to seize her wages, claim her children, compel her return, and demand the last familiarity regardless of her loathing. The…

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See Her Master in i

Character Web

2 connections

A slice of how Her Master sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

TRThe RomansNANarratorHMHer Master

Relationship types

  • Social
  • Psychological

Character groups

  • Historical and Religious Authorities
  • Protagonist

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

SetupClimax
  • Setup
  • Breaking point

The emotional and psychological peak occurs when the narrator reveals the unexpected, empirical discovery that…

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Relationships

Relationship notes

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See Her Master in i

In the story

Her Master appears across 2 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Chapter companion notes

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See Her Master in i
Who is Her Master in The Subjection of Women?