# Ridley Ambrose — The Voyage Out character guide

> Ridley Ambrose in The Voyage Out by Virginia Woolf.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Ridley, Uncle Ridley, Mr. Ambrose

**First appearance:** 0000-i

## Snapshot

Helen's irritable, scholarly husband, absorbed in his edition of Pindar and in grievances about shirts, visitors, and the nuisance of other people.

## Who they are

Ridley Ambrose is a classical scholar whose edition of Pindar matters more to him than the social life his wife manages around him. He grumbles about the washing of his shirts, about the bore Hughling Elliot, about seeing too many people, yet he cannot simply turn anyone from the door. His distracted erudition and conjugal patter with Helen establish the villa as a place of books and unspoken tensions, the intellectual backdrop against which Rachel's education begins.

## Relationships

### [Helen Ambrose](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_out_se/characters/helen_ambrose)

_family_

Ridley is Helen's husband, a scholarly man with whom she has a strained but affectionate marriage.

### [Helen Ambrose](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_out_se/characters/helen_ambrose)

_family_

Ridley is Helen's husband, a scholarly man with whom she has a strained but affectionate marriage.

### [Helen Ambrose](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_out_se/characters/helen_ambrose)

_family_

Ridley is Helen's husband, a scholarly man with whom she has a strained but affectionate marriage.

## In the story

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_out_se/chapters/i)

Seen in the dining-room with Mr. Pepper, absorbed in talk about Cambridge and the old days.

### [Chapter III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_out_se/chapters/iii)

Appears unkempt and gloomy at dinner; dismisses women's suffrage and jokes about traveling with children.

### [Chapter IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_out_se/chapters/iv)

Prowls unheeded and strides off in disgust after Richard falls asleep.

### [Chapter V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_out_se/chapters/v)

Takes Rachel for a turn on deck during the storm's subsidence.

### [Chapter VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_out_se/chapters/vii)

Sighs 'Poor fellow!' regarding Mr. Pepper, and speculates on the unkindness of women.

### [Chapter VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_out_se/chapters/viii)

Engages in a playful argument with Helen about his vanity; refuses to join the walk.

### [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_out_se/chapters/xiii)

Found in his study editing Pindar, he reluctantly lends Rachel a book and questions her about the dance.

### [XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_out_se/chapters/xv)

Warns Helen to keep an eye on Rachel, suspecting the young men's motives; shares his grievances about social life.

### [XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_out_se/chapters/xxiii)

Joins the lunch conversation, making it more formal and polite with stories of distinguished people.

### [Chapter XXV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_out_se/chapters/xxv)

Ridley is present but largely silent, sighing deeply and murmuring poetry, showing his sympathy and discomfort with the ongoing crisis.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_out_se/characters/ridley_ambrose
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_out_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_voyage_out_se/characters