# Mrs. Pontifex — The Way of All Flesh character guide

> Mrs. Pontifex in The Way of All Flesh by Samuel Butler.

**Role:** minor

**Also known as:** old Mrs. Pontifex, John Pontifex, Mrs. John Pontifex

**First appearance:** 0004-ii

## Who they are

George Pontifex's wife and Ernest's grandmother.

## In the story

### [The Way of All Flesh](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_of_all_flesh_se/chapters/the-way-of-all-flesh)

George Pontifex's wife and Theobald's mother, a quiet presence in the household.

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

Old Mrs. Pontifex, the wife of the carpenter, described as a tall, square-shouldered woman who dominated her husband.

### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_of_all_flesh_se/chapters/ii)

George's mother, who initially refuses to believe she is pregnant, but later shows deep though undemonstrative affection for her son.

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

Old Mrs. Pontifex, who died suddenly of a fit of paralysis in 1811.

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

One of the Pontifex grandchildren; a year older than the narrator; sneered at penny loaves and fought with the narrator.

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

Referred to as George's son with tendencies that made his father very uneasy.

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

John, Theobald's elder brother, is good-looking, diplomatic, and favored by their father, often playing the role of a second authority figure over Theobald.

### [XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_of_all_flesh_se/chapters/xvii)

Mentioned as having only daughters, causing dismay in Woburn Square at the birth of Ernest.

### [Chapter XXXVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_of_all_flesh_se/chapters/xxxvi)

Old Mrs. Pontifex; Alethea is buried near her grave.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_of_all_flesh_se/characters/mrs_pontifex_senior
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_of_all_flesh_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_of_all_flesh_se/characters