← All characters

The Way We Live Now · Character

Augustus Melmotte

A colossal financier of uncertain origin whose Grosvenor Square grandeur and Abchurch Lane schemes make dukes court him and rivals whisper that he is the greatest swindler alive.

major

Also known as Mr. Melmotte, Melmotte, old Melmotte, the great Melmotte

First appearance: ii the carbury family

As a major figure in The Way We Live Now, Augustus Melmotte is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Mentioned as being more concerned with dukes than his daughter's suitors.
In the storyThe BeargardenOpen this moment free

Melmotte arrives in London with a fortune made abroad, a wife who barely speaks English, and a talent for making money dear or cheap as he pleases; within a year a Royal Prince and the cream of duchesses are dining at his table. He is purse-proud, bullying, and magnificent, a man whose power redeems his vulgar face but never quite his reputation. He matters because every ambition in the novel—social, financial, marital—must pass through him, and no one, including his own daughter, can decide whether he is a genius or a fraud.

Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.

Character Web

53 connections

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

MPMr. PrimeroLNLord NidderdaleSFSir Felix Carb…ALAdolphus Longe…LCLady CarburyAMAugustus Melmotte

Relationship types

  • Professional
  • Other

Character groups

  • Central plot drivers
  • Minor and background figures
  • Protagonist

+48 more in the full Character Web

Open in reader

Narrative arc

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

SetupEscalationClimax
  • Setup
  • Escalation
  • Breaking point
  • Aftermath
  • Closing

This excerpt marks the dramatic climax because it reveals the central emotional and psychological crisis: Hett…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

Follow the arc while reading

Relationships

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Augustus Melmotte in ii the carbury family

In the story

Augustus Melmotte appears across 53 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Augustus Melmotte unlock in the free preview.

See Augustus Melmotte in ii the carbury family