# The Vicar — The Wonderful Visit character guide > The Vicar in The Wonderful Visit by H. G. Wells. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Vicar, VIII The Vicar, the Vicar **First appearance:** 0007-vi-the-vicar-and-the-angel ## Snapshot A gentle, slightly hazy clergyman who takes the fallen Angel into his home, and finds his tidy faith and tidier habits quietly coming apart. ## Who they are The Vicar is the Angel's first host and interpreter, the man who names him, clothes him, and tries to explain pain, necessity, and leg of lamb to a guest who has never heard of any of them. His sermons have begun to slip, his tie is askew, and Doctor Crump thinks he is verging on monomania, but he keeps choosing the Angel over the parish's comfort. He matters because his slow transformation from respectable incumbent to someone who preaches 'Eye hath not seen' is the story's emotional center. ## Relationships ### [The Angel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/characters/the_angel) _friendship_ The Vicar is fascinated by the Angel and tries to protect and understand him, forming a bond of wonder and mutual curiosity. ### [Mrs. Mendham](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/characters/mrs_mendham) _social_ Mrs. Mendham is a parishioner who frequently criticizes the Vicar's decisions, especially regarding the Angel. ### [Doctor Crump](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/characters/doctor_crump) _professional_ Doctor Crump and the Vicar have a collegial but often contentious relationship, debating the Angel's origins and meaning. ### [Lady Hammergallow](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/characters/lady_hammergallow) _social_ Lady Hammergallow is a prominent parishioner who pressures the Vicar to conform to social expectations and expel the Angel. ### [Sir John Gotch](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/characters/sir_john_gotch) _rivalry_ Sir John Gotch and the Vicar clash over authority and the proper handling of the Angel, with Gotch favoring harsh measures. ### [The Curate from Iping Hanger](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/characters/the_curate_from_iping_hanger) _professional_ The Curate is a fellow clergyman who offers the Vicar cautious support but is easily swayed by village gossip. ### [Horrocks](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/characters/horrocks) _professional_ Horrocks is the Vicar's servant, loyal but bewildered by the strange events surrounding the Angel. ### [Mr. Rathbone Slater](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/characters/mr_rathbone_slater) _social_ Mr. Rathbone Slater is a village acquaintance who enjoys provoking the Vicar with his irreverent views. ### [The Angel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/characters/the_angel) _friendship_ The Vicar is fascinated by the Angel and tries to protect and understand him, forming a bond of wonder and mutual curiosity. ### [The Angel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/characters/the_angel) _friendship_ The Vicar is fascinated by the Angel and tries to protect and understand him, forming a bond of wonder and mutual curiosity. ### [Mrs. Mendham](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/characters/mrs_mendham) _social_ Mrs. Mendham is a parishioner who frequently criticizes the Vicar's decisions, especially regarding the Angel. ### [Mrs. Mendham](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/characters/mrs_mendham) _social_ Mrs. Mendham is a parishioner who frequently criticizes the Vicar's decisions, especially regarding the Angel. ## In the story ### [The Wonderful Visit](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/the-wonderful-visit) The local vicar who encounters the angel and must reconcile his faith with the miraculous event. ### [II: The Coming of the Strange Bird](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/ii-the-coming-of-the-strange-bird) Mentioned as the Vicar of Siddermorton, who hears the ploughman's account and speculates the bird might be a flamingo. ### [III: The Hunting of the Strange Bird](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/iii-the-hunting-of-the-strange-bird) The Vicar of Siddermorton, an ornithologist, decides to hunt the Strange Bird after hearing reports of it and the Glare on Sidderford Moor. He takes his gun and leaves by the front door to avoid his housekeeper and the curate's wife. ### [V: The Hunting of the Strange Bird (Continued)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/v-the-hunting-of-the-strange-bird-continued) Hunts and shoots the strange bird, discovering it is the Angel, and expresses regret. ### [VI: The Vicar and the Angel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/vi-the-vicar-and-the-angel) Shoots the Angel, bandages his wing, and speculates about multiple worlds and dimensions. ### [VII: The Vicar and the Angel (Continued)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/vii-the-vicar-and-the-angel-continued) Engages in conversations with the Angel about the nature of the Angels' world, struggling to comprehend its strangeness. ### [VIII: The Vicar and the Angel (Continued)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/viii-the-vicar-and-the-angel-continued) Explains hunger, eating, pain, and death to the Angel; invites the Angel to his home; realizes he left his gun in the bracken. ### [IX: Parenthesis on Angels](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/ix-parenthesis-on-angels) Referenced as the one who shot the Angel, though the chapter is a parenthetical clarification. ### [X: At the Vicarage](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/x-at-the-vicarage) Brings the Angel to the vicarage, is horrorstruck by the reaction of the tennis players, and contemplates the difficulty of explaining the Angel's appearance. ### [XI: At the Vicarage (Continued)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/xi-at-the-vicarage-continued) Diplomatically tries to convince the Angel to dress conventionally to fit into society. ### [XII: At the Vicarage (Continued)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/xii-at-the-vicarage-continued) Attempts to teach the Angel about human customs and explains his collection of stuffed birds, causing the Angel distress. ### [XIII: The Man of Science](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/xiii-the-man-of-science) Explains to Doctor Crump that he mistook the Angel for a large bird and shot him, and is amazed at the Doctor's matter-of-fact manner. ### [XIV: The Man of Science (Continued)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/xiv-the-man-of-science-continued) Relates his encounter with the Angel to Doctor Crump, but is increasingly uncertain and swayed by the Doctor's rational explanations. ### [XV: The Curate](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/xv-the-curate) Struggles to convince the skeptical curate of the angel's reality, growing desperate and uncertain of his own sanity. ### [XVI: The Curate (Continued)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/xvi-the-curate-continued) Attempts to mediate between the Angel and Mendham, repeatedly trying to point out the Angel's wings; is rebuked by Mendham for his perceived levity. ### [XVII: The Curate (Continued)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/xvii-the-curate-continued) The Vicar advises the Angel to conceal his angelic nature to avoid social upheaval, while privately still believing in him. ### [XVIII: After Dinner](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/xviii-after-dinner) Explains the human lifecycle, his own doubts about faith, and the routine of his clerical duties. ### [XIX: After Dinner (Continued)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/xix-after-dinner-continued) Explains darkness, beds, fire, and soap to the Angel; tucks him in and worries about the difficulty of acclimating the Angel to earthly life. ### [XX: After Dinner (Continued)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/xx-after-dinner-continued) Referred to as mad by both the Curate and Mrs. Mendham; accused of shirking serious problems and being childish. ### [XXI: After Dinner (Continued)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/xxi-after-dinner-continued) Lies awake, troubled by Mrs. Mendham's potential gossip and a new sense of wonder about the world. ### [Morning](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/xxii-morning) The Vicar tries to explain the division of labor and social arrangements to the Angel, offering a book for further clarification. ### [XXIII: The Violin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/xxiii-the-violin) Is deeply moved by the Angel's playing, experiences a transcendent vision, and gives up playing the violin. ### [XXIV: The Angel Explores the Village](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/xxiv-the-angel-explores-the-village) Allows the Angel to go into the village alone, partly to avoid public scrutiny. ### [XXVI: The Angel Explores the Village (Continued)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/xxvi-the-angel-explores-the-village-continued) Referenced as the one who shot the angel with his gun. ### [XXVIII: Lady Hammergallow's View](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/xxviii-lady-hammergallow-s-view) Struggles to correct Lady Hammergallow's misunderstanding about the Angel, feels his world unraveling, and experiences a crisis of faith and reality. ### [XXXI: Mrs. Jehoram's Breadth of View](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/xxxi-mrs-jehoram-s-breadth-of-view) Mentioned as the host of the stranger and as someone who plays the violin, though the playing heard was not his. ### [The Warp and the Woof of Things](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/xxxiii-the-warp-and-the-woof-of-things) Engages in a deep discussion with the Angel about the universality of pain, explaining that pain is the 'warp and the woof' of life and struggling to imagine a world without it. ### [The Angel's Debut](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/xxxiv-the-angel-s-debut) Anxiously tries to prepare the Angel for the event and is shattered by the social disaster. ### [XXXVI: The Angel’s Debut (Continued)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/xxxvi-the-angel-s-debut-continued) Tries to teach the Angel the proper behavior of a gentleman; rises with an inarticulate cry when the Angel takes the tray. ### [XXXVII: The Angel’s Debut (Continued)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/xxxvii-the-angel-s-debut-continued) Mortified by the Angel's behavior, realizes he forgot to explain servants to him, and leads the Angel away in disgrace. ### [XXXVIII: The Trouble of the Barbed Wire](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/xxxviii-the-trouble-of-the-barbed-wire) Dejected and desperate after the social disaster, learns from Horrocks about the Angel's barbed wire vandalism and struggles with how to handle the situation with Sir John Gotch. ### [XXXIX: The Trouble of the Barbed Wire (Continued)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/xxxix-the-trouble-of-the-barbed-wire-continued) Torn between the Angelic and earthly worlds; worries about Sir John Gotch's reaction and the social collapse. ### [XLI: Doctor Crump Acts](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/xli-doctor-crump-acts) Mentioned as being negatively influenced by the Angel, having changed his behavior and preaching. ### [XLII: Sir John Gotch Acts](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/xlii-sir-john-gotch-acts) Struggles with the ultimatum, torn between his duty to the Angel and the pressure from Sir John Gotch. ### [XLIV: Mrs. Hinijer Acts](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/xliv-mrs-hinijer-acts) Already distressed by a bishop's letter, he reluctantly agrees to the Angel's departure. ### [XLV: The Angel in Trouble](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/xlv-the-angel-in-trouble) Proclaims the Angel must go, feels remorse for betraying him, and later dreams of the Angelic Land. ### [The Last Day of the Visit](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/xlvii-the-last-day-of-the-visit) Disconcerted after Mrs. Hinijer's interview, spends the day making a list of clothes for the Angel, and grows increasingly anxious as the Angel fails to return. ### [LI: The Last Day of the Visit (Continued)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/li-the-last-day-of-the-visit-continued) Present at the fire, his scalded hand being tied up; sees the Angel enter the doorway. ### [LIII: The Epilogue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/chapters/liii-the-epilogue) Mentioned as having died within a year of the fire, never recovering from the loss of his stuffed birds, and plagued by 'queerest delusions about angels.' His transformation is noted but trivialized by Mrs. Mendham. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/characters/the_vicar - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_visit_se/characters