# The Lady — The Wood Beyond the World character guide > The Lady in The Wood Beyond the World by William Morris. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Lady **First appearance:** 0010-xi-walter-happeneth-on-the-mistress ## Snapshot A radiant sorceress who rules a golden house in the wood, whose touch revives dead flowers and whose kindness is as dangerous as her anger. ## Who they are The Lady commands the strange land beyond the wood and holds Walter as her squire, speaking to him with an openhearted warmth that leaves him shamefaced and half convinced his earlier fears were a dream. Before the Bears she stands amid blossoms that knit themselves fresh about her, and the whole folk rise and shout and smite their shields, so plainly is she the heart of the year's increase. Yet she is also the Mistress who keeps the Maid in thrall and warns Walter, with a laugh, that other eyes look on her fair-ankled servant — a jealousy dressed as sport that makes her the story's central peril. ## Relationships ### [Golden Walter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/characters/golden_walter) _psychological_ The Lady manipulates and obsesses over Golden Walter, using her magical power to control him as a pawn in her schemes. ### [The Maid](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/characters/the_maid) _rivalry_ The Lady views the Maid as a rival and threat, treating her with cruelty and jealousy due to the Maid's connection to Walter. ### [Sir Squire](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/characters/sir_squire) _professional_ Sir Squire is a knight in service to the Lady, carrying out her commands and attending her court. ### [The Old Man](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/characters/the_old_man) _rivalry_ The Old Man opposes the Lady's magical tyranny, and she views him as an enemy who undermines her power. ### [The Dwarf](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/characters/the_dwarf) _professional_ The Dwarf is a loyal servant and messenger to the Lady, carrying out her often cruel orders. ### [Golden Walter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/characters/golden_walter) _psychological_ The Lady manipulates and obsesses over Golden Walter, using her magical power to control him as a pawn in her schemes. ### [Golden Walter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/characters/golden_walter) _psychological_ The Lady manipulates and obsesses over Golden Walter, using her magical power to control him as a pawn in her schemes. ### [Sir Squire](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/characters/sir_squire) _professional_ Sir Squire is a knight in service to the Lady, carrying out her commands and attending her court. ### [The Old Man](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/characters/the_old_man) _rivalry_ The Old Man opposes the Lady's magical tyranny, and she views him as an enemy who undermines her power. ### [The Maid](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/characters/the_maid) _rivalry_ The Lady views the Maid as a rival and threat, treating her with cruelty and jealousy due to the Maid's connection to Walter. ### [The Dwarf](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/characters/the_dwarf) _professional_ The Dwarf is a loyal servant and messenger to the Lady, carrying out her often cruel orders. ### [The Maid](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/characters/the_maid) _rivalry_ The Lady views the Maid as a rival and threat, treating her with cruelty and jealousy due to the Maid's connection to Walter. ## In the story ### [II: Golden Walter Takes Ship to Sail the Seas](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/chapters/ii-golden-walter-takes-ship-to-sail-the-seas) The lady is one of the three strangers; she is tall, stately, and radiantly beautiful, wearing glorious raiment. ### [III: Walter Heareth Tidings of the Death of His Father](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/chapters/iii-walter-heareth-tidings-of-the-death-of-his-father) The lady appears as a stately, richly adorned figure in the street, part of the vision that distracts Walter. ### [X: Walter Happeneth on Another Creature in the Strange Land](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/chapters/x-walter-happeneth-on-another-creature-in-the-strange-land) Referred to as the 'Mistress' who practices wizardry and desires Walter for herself; she is jealous and vengeful. ### [XI: Walter Happeneth on the Mistress](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/chapters/xi-walter-happeneth-on-the-mistress) Sits in the high-seat with the King's Son, speaks coldly to Walter, and offers him shelter without warmth. ### [XII: The Wearing of Four Days in the Wood Beyond the World](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/chapters/xii-the-wearing-of-four-days-in-the-wood-beyond-the-world) The Lady walks with the King's Son, displays disdain for Walter, and speaks of her power and potential cruelty toward the Maid. ### [XIII: Now Is the Hunt Up](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/chapters/xiii-now-is-the-hunt-up) The Lady shifts from coldness to warm familiarity, appointing Walter as her squire and teasing him about the Maid, while warning the Maid about the King's Son. ### [XIV: The Hunting of the Hart](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/chapters/xiv-the-hunting-of-the-hart) Hunts with Walter, weeps after losing the quarry, bathes, questions Walter about his past, and reacts with anger to the news of her likeness in Langton. ### [XV: The Slaying of the Quarry](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/chapters/xv-the-slaying-of-the-quarry) Leads the hunt, is attacked by the lion, rescued by Walter, and later offers him a kiss as a reward. ### [XVI: Of the King’s Son and the Maid](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/chapters/xvi-of-the-king-s-son-and-the-maid) Mentioned as the Maid’s mistress, weary of the King’s Son and skilled in wizardry. ### [Of the House and the Pleasance in the Wood](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/chapters/xvii-of-the-house-and-the-pleasance-in-the-wood) The Lady appears in a near-transparent garment, offers herself as a reward, grows angry at Walter's hesitation, then forgives him and embraces him. ### [The Maid Gives Walter Tryst](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/chapters/xviii-the-maid-gives-walter-tryst) Mentioned as someone Walter dreads meeting; she is absent from the garden in the morning. ### [XIX: Walter Goes to Fetch Home the Lion’s Hide](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/chapters/xix-walter-goes-to-fetch-home-the-lion-s-hide) Sits in the high-seat, speaks to Walter distantly as a servant, orders him to flay the lion; her demeanor contrasts sharply with their recent intimacy. ### [XX: Walter Is Bidden to Another Tryst](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/chapters/xx-walter-is-bidden-to-another-tryst) Kisses Walter, arranges a midnight tryst, and vows revenge on her enemy for the missing lion's hide. ### [Walter and the Maid Flee from the Golden House](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/chapters/xxi-walter-and-the-maid-flee-from-the-golden-house) Mentioned as the one who might set trackers after them; her fate is unknown. ### [Of the Dwarf and the Pardon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/chapters/xxii-of-the-dwarf-and-the-pardon) Mentioned as the one the Dwarf claims the Maid murdered. ### [XXIV: The Maid Tells of What Had Befallen Her](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/chapters/xxiv-the-maid-tells-of-what-had-befallen-her) Described as the Maid's cruel mistress, a sorceress who grows jealous and hateful upon discovering the Maid's wisdom, and who plots Walter's death. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/characters/the_lady - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wood_beyond_the_world_se/characters