# George Melbury — The Woodlanders character guide > George Melbury in The Woodlanders by Thomas Hardy. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Mr. Melbury, Melbury, Mr. George Melbury **First appearance:** 0000-i ## Snapshot A prosperous timber-merchant who educated his daughter above her station and now cannot decide whether he has made her a lady or merely made her unhappy. ## Who they are Melbury is a self-made man haunted by an old wrong done to a dead friend, which he tried to repay by promising Grace to Giles Winterborne. When Fitzpiers appears with better breeding and brighter prospects, Melbury urges his daughter toward the gentleman, only to watch the match sour. His anxious, well-meaning meddling drives much of the plot, and his late reckoning with his own mistakes gives the novel its bitterest irony. ## Relationships ### [Grace Melbury](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/characters/grace_melbury) _family_ George is Grace's father, who dotes on her but pressures her into a socially advantageous marriage against her heart. ### [Giles Winterborne](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/characters/giles_winterborne) _professional_ George Melbury employs Giles as a woodsman and initially approves of him as a suitor for Grace, but later withdraws support. ### [Felice Charmond](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/characters/felice_charmond) _social_ Felice Charmond and George Melbury are neighbors of different social classes, with occasional formal interactions. ### [Grace Melbury](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/characters/grace_melbury) _family_ George is Grace's father, who dotes on her but pressures her into a socially advantageous marriage against her heart. ### [Giles Winterborne](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/characters/giles_winterborne) _professional_ George Melbury employs Giles as a woodsman and initially approves of him as a suitor for Grace, but later withdraws support. ### [Felice Charmond](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/characters/felice_charmond) _social_ Felice Charmond and George Melbury are neighbors of different social classes, with occasional formal interactions. ### [Felice Charmond](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/characters/felice_charmond) _social_ Felice Charmond and George Melbury are neighbors of different social classes, with occasional formal interactions. ### [Grace Melbury](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/characters/grace_melbury) _family_ George is Grace's father, who dotes on her but pressures her into a socially advantageous marriage against her heart. ### [Giles Winterborne](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/characters/giles_winterborne) _professional_ George Melbury employs Giles as a woodsman and initially approves of him as a suitor for Grace, but later withdraws support. ## In the story ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/iii) Reveals his plan to marry Grace to Giles Winterborne to atone for wronging Giles's father; worries about Grace's silence and his financial provision for her. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/iv) Anxious about Grace's return; polishes the gig and harness, and invites Giles to join him in meeting Grace. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/vi) Welcomes Grace home warmly but forgets Giles outside; he is pleased with his timber arrangement with Mrs. Charmond. ### [Chapter VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/vii) Attends the auction with Grace, is annoyed by Giles's bidding, but later boasts to Giles about Grace's invitation to Mrs. Charmond. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/ix) Initially hesitant about the party, but after visiting John Winterborne's grave, he commits to supporting Giles and the match. ### [The Party at Winterborne's](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/x) Observes the party with growing dissatisfaction; worries that Grace's education has spoiled her for Giles. ### [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xi) Struggles with his conscience over letting Grace marry Giles, fearing her education will be wasted; blames Giles's party for Mrs. Charmond's withdrawal. ### [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xii) Melbury is determined to secure a high-status marriage for Grace, reacting strongly to a slight from a hunter and questioning his commitment to Giles. ### [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xiii) Not present in the chapter but referenced as the one who advised Grace to break off the engagement. ### [Chapter XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xv) Moved by Giles's misfortune; advises him to write to Mrs. Charmond; insists the engagement is over; accepts Giles's formal release. ### [XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xvi) Mentioned as Grace's father; his house is noted as having been the manorial residence of Little Hintock. ### [XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xvii) Grace asks that her father not be told of the bargain with Fitzpiers. ### [XIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xix) Melbury is pleased to find Fitzpiers at the picnic and engages him in conversation, sharing timber stories. He controls the horse after it becomes restless and is satisfied to have Fitzpiers as a guest. ### [XXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xxii) Visits Fitzpiers ostensibly about Grace's cough but is overjoyed when Fitzpiers asks to court her; he values Fitzpiers's family lineage over his professional standing and pressures Grace to accept the match. ### [XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xxiii) Mr. Melbury actively promotes the match with Fitzpiers, studies old medical texts to converse with him, and anxiously oversees the engagement's progress. ### [XXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xxiv) George Melbury insists Grace honor the engagement, having already publicized it, and pressures her with threats of disownment. ### [XXV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xxv) Prepares rooms for the couple, chides his wife for the supper, and is protective of Grace. ### [XXVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xxvi) Mentioned as snoring in his part of the house when Fitzpiers returns. ### [XXVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xxviii) Mentioned as the source of Fitzpiers's horse and money; Grace asks Giles not to tell him about the affair. ### [XXIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xxix) Melbury is tormented by guilt over forcing Grace to marry Fitzpiers instead of Giles Winterborne. He resolves to investigate Mrs. Charmond's past. ### [Chapter 31](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xxx) Becomes fiercely protective of Grace, watching Fitzpiers and Mrs. Charmond with jealous vigilance; resolves to fight his daughter's battle. ### [XXXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xxxi) Tormented by guilt and regret, Melbury confesses his past wrong to Giles and resolves to appeal to Mrs. Charmond. ### [XXXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xxxii) Visits Hintock House to confront Mrs. Charmond about her affair with Fitzpiers, pleading for his daughter's happiness. ### [XXXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xxxiii) Absent from home; Grace worries about his errand to confront Mrs. Charmond. ### [XXXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xxxiv) Returns from fetching Grace, follows Fitzpiers to the Manor House, and witnesses his encounter with Mrs. Charmond. ### [XXXV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xxxv) Supports Fitzpiers home, overhears his disloyal confessions, and in a fit of rage throws him from the horse. ### [XXXVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xxxvi) The attacker; his animosity toward Fitzpiers is revealed as the cause of the wound. ### [XXXVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xxxvii) Travels to London on legal business; writes to Grace exaggerating the progress of divorce proceedings and urging her to encourage Winterborne. ### [XXXVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xxxviii) Acts impulsively out of anxiety to repair his earlier error, urging Giles to prepare to woo Grace despite legal obstacles. ### [XXXIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xxxix) Melbury, broken by the discovery that his plan to annul Grace's marriage has failed, forbids Grace and Giles from walking together. He writes letters urging Grace to encourage Giles, fearing he will lose him. ### [XL](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xl) Advises Grace against going abroad but later suggests she might reconcile with Fitzpiers if he returns. ### [XLII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xlii) Mentioned as having decided not to follow Grace after her flight, sympathizing with her despite deploring it. ### [XLIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xliii) Accompanies Grace home and tells her about the death of Mrs. Charmond and the role of Marty's letter. ### [XLVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xlvii) Mentioned as Grace's father, who is unaware of her secret meetings with Fitzpiers and may be vexed to learn of them. ### [XLVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xlviii) Leads the search for his missing daughter, discovering the mantrap with her clothing and following reports to Sherton. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/characters/george_melbury - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/characters