# Mrs. Melbury — The Woodlanders character guide

> Mrs. Melbury in The Woodlanders by Thomas Hardy.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Mrs. Melbury, poor Melbury

**First appearance:** 0000-i

## Snapshot

George Melbury's second wife, a homespun woman whose kindness raised another woman's child and whose anxious deference keeps peace in a house she never quite owns.

## Who they are

She married the timber merchant chiefly to mother his motherless daughter Grace, and she has done that work so quietly that her own place in the family is nearly invisible. Her habit of anxious agreement — the shawl, the standing when she might sit — marks a woman braced for bad news she assumes is always coming. When Melbury's plans for Grace begin to curdle, her nervous watchfulness becomes one of the household's few registers of how badly things are going.

## In the story

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

Comforts Melbury and discusses the plan for Grace to marry Giles, though she initially questions the wisdom of not marrying rich.

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

Informs Giles that Grace is preparing for her visit to Mrs. Charmond.

### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/ix)

Accompanies her husband and daughter to Giles's party; shows concern about arriving too early.

### [The Party at Winterborne's](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/x)

Present at the party; comments on Fitzpiers's late-night light after the walk home.

### [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xi)

Defends Giles and reassures her husband that Grace will adapt to Hintock life; hospitable to Giles despite the inconvenience.

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

Mentioned as a possible advocate for Grammer, but deemed unlikely to sway Fitzpiers.

### [XX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xx)

Accompanies Grace to the ritual and deliberately directs Fitzpiers to intercept her stepdaughter.

### [XXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xxii)

Present during the discussion of Fitzpiers's courtship; she encourages Grace to see the match as a triumph.

### [XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xxiii)

Mrs. Melbury is present during Fitzpiers's visit and encourages Grace to accompany him to the door.

### [XXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xxiv)

Mrs. Melbury is briefly mentioned as being in a flutter over the arrival of Grace's wedding gown.

### [XXV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xxv)

Helps organize the welcome supper for the returning couple.

### [XXXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/chapters/xxxiv)

Informs Melbury of Fitzpiers's likely visit to the Manor House.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/characters/mrs_melbury
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_woodlanders_se/characters