Uncle Tom’s Cabin · Character

Augustine St. Clare

A witty, indolent New Orleans gentleman who despises slavery in principle yet cannot bring himself to act against it in practice.

major

Also known as St. Clare, Augustine, Mr. St. Clare

First appearance: XV: Of Tom’s New Master, and Various Other Matters

As a major figure in Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Augustine St. Clare is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Eva's father, a wealthy young gentleman, who negotiates with Haley to purchase Tom.

In the storyXIV: EvangelineOpen this moment free

See Augustine St. Clare in XIV: Evangeline Book page

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St. Clare is the son of a saintly mother and a wealthy Louisiana family, and he has inherited both a genuine kindness and a fatal habit of letting others—his wife, his overseers, the system itself—do the ugly work. He buys Tom on a whim and treats him well, but his charm and self-awareness never translate into the decisive act of manumission that would free the people he claims to love. His household becomes the novel's laboratory for the question of whether good intentions without courage can ever be enough.

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See Augustine St. Clare in XV: Of Tom’s New Master, and Various Other Matters

Character Web

20 connections

A slice of how Augustine St. Clare sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Family
Other

Character groups

St. Clare household and Shelby family
St. Clare relatives and abused boy

+15 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point

The "Endnotes" chapter serves as the dramatic climax because it abruptly shifts the narrative focus from the c…

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Relationships

Eva St. Clare
family · positive
Augustine is Eva's loving, indulgent father who adores her deeply and is profoundly… How this plays out →
Eva St. Clare
family · positive
Augustine is Eva's loving, indulgent father who adores her deeply and is profoundly… How this plays out →
Eva St. Clare
family · positive
Augustine is Eva's loving, indulgent father who adores her deeply and is profoundly… How this plays out →

Relationship notes

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See Augustine St. Clare in XV: Of Tom’s New Master, and Various Other Matters

In the story

Augustine St. Clare appears across 13 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

XIV: Evangeline
Eva's father, a wealthy young gentleman, who negotiates with Haley to purchase Tom.
XV: Of Tom’s New Master, and Various Other Matters
Introduced as Tom's new master; a sensitive, idealistic man whose romantic hopes were crushed by a fraudulent separation from his first love, leading him into a loveless marriage.
Tom's Mistress and Her Opinions
St. Clare engages in a philosophical debate about slavery and religion, criticizing hypocritical justifications and showing a complex, skeptical view of society.
Miss Ophelia’s Experiences and Opinions
St. Clare debates slavery with Miss Ophelia, acknowledges his own moral failings, and promises Tom to stop drinking.
Miss Ophelia's Experiences and Opinions Continued
Delivers a fervent denunciation of slavery as inherently evil; reflects on his own moral failings and predicts a coming judgment.
Topsy
Purchases Topsy as a project for Miss Ophelia, finding amusement in her antics and using her to challenge Miss Ophelia's views on education and slavery.
Henrique
Observes the beating and debates slavery with his brother Alfred.
XXIV: Foreshadowings
St. Clare is deeply affected by Eva's words and her declining health, reflecting on his past and his love for her.
The Little Evangelist
Observes the interaction between Eva and Topsy, reflecting on the power of love and the limitations of discipline.
XXVI: Death
Eva's grieving father, who struggles with his own lack of faith while trying to comfort her.
XXVII: “This Is the Last of Earth”
Grieving Eva, he wrestles with doubt and longs for faith, finding comfort in Tom's prayers.
Reunion
St. Clare mourns Eva and reflects on his moral failings, resolving to fight slavery and free Tom, but is killed before he can act.
Concluding Remarks
His fairness of mind and generosity are noted as having parallels in real life, as illustrated by an anecdote.

Chapter companion notes

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See Augustine St. Clare in XV: Of Tom’s New Master, and Various Other Matters

See Augustine St. Clare in XIV: Evangeline