Uncle Tom’s Cabin · Character

Miss Ophelia St. Clare

A brisk, principled New England spinster who comes south to manage her cousin's household and discovers that her abolitionist convictions have never been tested by proximity.

supporting

Also known as Ophelia St. Clare, Ophelia, Cousin Ophelia

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

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

Augustine's cousin from Vermont, a methodical and morally upright New England woman who has been persuaded to return with him to help care for Eva.

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Ophelia is Augustine's cousin from Vermont, a woman of rigid order and genuine moral seriousness who agrees to run his chaotic New Orleans home and raise his motherless daughter. She arrives believing herself free of southern prejudice, yet finds that her horror of slavery coexists with a visceral discomfort at actually touching, teaching, or loving the enslaved child placed in her care. Her slow, reluctant education in what it means to treat a person as a person—rather than a cause—makes her one of the novel's most honest portraits of how prejudice hides inside good intentions.

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

Character Web

16 connections

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

Relationship types

Other

Character groups

St. Clare household and Shelby family
Legree's plantation victims and helpers

+11 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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In the story

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

XV: Of Tom’s New Master, and Various Other Matters
Augustine's cousin from Vermont, a methodical and morally upright New England woman who has been persuaded to return with him to help care for Eva.
Tom's Mistress and Her Opinions
Miss Ophelia arrives and observes the household, questioning St. Clare about slavery and morality with a shrewd, practical New England perspective.
Miss Ophelia’s Experiences and Opinions
Miss Ophelia begins reorganizing the household, clashing with the servants and expressing horror at the treatment of slaves like Prue.
Miss Ophelia's Experiences and Opinions Continued
Perseveres in her housekeeping labors, which the household finds 'curis'; engages in a serious theological and moral discussion with St. Clare.
Topsy
Takes on the task of educating Topsy, struggling with her wild behavior and questioning the effectiveness of traditional methods.
XXIV: Foreshadowings
Miss Ophelia attempts to alert Marie to Eva's declining health but is rebuffed.
The Little Evangelist
Frustrated with Topsy's behavior but moved by Eva's example of love.
XXVI: Death
The devoted nurse who cares for Eva with skill and precision.
XXVII: “This Is the Last of Earth”
Moved by Eva's example, she promises to love and guide Topsy.
Reunion
Miss Ophelia challenges St. Clare's inaction and reveals her own growth in overcoming racial prejudice, planning to take Topsy north.
The Unprotected
Attempts to advocate for Tom's freedom and protect Rosa, but is powerless against Marie's decisions.
The Young Master
Mentioned as having written a letter to Mrs. Shelby about Tom's sale.
Results
Takes Topsy to Vermont; Topsy becomes a Christian and later a missionary in Africa.

Chapter companion notes

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