Dombey and Son characters

Appears from the start

A prosperous London merchant who regards family life through the future of his firm, Dombey and Son. The birth of a male heir fulfills his central ambition, while his living daughter receives little of his attention. Formal, proud, and accustomed to obedience, he mistakes rank and commercial authority for personal worth.

Appears from the start

Mr. Dombey's young daughter, about six when her brother is born. She is affectionate, observant, and eager for her father's love, though he treats her as secondary to the son who can carry the business name. Her immediate devotion to the infant Paul begins the novel's central sibling bond.

Also known as Little Paul

Appears from the start

The long-awaited son and heir born into the Dombey household. His father immediately imagines him as the future of the family firm, but the child is physically delicate and depends on the care of Florence and a hired nurse after his mother's death.

Appears from the start

Mr. Dombey's wife and the mother of Florence and the newborn Paul. Exhausted after giving birth, she dies at the beginning of the story, leaving the household to reorganize itself around the infant whom her husband prizes.

First appears in chapter 2

A friend of Mr. Dombey's sister who moves within the family's social circle. Sentimental, ceremonious, and deeply impressed by Dombey's status, she helps arrange the practical response to the newborn Paul's need for a nurse.

Also known as Mrs. Richards

First appears in chapter 2

A working-class mother hired to nurse the infant Paul under the name Mrs. Richards. Dombey tries to make the arrangement purely contractual and limits her contact with her own family, but she brings ordinary warmth into the children's lives.

First appears in chapter 3

Florence's sharp-tongued young maid and loyal companion. Practical and fiercely protective, she sees clearly how little affection Florence receives from the adults who control the Dombey household.

First appears in chapter 4

A spirited young employee of Dombey and Son and the nephew of instrument-maker Solomon Gills. Open, capable, and hopeful about advancement, he meets Florence through an accident in the city and treats her with unaffected kindness.

Also known as Uncle Sol

First appears in chapter 4

Walter Gay's uncle, a kind but financially struggling maker and seller of nautical instruments. He keeps the Wooden Midshipman shop and places great faith in Walter's future, while relying on old friendships when business turns against him.

First appears in chapter 4

A retired sea captain and devoted friend of Solomon Gills. Warm-hearted, literal-minded, and equipped with a hook in place of one hand, he offers practical loyalty to Sol and Walter and regards the Wooden Midshipman as a second home.

First appears in chapter 7

A retired army officer living near Miss Tox. Loud, self-important, and fond of presenting his opinions as military wisdom, he is eager to cultivate a closer acquaintance with the wealthy and imposing Mr. Dombey.

First appears in chapter 11

The learned proprietor of the Brighton school chosen for young Paul. He runs an intensive academic household with the help of his family and assistants, treating the accumulation of knowledge as a demanding system into which pupils must fit.

First appears in chapter 12

An older pupil in Doctor Blimber's establishment whose prolonged education has left him amiable, wealthy, and socially awkward. He is kind to young Paul and quickly becomes captivated by Florence when she visits her brother.

First appears in chapter 13

The polished manager at Dombey and Son. Smooth, observant, and indispensable in office business, he enjoys unusual access to Dombey's confidence while keeping his own thoughts carefully controlled.

First appears in chapter 21

An aging society woman encountered by Dombey while traveling with Major Bagstock. Concerned with position, appearance, and arranging an advantageous future for her daughter, she maintains an elaborate air of fragile refinement.

Also known as Edith Granger

First appears in chapter 21

Mrs. Skewton's beautiful widowed daughter. Composed and proud, she understands that her mother displays her as a social prize and meets Dombey without pretending that such courtship is founded on affection.