The Mill on the Floss characters

Appears from the start

The imaginative, impulsive daughter of the miller at Dorlcote Mill. Dark-haired and intensely affectionate, she longs for the approval of her older brother Tom but repeatedly clashes with the tidy conduct expected of a girl. Her quick intelligence and strong feelings often leave her ashamed after acting on sudden anger or hurt.

First appears in chapter 4

Maggie's older brother, returning home from school at the beginning of the story. Tom is straightforward, proud, and certain of his judgments. Maggie idolizes him, while his affection for her is repeatedly interrupted by his stern response to conduct he considers wrong.

Appears from the start

The owner of Dorlcote Mill and father of Tom and Maggie. He takes pride in his independence and practical sense, yet his quick temper and determination to best opponents make business disputes personal. He wants Tom to receive an education that will raise the family's position.

First appears in chapter 2

Tom and Maggie's mother, born into the prosperous Dodson family. Good-looking, anxious about appearances, and devoted to household possessions, she is distressed by Maggie's unruly hair and behavior and often compares her unfavorably with more conventional children.

First appears in chapter 7

Tom and Maggie's fair-haired cousin, the daughter of Mr and Mrs Deane. Lucy is gentle, polished, and eager to please, embodying many qualities the Tulliver relatives think Maggie lacks, though she herself treats Maggie with affection.

First appears in chapter 7

Mrs Tulliver's eldest sister and a dominant voice within the Dodson family. Proud of thrift, property, and family respectability, she freely criticizes the Tulliver household and expects her advice to carry authority.

First appears in chapter 5

A boy from a poorer local family and an old companion of Tom's. Bob's rough manners and trading instincts embarrass Tom, but he is energetic, loyal, and deeply grateful for kindness shown to him.

First appears in chapter 8

A lawyer whose professional dealings with Mr Tulliver have developed into bitter hostility. Tulliver believes Wakem has worked against his interests and treats the dispute as a test of personal independence.

First appears in chapter 14

The clergyman selected to educate Tom away from home. Mr Stelling values classical study and has confidence in his own system, but his narrow curriculum gives little place to the practical and mechanical abilities in which Tom might excel.

First appears in chapter 16

Mr Wakem's son and Tom's fellow pupil at Mr Stelling's. Physically frail and sensitive about his deformity, Philip is intellectually gifted, artistically inclined, and more responsive than Tom to books and music. Their fathers' hostility complicates any friendship between the boys.

First appears in chapter 7

Mrs Tulliver's brother-in-law and Lucy's father, a businessman associated with the growing commercial life of St Ogg's. More adaptable than Mr Tulliver, he values enterprise and advancement.

First appears in chapter 40

A wealthy, socially assured young man in St Ogg's and Lucy Deane's accepted suitor. He is musical, charming, and accustomed to following strong immediate inclinations, entering Maggie's circle when she comes to stay with Lucy.