Uncle Silas characters

Appears from the start

A sheltered seventeen-year-old heiress living at Knowl with her reclusive father. Maud narrates her own story from later life, recalling how curiosity about her disgraced uncle and fear of her new governess disturb an otherwise secluded upbringing. She is inexperienced but observant, and her loyalty to her father makes her reluctant to question his judgment.

Appears from the start

Maud's elderly, wealthy father, a grave and private student of Swedenborgian religion. He loves his daughter but keeps her apart from the world and refuses to explain the family scandal surrounding his younger brother Silas. His faith in spiritual redemption shapes his view of that brother.

First appears in chapter 2

Austin's younger brother and the subject of a dark family history. Once a fashionable gambler, Silas withdrew to his estate at Bartram-Haugh after a creditor was found murdered in his house. Austin insists that he is innocent and capable of moral renewal, while Maud knows him at first chiefly through a portrait and conflicting reports.

Also known as Madame

First appears in chapter 3

A large, theatrically mannered Frenchwoman hired as Maud's governess. Her unfamiliar appearance and exaggerated manner make a powerful first impression on the sheltered girl, who is unsure what to make of her new companion.

Also known as Lady Knollys

First appears in chapter 20

Maud's warm, forthright cousin, whose worldly manner contrasts with the solemn life at Knowl. Monica distrusts both Madame de la Rougierre and the idealized account of Silas favored by Austin. She tries to give Maud practical warnings that the girl's father would rather leave unspoken.

First appears in chapter 25

A blunt, independent-minded doctor and one of Austin Ruthyn's trusted associates. He treats financial and legal arrangements with more suspicion than the devout Austin does, and his cool questions suggest that Maud's future requires safeguards as well as good intentions.

First appears in chapter 40

Silas's daughter and Maud's cousin at Bartram-Haugh. Milly has grown up with little education or polish and initially overwhelms Maud with her rough speech and impulsive ways. Beneath that exterior she is candid, affectionate, and hungry for companionship.

First appears in chapter 45

Silas's son and Maud's cousin, a coarse young man whose swagger and quick temper make him an alarming presence at Bartram-Haugh. His rough speech and aggressive behavior are far removed from the refinement Maud expected of Silas's family.

First appears in chapter 5

Maud's dependable maid and companion at Knowl. Mary lacks the authority to challenge the decisions made for Maud, but her ordinary good sense and concern provide a reassuring contrast to Madame de la Rougierre's unpredictable behavior.

First appears in chapter 60

A young gentleman connected with Lady Monica. Courteous and considerate toward Maud, he represents the sociable world beyond Bartram-Haugh and becomes a welcome contrast to Dudley's aggressive courtship.

First appears in chapter 78

A woman from Dudley's past whose existence undermines the future that Silas is trying to arrange for his son. Her connection to Dudley exposes how much of his conduct has been concealed from Maud.