Characters
Agatha
Agatha is a no-nonsense, middle-aged maid working for Amelia Tilford. She is stern and strict with Mary, who calls her "stupid," although Agatha clearly sees through Mary's deceit. Agatha's efforts to turn Mary into a "lady" are thwarted by Mrs. Tilford, who ignores the maid's practical observations. Agatha also tries to support Martha and Karen in persuading Mrs. Tilford that Mary fabricated her story to ruin the young teachers.
Aunt Lily
See Lily Mortar
Helen Burton
Helen Burton is one of the students at Karen and Martha's school, playing a minor role. Her bracelet is "borrowed" by classmate Rosalie Wells, which allows Mary to blackmail Rosalie into supporting her lies about Karen and Martha. Helen is among the first to be withdrawn from the school when Mrs. Tilford starts spreading the falsehood that Karen and Martha are lesbian lovers.
Dr. Joseph Cardin
Dr. Joseph Cardin, approximately thirty-five, is a laid-back and friendly doctor, and Karen Wright's fiancé. His informal attire mirrors his warm and easy-going personality. He is also kind and humorous, making him a perfect match for Karen. Like Karen, he sees that his cousin, Mary Tilford, is a spoiled but troubled child, which makes him a formidable opponent for Mary because he holds sway with her grandmother. However, when Mary poisons Mrs. Tilford's mind with her accusations against Karen and Martha, she manages to thwart all his attempts to convince the old lady that her beloved grandchild concocted the story out of sheer malice.
Despite standing by Karen and Martha during the slander trial, Dr. Joe eventually succumbs to Mary's malicious lies. Following the trial, he is plagued by lingering doubts about Karen and Martha's relationship. Although he sells his practice and plans to marry Karen and take her and Martha to Europe, his uncertainty leads him to agree with Karen's suggestion to end their engagement. This decision prompts Martha's confession of her true feelings and her subsequent suicide. In the wake of Martha's death, any hope for Cardin and Karen's marriage seems lost.
Catherine
Catherine is a student at the Wright-Dobie School. She appears only in the initial scene, where she tries to assist Lois with a Latin test. The Latin lesson highlights the disorder and lack of discipline in Mortar's classroom, showcasing Lily's ineptitude as a teacher.
Martha Dobie
Martha Dobie, a close friend of Karen Wright and co-owner of their school, is around twenty-eight years old. She is characterized as "nervous" and "high strung," and she is noticeably less composed and self-assured compared to Karen. It quickly becomes apparent that Martha relies heavily on Karen's emotional stability and good judgment to give her the confidence necessary to run their school. Consequently, she feels somewhat envious of Dr. Cardin, who also demands Karen's attention. Although Martha outwardly supports Karen and Joe's plans to marry, her internal fears of losing Karen lead to increasing tension throughout the play.
After Mary Tilford turns her grandmother against Martha and Karen, Martha is forced to confront the possibility that her jealousy stems from a suppressed romantic longing for Karen. Despite joining Karen in the libel lawsuit against Mrs. Tilford, Martha ultimately cannot manage her complex emotions, which include a deep sense of guilt over Karen and Joe's breakup. After admitting that her love for Karen has involved physical desire, she tragically takes her own life.
Lois Fisher
Lois Fisher, another student at Karen and Martha's school, is seen receiving Latin tutoring from Catherine at the beginning of the play. She is conjugating Latin verbs in a hectic contrast to Peggy Roger's recitation of Portia's "quality of mercy" speech from...
(This entire section contains 1735 words.)
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Shakespeare'sMerchant of Venice and Lily Mortar's languid critique. Like Catherine, Lois does not play a significant role in the rest of the drama.
Grocery Boy
The unnamed grocery boy makes a brief appearance in the final scene, delivering a box of groceries to the school's living room. He barely speaks, but his childish gawking and giggling highlight the reputational damage inflicted on Karen and Martha due to Mary's accusations.
Dr. Joe
Refer to Dr. Joseph Cardin.
Lily Mortar
Lily Mortar is described by Hellman as "a plump, florid woman of forty-five." She is Martha Dobie's aunt and a teacher at the Wright-Dobie School. Self-centered and living in romanticized memories of her past acting triumphs, she is vain and easily flattered, making her a perfect target for a manipulative student like Mary Tilford. Refusing to age gracefully, she dyes her hair and dresses inappropriately for her current situation and larger figure. Karen and Martha find her pretentiousness and interference highly irritating. Although they eventually fund her trip to Europe, she selfishly fails to return in time to support them in their civil suit against Mrs. Tilford. Martha ultimately admits to Lily that she has always hated her, but Lily seems unaffected by her niece's feelings. At the play's conclusion, her primary concern remains her own well-being, overshadowing any self-righteous grief over Martha's death.
Evelyn Munn
Evelyn Munn is one of the students at the Wright-Dobie School. She is first introduced in the opening scene, where she accidentally cuts Rosalie Wells's hair with scissors. Evelyn, who has a lisp, is generally quiet and shy. Alongside Peggy Rogers, she overhears a crucial conversation between Martha Dobie and Lily Mortar. This overheard conversation becomes the foundation of the malicious web of lies that Mary Tilford weaves. Like Peggy, Evelyn falls victim to Mary's bullying, which escalates to physical abuse by the end of the first act. When Mary attempts to extort money from Peggy, Evelyn tries to intervene and is slapped for her trouble. She is among the first students to be pulled out of the school after Mrs. Tilford spreads Mary's defamatory accusations.
Peggy Rogers
Peggy Rogers is another student at the Wright-Dobie School and, like Evelyn Munn, is easily intimidated by Mary Tilford. She first appears in the opening scene, where she attempts to read Portia's famous speech on the quality of mercy under Lily Mortar's guidance. Peggy is unimaginative and shows little interest in Shakespeare. Her greatest aspiration is to marry a lighthouse keeper.
Peggy is with Evelyn when they overhear the pivotal conversation between Martha Dobie and her aunt. The two then confide in Mary, who quickly sets her malicious plan into motion by extorting money from Peggy, who had been saving for a bicycle.
Mrs. Amelia Tilford
Mrs. Amelia Tilford is a wealthy widow in her sixties, known for her dignified and imposing presence. She has been a significant supporter of the Wright-Dobie School, where her granddaughter, Mary, is a student. Although she is generally fair and generous, she shows poor judgment when it comes to her granddaughter. She is aware that Mary is spoiled and manipulative but remains blind to the girl's malicious nature.
Mrs. Tilford plays a crucial role in the tragic events of the play. Initially, she is skeptical of Mary's slander but eventually becomes convinced of its truth. She nearly uncovers the truth when Dr. Cardin and the accused women question Mary, but Rosalie Wells's false testimony solidifies her belief in Mary's lies. Feeling indignant and self-righteous, she attempts to shut down the school, forcing Karen and Martha to file a libel suit against her.
After the civil trial, Mrs. Tilford learns the truth. She tries to rectify the situation and atone for her actions, but her efforts come too late. With Martha's death and Karen's relationship with Dr. Cardin destroyed, Karen offers little hope of personal redemption to the remorseful and devastated Mrs. Tilford.
Mary Tilford
Mary is the pampered granddaughter of Amelia Tilford and a troublemaker at the Wright-Dobie School. Despite her "undistinguished" appearance, she is cunning and accustomed to getting her way with her indulgent grandmother. She tries to manipulate everyone at the school through various tactics such as flattery, feigned illness, blackmail, physical intimidation, and whining. Although Karen and Martha see through her tricks and insist on disciplining her, they do not fully grasp the extent of her malice.
In response to her punishment, Mary becomes vindictive. She learns from Evelyn and Peggy about a conversation between Martha and her Aunt Lily, in which Lily describes Martha and Karen's relationship as "unnatural." Mary uses this information to turn her grandmother against the women, convincing her that they are lesbians. Her malicious gossip devastates Karen and Martha's lives, as she is only exposed as a liar after Karen's breakup with Dr. Cardin and Martha's tragic suicide.
Rosalie Wells
Rosalie is a student at the Wright-Dobie School, first seen in the chaotic opening scene where Evelyn Munn is cutting her hair poorly. Unlike Peggy and Evelyn, Rosalie is not intimidated by Mary Tilford, whom she dislikes. Karen and Martha hope that moving Mary in with Rosalie will curb Mary's disruptive behavior, as they believe Rosalie's stronger personality will have a positive influence. However, Mary discovers that Rosalie has stolen a bracelet from Helen Burton and uses this knowledge to blackmail her. Consequently, Rosalie becomes a crucial character, lending credibility to Mary's lies and convincing Mrs. Tilford of Mary's honesty, making it impossible to undo the damage.
Karen Wright
Karen Wright is Martha Dobie's close friend and co-partner at the Wright-Dobie School. At twenty-eight, she is attractive, warm, and outgoing, earning the admiration and respect of her students, whom she genuinely cares for. Karen is emotionally stable and comfortable with herself and others, qualities that draw Martha to her. Dr. Joe Cardin, Karen's fiancé, shares a similar temperament and loves her for her charm, wit, and good looks, rather than her emotional steadiness.
Despite trying to hide her feelings, Martha fears that Karen's upcoming marriage to Joe will distance her from Karen. Both Karen and Joe attempt to reassure Martha that their relationship will remain unchanged, but Martha's insecurity prevents her from believing their assurances.
Despite Karen being a sensitive and compassionate individual, she never senses any sexual attraction in Martha's affection for her. Karen herself has no such feelings, whether repressed or otherwise, so she cannot comprehend the depth of Martha's jealousy. She loves Martha like a sister and is heartbroken by both Martha's confession and her subsequent suicide. Additionally, she is emotionally shattered by the failure of the lawsuit against Amelia Tilford, which she had fervently pursued. By the play's conclusion, her spirits sink into a state of stoic acceptance of her circumstances, as demonstrated by her listless and mechanical final lines exchanged with Mrs. Tilford.
