Lady Susan Characters

Lady Susan is an impoverished widow and mother to Frederica Vernon. She instigates the novella’s events by inviting herself to stay with her brother-in-law, Charles Vernon, and his wife, Catherine Vernon. Her… read analysis of Lady Susan

Catherine is the wife of Lady Susan’s brother-in-law, Charles Vernon; she’s Sir Reginald and Lady De Courcy’s daughter and Reginald’s sister. Catherine is a practical woman whose main focus in the… read analysis of Catherine Vernon

Reginald De Courcy is Sir Reginald and Lady De Courcy’s son and Catherine Vernon’s brother. He comes to visit Catherine and her husband, Charles Vernon, at the same time Lady Susan does… read analysis of Reginald De Courcy

Frederica is Lady Susan’s meek, submissive daughter. Lady Susan drops her off at boarding school prior to the start of the novella, but midway through, she runs away and ends up staying with Lady… read analysis of Frederica Vernon

Sir James Martin is a rich, but “contemptibly weak” man who met Lady Susan while she was staying with Mr. Manwaring and his family. At the time, he was engaged to Miss Manwaring, but… read analysis of Sir James Martin

Prior to the events of the novella, Lady Susan was staying with the married Mr. Manwaring, his wife Mrs. Manwaring, and their family at their home. While she was there, she seduced Mr… read analysis of Mr. Manwaring

Sir Reginald De Courcy is Catherine Vernon and Reginald De Courcy’s father and Lady De Courcy’s husband; he’s a quick-tempered, reactive man, but he’s also easily persuaded by others. After he accidentally learns… read analysis of Sir Reginald De Courcy

Lady De Courcy is Catherine Vernon and Reginald De Courcy’s mother and Sir Reginald De Courcy’s wife; throughout the novella, she is Catherine’s most frequent correspondent, and she learns of Lady Susan’s… read analysis of Lady De Courcy

Mr. Johnson is Alicia Johnson’s husband. Mr. Johnson has gout, and Alicia and Lady Susan frequently hope for his declining health and eventual death; for his part, he hates Lady Susan and often tries… read analysis of Mr. Johnson

Mrs. Manwaring is Mr. Manwaring’s wife; her husband is having an affair with Lady Susan. Mrs. Manwaring is very jealous, though she’s powerless to stop the affair from happening. At the end of… read analysis of Mrs. Manwaring

Miss Manwaring is Mr. Manwaring’s sister. She was previously engaged to Sir James Martin, but this engagement ended because Lady Susan seduced Sir James, hoping to secure him as a husband for her… read analysis of Miss Manwaring

Charles is Lady Susan's brother-in-law (the older brother of her late husband) and Catherine Vernon’s husband. Prior to the events of the novella, Lady Susan tried to prevent Charles from marrying Catherine—and while… read analysis of Charles Vernon