Garcin’s Wife Character Analysis in No Exit

Garcin’s wife is a sad woman he claims to have “rescued” from the “gutter.” Throughout their marriage, Garcin cheats on his wife constantly, making no effort to hide his affairs. Despite this, his wife never cries, instead looking at him with the eyes of a “martyr.” This upsets Garcin, who finds her sad resilience nothing but annoying. During one of his monologues in hell, Garcin glancingly mentions that his wife has “died just now,” though he goes on to clarify that she died “two months ago,” as if he couldn’t be bothered to note her death when it actually happened.

Garcin’s Wife Character Timeline in No Exit

The timeline below shows where the character Garcin’s Wife appears in No Exit. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...you anyone left down there?” she asks, and Garcin explains that he left behind his wife. Like Estelle, he too is able to see what’s happening on earth, so he narrates... (full context)

...marriage. Once, he even brought a woman home and had sex with her within his wife’s hearing. The next morning, his wife made them coffee. “You brute!” Inez says. “Yes, a... (full context)

As something of an afterthought, Garcin adds that his wife “died just now,” or roughly “two months ago.” Her death, he says, was of “grief.”... (full context)