Mona Beaumont Character Analysis in The Dressmaker

Mona is William’s younger sister and is the daughter of Elsbeth and Bill Beaumont. Mona is an unattractive and unfortunate young woman who is bossed around and mistreated by Elsbeth and ignored by everyone else. Despite this, Mona is highly sexual, and she masturbates every night before she goes to sleep. Mona is eventually married off to Lesley Muncan, whom Gertrude (William’s wife) hires to teach Mona dressage. Lesley is a fraud, however—he is not a wealthy horse master from Europe like he claims, but a poor servant. It is heavily implied that Lesley is gay, but he is forced to marry Mona after a misunderstanding which leads people to believe that he and Mona have had sex. Lesley and Mona stay good friends despite this, and they have a pleasant, platonic marriage. Mona destroys Dungatar’s reputation with its neighboring towns when, during the Dungatar theater production of Macbeth, Mona masturbates on stage and shocks the audience.

Mona Beaumont Character Timeline in The Dressmaker

The timeline below shows where the character Mona Beaumont appears in The Dressmaker. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Secrets, Hypocrisy, and Conformity Theme Icon

...dejectedly in his mother’s car. As Sergeant Farrat approaches Pratt’s General Store, he bumps in Mona Beaumont and remarks to Mona that her brother, William, is home. Mona is a slow,... (full context)

Memories, Progress, and the Past Theme Icon

...be too hasty because William may become engaged to one of the local women soon. Mona replies that her mother, Elsbeth, doesn’t want William to marry an unrefined, local girl. Sergeant... (full context)

Transformation, Illusion, and Truth Theme Icon

...serve a customer. Gertrude approaches the farm section of the store and finds Elsbeth and Mona Beaumont waiting there and talking to Muriel. (full context)

Mona reads in the corner of the living room while Elsbeth sits by the window, still... (full context)

...Dungatar races stares as Gertrude, William, and Alvin make their way through the stands together. Mona and Elsbeth have already taken their seats, and Mona gasps as the others approach. Elsbeth... (full context)

...wedding. Alvin postpones Elsbeth’s debt repayment, however, and he lends William money for the wedding. Mona is excited because she has never been a bridesmaid, and she helps Gertrude put together... (full context)

...the night before and hides it away. She and William go down to breakfast with Mona and Elsbeth. Gertrude announces that she needs some new clothes and curtains for her life... (full context)

...Tilly. The whole street turns to stare as William Beaumont’s car passes by. Elsbeth, Gertrude, Mona, and another man are in the car, and the roof is piled high with suitcases... (full context)

Alvin agrees to this and asks where Mona is. Elsbeth and Gertrude explain that Mona is being taught dressage by her new tutor,... (full context)

...but they decide to start without him. The phone rings and Purl answers. It is Mona, who invites Purl to the Dungatar Social Club’s first meeting. Purl says she is busy... (full context)

Lesley Muncan sits in the kitchen at Windswept Crest and watches Mona wash the dishes. Lesley met William in the lobby of the hotel in Melbourne, where... (full context)

Mona is afraid of horses, but Lesley insists that riding is very easy. Mona is lonely... (full context)

...records and relax. Suddenly, Gertrude rushes out of the room, and William and Elsbeth hear Mona shriek from the kitchen. William and Elsbeth hurry downstairs and find that Gertrude has thrown... (full context)

...day, that this is what one expects from the “riff-raff.” In the stables, Lesley asks Mona what she will wear to the presentations that evening. Mona replies that she will wear... (full context)

That evening, Mona enters the hall for the presentations wearing a beautiful dress that Tilly has fixed up... (full context)

Back at Windswept Crescent, Mona cries and Lesley laughs about the dress mishap. Elsbeth announces sharply that Lesley and Mona... (full context)

Mona and Lesley have a quiet wedding, and William drives them to the station to set... (full context)

When Mona comes out, Lesley says the fabric of her new underwear is gorgeous and he quickly... (full context)

In their new cottage, Lesley and Mona practice their waltz in the living room. Mona tries to kiss Lesley, but he pushes... (full context)

Lesley and Mona give Una Pleasance (Elsbeth’s seamstress cousin) a guided tour of Dungatar. Una seems unimpressed and... (full context)

The next day, Tilly finds Mona on her doorstep. Lesley, Una, and Elsbeth sit in the car behind her. Mona nervously... (full context)

Una Pleasance, Beula, Lois, Ruth, Gertrude, Elsbeth, Mona, Lesley, and Irma assemble in Marigold’s house. Marigold watches them nervously, anxious that her clean... (full context)

Elsbeth snarls at Gertrude to be quiet—she is making a scene—and she sends Mona to fetch help. Mona gets into the car and drives across the lawn, tearing up... (full context)

...Elsbeth’s living room, where Lois rushes in and begins to show off her new dress. Mona arrives wearing a dress Tilly has made for her. Then, Mrs. Flynt from Winyerp brings... (full context)

...herself, will play Lady Macbeth, and Lesley will be Macbeth. Sergeant Farrat will be Banquo. Mona complains that she doesn’t have a speaking part, and Elsbeth snaps at Gertrude to get... (full context)

...does not stop screaming, he will fetch the doctor and they will have her committed. Mona says that William will take Gertrude’s baby as well, and the cast stomps out of... (full context)

...with a sedative. She falls to the ground, and the cast clambers onto the bus. Mona takes over as director and announces that Sergeant Farrat has not arrived. Bobby says that... (full context)

...they are due to go on, they realize that Sergeant Farrat is still not there. Mona says that Lesley can play Banquo. The others protest that he does not know the... (full context)

The play begins, and when it comes to Mona’s Lady Macbeth soliloquy, she masturbates on onstage. The audience shuffles uncomfortably and they don’t return... (full context)

...the insurance money to pay her for the costumes. Sergeant Farrat begins to giggle hysterically. Mona says that she can see Windswept Crescent from the Hill—it is untouched by the fire.... (full context)