The Hours Character Analysis

Clarissa Vaughan

Clarissa is a publisher who lives in New York City with her partner, Sally, and their daughter, Julia in the 1990s. She is good friends with Richard, a man she used to love… read analysis of Clarissa Vaughan

Laura Brown

Laura Brown is an avid reader who lives in Los Angeles in 1949. She’s married to Dan and has a son named Richie. Like Clarissa in the present-day timeline of The Hours, and… read analysis of Laura Brown

Virginia Woolf

Virginia Woolf is the real-life author of Mrs. Dalloway, a novel that greatly influences the lives of Laura and Clarissa in the latter two timelines of The Hours. She appears in a slightly… read analysis of Virginia Woolf

Richard/Richie

Richard (known as “Richie” as a child) is the young son of Laura and Dan in one timeline of the story. He also features in the novel’s modern-day timeline as an acclaimed poet dying of… read analysis of Richard/Richie

Sally

Sally is a public television producer who is in a long-term partnership with Clarissa, with whom she has a daughter, Julia. Sally was also the name of the woman in Mrs. Dalloway whom… read analysis of Sally

Louis

Louis is a big man who can seem like a simple farm boy on the surface but who hides greater complexity, and he spends much of his life in a relationship with Richard. Clarissa… read analysis of Louis

Leonard

Leonard is the husband of Virginia Woolf. He is also a writer and a publisher, and he is very particular about when and how he works. Although he seems to care for Virginia, he… read analysis of Leonard

Julia

Julia is the daughter of Clarissa and Sally. She spends a lot of time with an older queer theorist named Mary Krull who influences Julia’s opinions and way of dressing, although the relationship seems… read analysis of Julia

Dan

Dan is a former war hero who somewhat unexpectedly decides to marry the bookish Laura. Together, they have a young son named Richie. Although Dan seems supportive of Laura and even sympathetic to… read analysis of Dan

Walter

Walter is a writer in a relationship with Evan. He is a friend of both Richard and Clarissa, although when Clarissa invites him to Richard’s party to celebrate a literary award Richard has… read analysis of Walter

Kitty

Kitty is Laura’s next-door neighbor and the wife of Ray. Though Laura envies Kitty for her self-assurance, she also feels sympathy for her, believing that Kitty’s husband, Ray, a war veteran, doesn’t treat… read analysis of Kitty

Evan

Evan is the partner of Walter who seemed to be dying due to complications of HIV but whose health has improved due to contracting the illness later and benefiting from new medical advances. Evan’s situation… read analysis of Evan

Oliver St. Ives

Oliver St. Ives is a movie star who is gay but makes a name for himself playing heterosexual characters in thrillers. He loses a role when he comes out as openly gay but also gets… read analysis of Oliver St. Ives

Ray

Ray is Kitty’s husband. He never physically appears in the story and is only mentioned in passing. He served in the military and was captured as a prisoner of war, an experienced that prematurely… read analysis of Ray

Minor Characters

Vanessa

Vanessa is the older sister of Virginia Woolf. To Virginia, she represents a type of domestic ideal, able to manage three children and her servants with seeming ease. When Virginia kisses Vanessa on the lips, it seems to stir Virginia’s desire for women.

Mary Krull

Mary Krull is a queer theorist in her forties who becomes a mentor and friend to Julia, Clarissa’s daughter. Clarissa and Mary each judge the other’s life choices, with Clarissa believing that Mary is militant and even hypocritical in her radical beliefs, and Mary believing that Clarissa is repressed.

Nelly

Nelly is the servant of Virginia and Leonard. Virginia wants to control Nelly while also earning her respect, but she struggles to do either.

Ralph

Ralph is an assistant to Leonard who helps him with his publishing work—one of many assistants who come and go.

Mrs. Latch

Mrs. Latch is the neighbor of Laura who watches Richie while she goes out on an “errand” (though Laura in fact spends the afternoon reading Mrs. Dalloway in a hotel room she rents to have a few hours of privacy).

The Hours

Michael Cunningham

The Hours Characters