The Woman in Black: Characters (Edexcel GCSE English Literature)

The Woman in Black: Characters

It is important that you fully understand the characters in Susan Hill’s The Woman in Black as they represent important themes and ideas. Each character is important in driving the plot forward, so it is essential that you consider how the characters are presented, the relationships between characters and what they might represent or symbolise.

Below, you will find detailed character analysis for the main characters in the novella, as well as a summary of other significant characters.

Main characters
Arthur Kipps
The Woman in Black/Jennet Humfrye
Samuel Daily

Other characters
Mr Jerome
Keckwick
Alice Drablow

Arthur Kipps

• Arthur Kipps is the narrator and protagonist of the novel

• The frame narrative begins with Arthur, who is now retired, being forced to remember his past horror and trauma:

  • He describes it as an “old wound” that is “woven” into his “very fibers” but something that he tried to ignore until it resurfaced

• The second chapter begins in the past when Arthur was a confident new lawyer who has been sent on an assignment to Crythin Gifford:

  • Arthur is content with the assignment, which highlights his self-confidence and eagerness to please

• As he is told about the assignment, he ironically states that the information sounds like “something from a Victorian novel”:

  • Arthur’s character is a stereotypical gothic character who does not initially believe in the supernatural but instead chooses to focus on logic and science

  • His arrogance and ambition is evident in this chapter as he does not take the conversation seriously

  • It foreshadows Arthur’s experiences at Crythin Gifford

• Upon his arrival to Crythin Gifford, Arthur finds that the mention of Alice Drablow unsettles people:

  • However, his confidence and eagerness to complete his assignment means that he ignores the subtle warnings to turn back and continues with his task

• In Chapter 4, the older Arthur talks in hindsight about how his life changed after that peaceful night’s sleep:

  • He reflects on his “innocence” and how he seemingly ignored the warning signs that resulted in him losing his innocence forever

• During Alice Drablow’s funeral, Arthur sees the Woman in Black for the first time and is concerned for her wellbeing:

  • Mr Jerome’s extreme reaction confuses him but does not worry him enough to stop or investigate further, highlighting his naivety 

• However, when he sees the Woman in Black for the second time, he is “filled with fear” as he is able to feel her evil presence:

  • It is only then that he realises she must be a ghost

• Arthur’s strong will and pragmatism meant that he still continues with his assignment despite Samuel Daily’s attempts at dissuading him

• Eventually, he realises he cannot complete his task as the Woman in Black’s presence is too disturbing

• At the end of his story, readers finally understand his trauma as he discloses that his first wife and child were killed by the Woman in Black:

  • The abrupt ending of “enough” highlights his sadness and desire to not dwell on the painful memory

• Arthur’s character is realistic and a typical example of an educated Englishman from the early 20th century, characterised by his rational mindset rather than superstition:

  • Readers are able to sympathise and identify with his character as a result

The Woman in Black/Jennet Humfrye

• The Woman in Black is the ghost of Jennet Humfrye

• Jennet Humfrye was Alice Drablow’s sister, who gave birth to a baby boy approximately 60 years before Mrs Drablow’s funeral:

  • Her baby, Nathaniel, was taken against her will and adopted by Alice Drablow

  • Her son was killed which drove Jennet mad with grief and anger and she eventually died of heart failure

• Her ghost, which the locals call the Woman in Black, haunts the people of the village:

  • As an act of revenge, everytime she is sighted, a child dies from an accident or sudden illness

  • The locals are all acquainted with her story but do not discuss it out of fear

• She is seen by Arthur Kipps during Alice Drablow’s funeral and later at Eel Marsh House:

  • His final sighting of her results in the death of his wife and child

• Arthur Kipps describes her in detail and as having a “wasted face” and a “desperate, yearning malevolence”:

  • She appears to be searching and yearning for something and hated “whoever had taken it”

  • The Woman in Black does not speak, which makes her more sinister and menacing

• The origins of the Woman in Black become clear when Arthur Kipps discovers letters from Jennet Humfrye to her sister, Alice Drablow:

  • The letters reveal a dark and desperate side to Jennet as she struggles with the idea of giving up her child

  • While she allows Alice to adopt him, she is unable to move on emotionally

  • The letters give the Woman in Black a voice and the temporary shift in narrative offers an insight into her desperation and pain

• Arthur Kipps learns that Jennet became obsessed with her child and had decided to run away with him, only to witness him die in a terrible pony and trap accident from the nursery window:

  • The nursery encapsulates the Woman in Black’s grief and sorrow, which Arthur Kipps senses when he is in the room

• His final sighting of the Woman in Black results in his child and wife dying:

  • Arthur’s child dies in similar circumstances to Jennet’s, on a pony and trap, and he watches on in horror as she had once done 

Samuel Daily

• Samuel Daily is an older businessman whom Arthur meets on his way to Crythin Gifford:

  • Daily acts as a mentor and father-figure to Arthur during his time at Crythin Gifford

• He is thoughtful and caring from the beginning and offers Arthur his business card:

  • He is aware of Arthur’s assignment and that he may be need to keep him safe

• Arthur describes him as having “good common-sense” and his wealth becomes a topic of conversation as he acquires all available land:

  • However, Arthur discovers that he is not interested in buying Eel Marsh House

• Arthur is part of the conspiracy of silence as he chooses to “fall silent” when Mrs Drablow is mentioned:

  • His reluctance to speak about her explicitly could reflect his own personal fear and belief in the ghost

• He tries to warn Arthur not to go to Eel Marsh House and gives Arthur his dog when he refuses to listen

• Samuel Daily’s kindness and concern is evident when he travels to Eel Marsh House in order to check on Arthur:

  • He discovers Arthur collapsed and saves him from the Woman in Black 

  • Daily eventually discloses what he knows about Jennet Humfrye, which helps Arthur to piece the mystery together

• A bond is created between Arthur and Samuel as Arthur recovers in the Daily house after his experiences:

  • Samuel becomes godfather to Arthur’s first child, highlighting the importance of their friendship

Other characters

Mr Jerome

• Mr Jerome is Alice Drablow’s agent and escorts Arthur to Mrs Drablow’s funeral

• He is a nervous and reserved man who does not give much away:

  • He is also part of the conspiracy of silence and does not tell Arthur about the Woman in Black

• Mr Jerome has an extreme reaction to hearing Arthur mention the Woman in Black but does not disclose the reason why 

• Mr Jerome warns Arthur not to stay at Eel Marsh House during the night and also tries to discourage him from returning to the house

• He is reluctant to help Arthur with Eel Marsh House and tells him that no one in the town would be willing to offer their assistance:

  • Mr Jerome has a tendency to “panic” and become agitated, which reveals his discomfort over speaking about Eel Marsh House

• It is only later that Arthur discovers that Mr Jerome is a victim of the Woman in Black’s vengeance:

  • He lost his own child to the Woman in Black; therefore his reservation and fear is justified 

Keckwick

• Keckwick is the driver who is instructed to take Arthur to and from Eel Marsh House:

  • He drives a pony and trap and is the only character who is willing to travel through the causeway to the manor

  • He was the only link between Mrs Drablow and the outside world as he transported things to her house

• He is described as a man of few words with “bumps and lumps and warts” covering his face:

  • He does not show emotion and he speaks “matter-of-factly”, which is in contrast to Arthur

• He saves Arthur from his first encounter of the Woman in Black at Eel Marsh House:

  • However, he “did not wish to hear” what happened to Arthur, showing a lack of concern and disinterest

• Keckwick also experienced loss as his father was driving the pony and trap that killed Jennet’s son:

  • His father died in the same incident

• It could be suggested that Keckwick, along with his pony and trap, are the only connection between the land of the living and the land of the dead

Sources:

Hill, S. (2011). The Woman in Black. Vintage Books.