Character Analysis
Mrs. Newsome
Although Mrs. Newsome never appears in person in the novel, her character is well defined. She represents the opposition, so to speak, and is a kind of world in herself — the world of Woollett and all for which it stands. She is imposing and strong and always gets her way; her decisions and opinions are final. She wants her son torn from the clutches of a bad woman and returned home, and despite Strether's letters of caution and explanation, her will never diminishes. When Strether wavers, she sends her daughter, Sarah Pocock, to "rescue" them both. By the end of the novel, Strether has freed himself to a degree from Mrs. Newsome's influence, but she is still triumphant in the sense that both men will eventually return home.