Characterization of Daphne Gulver-Robinson

Daphne Gulver-Robinson is the main character of the short story “Baglady” by A.S. Byatt. She is the wife of Rollo, one of the directors of the company Doolittle Wind Quietus. She lives in Norfolk (p. 11, l. 6). We are not told her exact age, only that she is older than most of the other director’s wives (p. 9, l. 20). We know that she has been married for 20 years (p. 12, ll. 1-2), and her daughter is a student (p. 10, l. 19), so she is most likely in her forties or fifties. She is dressed in tweed and wears stout shoes (p. 9, ll. 24-25). Her hair is worn up, in a style known as ‘bird’s nest’ (p. 9, l. 25), which is a little old-fashioned. 

Daphne is different from the other women, both in style, as well as in personality. Despite trying to look her best, Daphne is aware that she is not as stylish as the other women: “She has tried to make herself attractive for this jaunt and has lost ten pounds and had her hands manicured; but now she sees the other ladies, she knows it is not enough” (p. 9, ll. 22-24). Daphne notices a difference of bearing between herself and the other women, rather than a difference in looks. While...