The Second Mrs. Tanqueray: Analysis of Major Characters
"The Second Mrs. Tanqueray" is a play that explores complex interpersonal relationships and societal expectations through its major characters. Aubrey Tanqueray is a wealthy widower seeking a second marriage with a younger woman from a lower social class, which leads to unexpected disappointments due to the disconnect between his expectations and his wife's demeanor. Paula Ray Tanqueray, his new wife, grapples with feelings of loneliness and discontent, ultimately facing a tragic fate when she realizes her past ties complicate her role as a stepmother. Ellean Tanqueray, Aubrey's daughter, embodies youthful idealism and religious devotion but becomes entwined in the complexities of love and familial loyalty as she falls for Captain Hugh Ardale, who has connections to Paula's history. The play also features supportive characters like Cayley Drummle, who warns against the pitfalls of marrying outside one's class, and Mrs. Alice Cortelyou, who represents the societal circles in which these characters interact. The narrative ultimately highlights themes of love, betrayal, and the consequences of societal expectations, making it a poignant exploration of human relationships and moral quandaries in a changing social landscape.
The Second Mrs. Tanqueray: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Arthur Wing Pinero
First published: 1895
Genre: Play
Locale: London and Surrey, England
Plot: Social realism
Time: The 1890's
Aubrey Tanqueray, a wealthy English widower. He is resolved to marry a second time, to a young woman from a lower class. The marriage is disappointing, because he finds the young wife's boredom perplexing and her humor and cynicism embarrassing. He finally learns that his young wife has been his daughter's suitor's mistress.
Paula Ray Tanqueray, a younger woman of somewhat questionable character, loved by Aubrey. She is unsure of herself but glib. After her marriage, she finds she is bored and lonely in the country. She intercepts a letter from Ellean Tanqueray to her father, is discovered, and promises to try to be a better wife. When she learns that her former lover is her stepdaughter's suitor and that she stands in the way of her stepdaughter's marriage, she commits suicide.
Ellean Tanqueray, Aubrey's teenage daughter by his first wife. She is highly religious and considers becoming a nun. When she thinks her mother's spirit has told her to do so, she returns home for a time. She falls in love with an army officer who proves to have been her stepmother's former lover.
Captain Hugh Ardale, an army officer who courts Ellean and wins her love. His marriage to her is delayed, however, because he was at one time Ellean's stepmother's lover.
Cayley Drummle, Aubrey's good friend, who tries to counsel him against a marriage with a woman from a lower class.
Mrs. Alice Cortelyou, Aubrey's longtime friend and neighbor, the first of his set to call after his marriage to Paula Ray.
Sir George and Lady Orreyed, friends of Paula Ray before her marriage. She invites them to the Tanqueray home after the marriage, despite her husband's objections. They prove to be coarse, boorish, and even insulting to guests.
Mrs. Tanqueray, Aubrey's dead wife, who had not made her husband happy. When she died of a fever, one of Aubrey's friends observed that it was the only warmth ever to have come to the woman's body.