Voss: Analysis of Major Characters

Author: Patrick White

First published: 1957

Genre: Novel

Locale: Various locations in Australia

Plot: Historical

Time: The 1840's

Johann Ulrich Voss, a German immigrant to Australia, a botanist with a desire to become famous as an explorer during the golden age of nineteenth century exploration. Voss possesses the will of a Nietzschean superman, and he has settled on the goal of being the first to cross the Australian continent. The character of Voss is inspired by a historical figure, Ludwig Leichardt, whose obsession with crossing the Australian desert led to his death. Voss is a humorless and passionate idealist who sees the conquest of the Australian territory as both a personal triumph and a victory for the human spirit. Despite a natural arrogance and the fanatical dedication of the truly obsessed, Voss, a slender man with enormous capacities for planning and endurance, captures the imagination of many who meet him, including the Bonner family. Laura Trevelyan, Bonner's niece, finds him fascinating while resenting his pride and self-sufficiency. He wins her respect and undeclared love, and on his expedition, he believes he communicates with her telepathically. In the desert, Voss is betrayed by some of the members of his expedition and dies a tragic death, but not before learning a humility that softens his indomitable will. After Voss's death, his tragic enterprise is gradually transformed into a heroic legend, which Laura helps to create and perpetuate in her work as a teacher.

Edward Bonner, a Sydney merchant who has made a small fortune, mainly through the sale of cloth. He is a stolid middle-class businessman who helps to finance Voss's expedition, though he does not fully understand why he is attracted by Voss's vision. Bonner enjoys being a patron and hopes that fame as well as financial advantage will result from Voss's venture.

Laura Trevelyan, Bonner's niece, who lives with the Bonners but is the family nonconformist. A beautiful young woman who is somewhat intellectual and contemptuous of conventional men, she has chosen to reject her childhood Christianity and considers herself a rationalist when she meets Voss; he perceives that she is in reality a believer with a concern for humility and compassion. Fascinated by his vision and drive, she falls in love with him, though neither she nor Voss will openly avow this passion. During his absence on the expedition, she writes long letters to him expressing her love. Like Voss, she imagines that they communicate telepathically. After Voss's death and the failure of his quest, she chooses to remain unmarried and gains fame as a schoolmis-tress, while helping to create the legend of his heroism.

Harry Robarts, a simple young man who follows Voss out of an inarticulate devotion and out of gratitude, because Voss treats him as a person of importance. At twenty years of age, Robarts is physically strong but rather quiet and without intellect. He is willing to follow Voss to the end, and he dies with Voss in the interior desert of Australia.

Frank Le Mesurier, another of Voss's faithful followers on the expedition, though he has seldom stuck to any purpose before he met Voss. A relatively young man, he has worked at several jobs in Australia without staying long at any, and he has even published a volume of indifferent verse. Although he has artistic ambitions, or pretensions, he has been a dilettante, lacking commitment to work or vision. Attracted to Voss because the German has an assurance of the significance of his vocation that Le Mesurier lacks, he hopes to find himself on the wilderness trek. Although he refuses to desert Voss, he is unable to sustain his courage when captured by a tribe of aborigines, and he commits suicide.

Albert Judd, a former convict, now emancipated and a respectable farmer. He is a responsible and steadying influence on the expedition. A strong and sensible middle-aged man, Judd has been tempered and humbled by his harsh years of penal servitude. Essentially, Judd is a man of material reality and common sense. Despite his kindness toward Voss, he finally mutinies after the death of Palfreyman, considering the expedition to be hopeless.

Palfreyman, a kindly but boring ornithologist who goes on Voss's expedition out of scientific curiosity. Constantly abstracted and devoid of egotism, Palfreyman practices a kind of benign Christian charity until he is murdered by an aboriginal tribesman.

Ralph Angus, the son of a wealthy landowner. He goes on the expedition seeking adventure and self-respect. Angus finds that he is ultimately a practical man and becomes a friend of Turner, a former alcoholic and the least dedicated member of the expedition. Somewhat reluctantly, Angus follows Judd when the latter rebels against Voss.

Turner, supposedly a reformed alcoholic, primarily a man of the senses who experiences life in the simplest epicurean terms. Turner joins the expedition somewhat reluctantly, hoping to find his fortune, but his gross and vulgar views often annoy the others, even when they find them entertaining. Turner readily joins Judd's mutiny and abandons Voss to his fate.

Dugald, an elderly aboriginal guide who barely understands English. Entrusted by Voss with some important letters, including a love letter to Laura, Dugald sets off for the outpost of Jildra. After meeting some other tribesmen, he is persuaded to tear the letters to pieces and scatter them to the winds.

Jackie, a young aboriginal guide who accompanies Voss and his two remaining companions to their final encounter with a tribe of cannibals. Although Jackie feels bound to Voss by some inexplicable magic, he readily allows himself to be adopted by the tribe. To show his loyalty to the tribe, he finally works up the nerve to murder Voss. Somewhat sullenly, Jackie cuts off Voss's head while the latter is sleeping.