Her Hidden Genius

Maurice Wilkins is a scientist at King’s College and one of the novel’s primary antagonists. His actions are often driven by professional insecurity and an adherence to the patriarchal norms of his environment. Wilkins’s conflict with Rosalind begins when the DNA project, which he considers his own, is reassigned to her. Unable to achieve clear results himself, he reacts to her methodical progress with resentment rather than collegial support. This insecurity manifests in his attempts to undermine her authority and control her research. He shares her preliminary, unverified data at a conference in Cambridge without her consent, an act that prioritizes institutional posturing over scientific integrity (136-37). He repeatedly attempts to reinsert himself into her work, framing it as collaboration while trying to reclaim ownership. Ray Gosling speculates that Wilkins’s hostility might stem from unrequited romantic feelings (215), but his behavior more consistently points to a deep-seated resentment of a woman succeeding in a domain where he has struggled.

Wilkins embodies the exclusionary culture of King’s College that contributes to Rosalind’s isolation. He and his colleagues frequent the all-male senior common room for lunch, leaving Rosalind to dine alone and cutting her off from the informal discussions crucial to scientific collaboration (117). This behavior is not presented as malicious but as an unthinking reinforcement of the status quo, which makes it all the more insidious. He perceives Rosalind’s directness not as a sign of a focused peer but as a personal affront, and he fails to understand why she will not act as his subordinate. His perspective is rooted in a system that assumes male authority and female assistance. This attitude makes genuine collaboration impossible and forces their relationship into an adversarial dynamic from the start.

Wilkins’s motivation is consistently tied to the theme of The Conflict Between Scientific Integrity and Personal Ambition. He is fixated on the competitive aspect of science, viewing the quest for DNA’s structure as a “race” to be won. He grows frustrated with Rosalind’s deliberate pace, seeing her refusal to build a model before completing her calculations as a failure to “further the cause of science” (184). He aligns himself with Watson and Crick, who share his desire for a quick victory, and ultimately facilitates their success by showing Watson Rosalind’s crucial X-ray photograph, Photo 51. In his view, the goal is to be first, even if it requires compromising the principles of ownership and rigorous verification that Rosalind holds sacred.

James Watson and Francis Crick are complex characters who, although antagonistic, ultimately regret their treatment of Rosalind and try, albeit in a stilted manner, to make amends. As researchers at the Cavendish Laboratory, they are officially assigned to study proteins, but they enter the “race” for DNA out of a competitive desire to beat the more famous scientist Linus Pauling. Their method is the opposite of Rosalind’s; they rely on theoretical model-building, often with insufficient or borrowed data, rather than painstaking experimentation. Their first attempt at a model is a failure, based on flawed assumptions and a clear misunderstanding of basic chemistry, which Rosalind easily debunks (168). This initial failure highlights their hubris and lack of rigorous preparation.

Watson and Crick’s interactions with Rosalind are initially characterized by condescension and a casual dismissal of her expertise. Watson, in particular, is portrayed as arrogant and patronizing. During an encounter in her lab, he calls her interpretation of her own images “hopeless” (234) and dismisses her focus on “damnable incessant X-rays and your obsession with hard facts” (235). Crick, though more affable, uses the diminutive nickname “Rosy” (193), a name Rosalind dislikes and is used by her male colleagues as a mark of disrespect. Their behavior reflects the broader sexism of the scientific community. They do not treat Rosalind as a peer whose work should be respected but as an obstacle whose data is a resource to be exploited.

Ultimately, Watson and Crick “win” the race by gaining access to Rosalind’s research without her knowledge or permission. Their final, successful model is built upon two key pieces of her work: the detailed measurements from her confidential Medical Research Council report, which they obtain through Max Perutz, and the crucial visual evidence of Photo 51, which Wilkins shows to Watson (242-43). Their victory is therefore not a product of superior intellect or methodology but of an ethical lapse. They represent the darker side of The Conflict Between Scientific Integrity and Personal Ambition, where the prize of discovery overshadows the ethical process of achieving it.

Jacques Mering is a static character who functions as both a mentor and a romantic interest during Rosalind’s time in Paris. As the head of the labo, he fosters an environment of intellectual respect and collaboration that stands in stark contrast to the sexism and competition Rosalind later faces in England. He immediately recognizes her talent, becoming her teacher in X-ray crystallography and providing her with the autonomy to pursue her research. He praises her as his “star chercheur” (44) and gives her sole authorship on her first paper in Acta Crystallographica, a generous act that demonstrates his genuine support for her career (64). For Rosalind, Jacques and his laboratory represent an ideal scientific community where she is valued and can thrive both professionally and personally.

However, Jacques is also the source of Rosalind’s first significant personal betrayal. He pursues a romantic relationship with her while concealing the fact that he is married. His assertion that “being a scientist doesn’t mean you have to be alone” (61) becomes deeply ironic when his deception is revealed. The discovery of his marriage devastates Rosalind and reinforces her long-held belief that a scientific career is incompatible with a committed personal life. This heartbreak contributes to the emotional armor she wears upon her return to London, making her more guarded and less open to her colleagues at King’s College. While his professional mentorship is invaluable, his personal dishonesty leaves a lasting scar that shapes her emotional trajectory for years.

Ray Gosling is Rosalind’s steadfast ally and assistant at King’s College. He is a foil to the antagonistic male figures of Wilkins, Watson, and Crick, representing a more modern and respectful form of collaborative work. Assigned to Rosalind as her doctoral student, he immediately recognizes her expertise and approaches their collaboration with enthusiasm and a lack of ego. He provides a crucial source of support for Rosalind within the hostile King’s environment, creating a small, safe space in their shared lab where genuine scientific inquiry can occur. He admires her brilliance, calling her camera design “bloody fabulous” (106) and defending her against Wilkins’s incursions. His loyalty never wavers, even when it puts him in a difficult position between his current supervisor, Rosalind, and the assistant director of the unit, Wilkins. His character demonstrates that respectful male-female collaboration is possible.

John Turton Randall is the head of the Biophysics Unit at King’s College. He hires Rosalind, promising her sole purview over the DNA X-ray crystallography project, but he fails to communicate this decision clearly to Wilkins. This oversight sparks the animosity between his two lead scientists. Randall is characterized primarily by his ambition for his unit; his main goal is to win the “great race” (94) for the structure of DNA to secure prestige and funding. This focus makes him prioritize results over the well-being of his staff. He is conflict-avoidant, preferring to placate Wilkins rather than enforce the work boundaries he established, telling Wilkins that their issues “would all work out in the end” (124). His failure to manage his personnel effectively allows the toxic environment to fester, making him indirectly responsible for Rosalind’s professional struggles.

Adrienne Weill and Vittorio Luzzati are key allies who represent the supportive community Rosalind finds in Paris. Adrienne, a physicist who studied under Marie Curie, serves as an important role model of a woman who successfully balances a scientific career with a family, challenging Rosalind’s belief that the two are mutually exclusive. Vittorio, a fellow X-ray crystallographer and neighbor, becomes a close friend and confidant. He understands both the scientific and social challenges Rosalind faces, and his advice to “Protect your science at all costs” (130) becomes a guiding principle for her during her difficult years at King’s College. Both characters provide Rosalind with the emotional and intellectual support that is starkly absent in London.