The Enchanted April

Mrs. Arbuthnot is one of the novel’s principle characters and, along with Mrs. Wilkins, one of the original renters of the castle at San Salvatore. She is a devout Christian who believes that service to the less fortunate and to the church is the key to a happy life. Nevertheless, part of her piety is rooted in unhappiness and the desire for distraction. Her husband Frederick is the author of salacious faux-memoirs of famous mistresses in history, and she strongly objects to the nature of his writing on moral grounds. Marriage is a sacrament from which divorce is not possible, and she cannot change her husband’s “wicked” ways, so she prays for his eternal soul and does her best to keep her mind busy with her work for the church.

Mrs. Arbuthnot is a calm, capable, and practical woman. She believes that when someone needs advice or answers, one must “naturally proceed to first collect the facts” (8). This quality also makes her a desirable addition to her church community, as she has both the spirit of service and the organizational acumen with which to oversee various projects. She is a passionate speaker on behalf of the church and is also an adept fundraiser.