Age of Iron Characters

Mrs. Curren is a retired classics professor residing in Cape Town, South Africa, during the Apartheid era. At the beginning of the novel, Dr. Syfret diagnoses her with terminal cancer, a condition that forces… read analysis of Mrs. Curren

Vercueil is an enigmatic homeless man who unexpectedly enters Mrs. Curren’s life. Mrs. Curren initially perceives his presence as intrusive and unwelcome, but as the narrative unfolds, he becomes her closest friend and companion… read analysis of Vercueil

Bheki is the son of Mrs. Curren’s housekeeper, Florence; he represents the new generation of Black South Africans deeply affected by the injustices of the Apartheid regime. The novel introduces him as a… read analysis of Bheki

John is a friend who Bheki starts bringing around Mrs. Curren’s home. Mrs. Curren does not like John; he is rude and, in her mind, likely to bring trouble. Still, Bheki brings him around… read analysis of John (Bheki’s Friend)

Florence is a housekeeper for the protagonist, Mrs. Curren, and appears to singlehandedly care for her three children (her husband, William, appears only in a flashback, and it’s unclear if he’s still in… read analysis of Florence

Hope and Beauty are Florence’s daughters. Their names offer a symbolic counterpoint to the brutality and despair of the Apartheid regime; they represent the beauty and hopefulness of South Africa’s future rather than its… read analysis of Hope and Beauty

Mrs. Curren’s daughter never appears in the novel. However, the letters that make up the novel from Mrs. Curren are addressed to her. From Mrs. Curren’s letters, it is clear that she lives in America… read analysis of Mrs. Curren’s Daughter