Miss Barbary / Esther’s Godmother Character Analysis

Miss Barbary is Lady Dedlock’s sister and Esther Summerson’s aunt. She is a hard, judgmental woman, who despises her sister because she gave birth to an illegitimate child. Esther claims that her aunt (whom she originally believes to be her godmother, not her aunt) is a “good woman” but that she is so good that she cannot stand sin in others. Miss Barbary is a hypocrite, however, and is arrogant because she believes she is without sin. In actuality, she is cruel to Esther as a child and blames her for her mother’s sin and is not a kind or forgiving woman. These traits come back to haunt Miss Barbary and she is struck down by a stroke while Esther reads a passage from the Bible which suggests that no one is without sin. She dies soon after this. Miss Barbary also resents Esther because she breaks off an engagement to Mr. Jarndyce's friend, Mr. Boythorn, in order to raise Esther in secret to hide Lady Dedlock’s shame.