Tibby Schlegel Character Analysis in Howards End

Tibby is sixteen years old at the beginning of Howards End. Like his sisters, Margaret and Helen, he has a great deal of intelligence and a taste for beautiful art, especially music. However, he lacks his sisters’ compassion and good nature. He isn’t sociable and is happiest when he’s absorbed by his studies. He has no concrete ambition or ideology and is content to live comfortably off of his inherited fortune without ever pursuing a profession. He believes in his own superiority, and he turns away from the ugly side of life. He can’t be bothered with most inconveniences.

Tibby Schlegel Character Timeline in Howards End

The timeline below shows where the character Tibby Schlegel appears in Howards End. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...was also invited to visit, but she stayed in London to care for their brother, Tibby, who is suffering from hay fever. Helen writes that the Wilcox children—Charles, Evie, and Paul—and... (full context)

...at the Schlegels’ home in Wickham Place to keep Margaret company while she cares for Tibby. Margaret is sympathetic to the idea of love at first sight, while Mrs. Munt considers... (full context)

On the train, Mrs. Munt recalls when her sister Emily died after giving birth to Tibby. Margaret was only thirteen at the time, but she insisted that she didn’t need Juley... (full context)

...and tends to enjoy more attention from the people they encounter. At sixteen, their brother, Tibby, is an intelligent but unsociable young man. (full context)

Margaret, Helen, Tibby, and Mrs. Munt attend a performance of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, joined by the Schlegels’ cousin... (full context)

...to Margaret notices that Helen accidentally grabbed his umbrella in her hasty exit. Margaret asks Tibby to please run after her, but he selfishly protests that he will miss the next... (full context)

...Helen exits, Frieda and her fiancé decide to leave the concert early, as well. Unlike Tibby, the boy is happy to jump up and help by catching the couple at the... (full context)

Helen scolds Tibby for disappearing when they returned home instead of cordially helping to make their new friend... (full context)

...another flattering marriage proposal while she was there, despite having no interest in the man. Tibby is pleased by his recent visit and interview at Oxford. It has been barely six... (full context)

Tibby returns from Oxford for Easter, and Margaret urges him to choose a profession to pursue.... (full context)

Helen interrupts Tibby and Margaret to exclaim that a poor woman has just visited the house, asking for... (full context)

At Oxford, Tibby is finishing his final year. Unlike his sisters, Tibby is coldly cerebral, “untroubled by passions”... (full context)

One day Tibby is interrupted from his reading by a visit from Helen, who has come from Oniton.... (full context)

...minor colds and coughs all winter, Aunt Juley comes down with acute pneumonia. Margaret and Tibby go down to be at her bedside, and Helen plans to come back from Germany.... (full context)

...unduly fixated on the Wilcoxes ever since the whole crisis with Paul four years ago. Tibby also finds Helen’s refusal to see them highly unusual and suggests she might be mentally... (full context)

...house. Henry says he told Charles about Helen and Charles has gone to talk to Tibby. He asks Margaret if Helen was wearing a wedding ring, and she says no. He... (full context)

Charles meets Tibby at Henry’s house in Ducie Street. Charles is badly prejudiced against Helen, stemming from her... (full context)

After visiting Tibby in London, Charles returns to his house in Hilton, where Henry tells him what happened... (full context)