M. Rivière Character Analysis in The Age of Innocence

A French schoolmaster whom Archer meets in London. Archer finds him intellectually engaging, but May thinks him too socially inferior for them to associate with. He’s considering moving to New York for the intellectual life which he doesn’t realize is nonexistent there. Later, Archer discovers that M. Rivière is also the secretary who helped Ellen escape her husband, and with whom she is rumored to have had an affair. Though Count Olenski sends M. Rivière to convince Ellen to return to him, M. Rivière begs Archer not to let Ellen do so, as he believes the Count to be a brute.

M. Rivière Character Timeline in The Age of Innocence

The timeline below shows where the character M. Rivière appears in The Age of Innocence. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...the drawing room. The vicar and the nephew soon leave, but Archer finds the tutor, M. Rivière , as interesting as Ned Winsett. He learns that the man will tutor Mrs. Carfry’s... (full context)

M. Rivière says that he left journalism and began tutoring to preserve his intellectual freedom and be... (full context)

On the drive home, Archer thinks about his conversation with M. Rivière . He feels refreshed by it and wants to invite him to dinner, but when... (full context)

Archer says he won’t ask M. Rivière to dine, and May is appalled that he would consider such a thing. He says... (full context)

...man approaches him and asks whether they met in London. Archer suddenly recognizes him as M. Rivière . M. Rivière says he’s returning to Europe in two days, and he begins to... (full context)

Later, M. Rivière comes to Archer’s office. He says he thinks he saw Archer in Boston. He finds... (full context)

M. Rivière clarifies that he wants to present his own opinion to Archer, not the arguments that... (full context)

...family loyalty, but she must also believe Ellen would be better off with her husband. M. Rivière asks whether Archer knows that the Mingotts are advising Ellen to accept proposals he has... (full context)

Archer wants to know why M. Rivière is even talking to him about this, and M. Rivière exclaims that Archer must not... (full context)

...conversation as this is going on under his rule. He asks how Ellen has changed. M. Rivière says he discovered that she’s an American, and things that are acceptable in other societies... (full context)

...May sent him. He says it is, and she did. Then he tells her that M. Rivière came to see him, hoping to retaliate against her mention of May. Ellen doesn’t seem... (full context)

...has lived this whole time in an atmosphere filled with art and knowledge. He remembers M. Rivière exclaiming over the value of good conversation. Ellen has been living a life that Archer... (full context)