The Night Circus

by

Erin Morgenstern

Hector Bowen / Prospero the Enchanter Character Analysis

Known publicly as Prospero the Enchanter, Hector Bowen is a magician who has made his living performing for audiences that do not understand that his magic is real, and not just a skillful illusion or sleight of hand. His fellow magician Mr. A.H. seems to look down on him for performing, suggesting that he is wasting his magical skills on people who will never understand them. The two magicians have been rivals for a very long time, and have been making their apprentices compete against one another for nearly as long. Hector’s previous apprentice forfeited the competition by setting herself on fire, but he has found a new and more promising competitor in his daughter, Celia Bowen. Hector’s daughter Celia came to him when she was five years old, after her mother committed suicide; he was unmoved by the suicide and the child he now had to take care of, until he realized that Celia had innate magical abilities that he could use in his competition against Mr. A.H. Hector retired from performing to train Celia, and then withdrew from public life when one of his magic tricks went horribly wrong, turning him into a ghost-like specter. He watches over the competition between Celia and Marco in Le Cirque des Rêves, inserting himself when they begin to collaborate, fearing that he will lose another round of competition with Mr. A.H. In the end, however, he loses his daughter, as she and Marco escape the competition by jumping into the central bonfire of the circus and trapping themselves inside to be together forever.

Hector Bowen / Prospero the Enchanter Quotes in The Night Circus

The The Night Circus quotes below are all either spoken by Hector Bowen / Prospero the Enchanter or refer to Hector Bowen / Prospero the Enchanter. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Rivalry and Competition Theme Icon
).
Part 1: Primordium Quotes

“You might be interesting.”

Related Characters: Hector Bowen / Prospero the Enchanter (speaker), Celia Bowen
Page Number: 11
Explanation and Analysis:

“You would wager your own child?”

“She won’t lose.”

Related Characters: Alexander / Mr. A.H. (speaker), Hector Bowen / Prospero the Enchanter (speaker), Celia Bowen
Page Number: 19
Explanation and Analysis:

“[…] with whom have you studied?”

“With my father, Hector Bowen. Though perhaps he is better known as Prospero the Enchanter.”

Related Characters: Celia Bowen (speaker), Marco Alisdair (speaker), Hector Bowen / Prospero the Enchanter
Page Number: 95
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 2: Illumination Quotes

“Working with others will only drag you down. These people are not your friends, they are inconsequential. And one of them is your opponent, don’t forget that.”

Related Characters: Hector Bowen / Prospero the Enchanter (speaker), Celia Bowen
Page Number: 149
Explanation and Analysis:

“I spent the first several years of my life watching my mother pine for him, steadfastly. Loving and longing far beyond the time when he had lost what little interest in her he ever held. Until one day when I was five years old and she took her own life. When I was old enough to understand, I promised myself I would not suffer so for anyone. It will take a great deal more than that charming smile of yours to seduce me.”

Related Characters: Celia Bowen (speaker), Marco Alisdair, Hector Bowen / Prospero the Enchanter
Page Number: 275
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 3: Intersections Quotes

“Are you looking for this? It was made by a ring when I was fourteen. It said something in Latin, but I don’t know what it was.”

Esse quam videri. To be, rather than to seem. It’s the Bowen family motto. My father was very fond of engraving it on things. I’m not entirely sure he appreciated the irony.”

Related Characters: Celia Bowen (speaker), Marco Alisdair (speaker), Hector Bowen / Prospero the Enchanter
Related Symbols: Rings
Page Number: 348
Explanation and Analysis:

“She will win. Do not try to avoid the fact that she is a stronger player than yours and has always been.”

Related Characters: Hector Bowen / Prospero the Enchanter (speaker), Celia Bowen, Alexander / Mr. A.H.
Page Number: 383
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 4: Incendiary Quotes

“You are willing to sacrifice me for this. To let me destroy myself just so you can attempt to prove a point. You tied me to this game knowing the stakes, and you let me think it was nothing but a simple challenge of skill.”

Related Characters: Celia Bowen (speaker), Hector Bowen / Prospero the Enchanter
Page Number: 397-398
Explanation and Analysis:

“You said there was a rule about interference.”

“Interfering with you or your opponent. I can interfere with anyone else as much as I please.”

“Your interfering got Friedrick killed!”

“There are other clockmakers in the world.”

Related Characters: Celia Bowen (speaker), Hector Bowen / Prospero the Enchanter (speaker), Friedrick Thiessen
Page Number: 426
Explanation and Analysis:

“Our instructors do not understand how it is. To be bound to someone in such a way. They are too old, too out of touch with their emotions. They no longer remember what it is to live and breathe within the world. They think it simple to pit any two people against each other. It is never simple. The other person becomes how you define your life, how you define yourself.”

Related Characters: Tsukiko (speaker), Celia Bowen, Marco Alisdair, Alexander / Mr. A.H., Hector Bowen / Prospero the Enchanter
Page Number: 458
Explanation and Analysis:
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Hector Bowen / Prospero the Enchanter Quotes in The Night Circus

The The Night Circus quotes below are all either spoken by Hector Bowen / Prospero the Enchanter or refer to Hector Bowen / Prospero the Enchanter. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Rivalry and Competition Theme Icon
).
Part 1: Primordium Quotes

“You might be interesting.”

Related Characters: Hector Bowen / Prospero the Enchanter (speaker), Celia Bowen
Page Number: 11
Explanation and Analysis:

“You would wager your own child?”

“She won’t lose.”

Related Characters: Alexander / Mr. A.H. (speaker), Hector Bowen / Prospero the Enchanter (speaker), Celia Bowen
Page Number: 19
Explanation and Analysis:

“[…] with whom have you studied?”

“With my father, Hector Bowen. Though perhaps he is better known as Prospero the Enchanter.”

Related Characters: Celia Bowen (speaker), Marco Alisdair (speaker), Hector Bowen / Prospero the Enchanter
Page Number: 95
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 2: Illumination Quotes

“Working with others will only drag you down. These people are not your friends, they are inconsequential. And one of them is your opponent, don’t forget that.”

Related Characters: Hector Bowen / Prospero the Enchanter (speaker), Celia Bowen
Page Number: 149
Explanation and Analysis:

“I spent the first several years of my life watching my mother pine for him, steadfastly. Loving and longing far beyond the time when he had lost what little interest in her he ever held. Until one day when I was five years old and she took her own life. When I was old enough to understand, I promised myself I would not suffer so for anyone. It will take a great deal more than that charming smile of yours to seduce me.”

Related Characters: Celia Bowen (speaker), Marco Alisdair, Hector Bowen / Prospero the Enchanter
Page Number: 275
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 3: Intersections Quotes

“Are you looking for this? It was made by a ring when I was fourteen. It said something in Latin, but I don’t know what it was.”

Esse quam videri. To be, rather than to seem. It’s the Bowen family motto. My father was very fond of engraving it on things. I’m not entirely sure he appreciated the irony.”

Related Characters: Celia Bowen (speaker), Marco Alisdair (speaker), Hector Bowen / Prospero the Enchanter
Related Symbols: Rings
Page Number: 348
Explanation and Analysis:

“She will win. Do not try to avoid the fact that she is a stronger player than yours and has always been.”

Related Characters: Hector Bowen / Prospero the Enchanter (speaker), Celia Bowen, Alexander / Mr. A.H.
Page Number: 383
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 4: Incendiary Quotes

“You are willing to sacrifice me for this. To let me destroy myself just so you can attempt to prove a point. You tied me to this game knowing the stakes, and you let me think it was nothing but a simple challenge of skill.”

Related Characters: Celia Bowen (speaker), Hector Bowen / Prospero the Enchanter
Page Number: 397-398
Explanation and Analysis:

“You said there was a rule about interference.”

“Interfering with you or your opponent. I can interfere with anyone else as much as I please.”

“Your interfering got Friedrick killed!”

“There are other clockmakers in the world.”

Related Characters: Celia Bowen (speaker), Hector Bowen / Prospero the Enchanter (speaker), Friedrick Thiessen
Page Number: 426
Explanation and Analysis:

“Our instructors do not understand how it is. To be bound to someone in such a way. They are too old, too out of touch with their emotions. They no longer remember what it is to live and breathe within the world. They think it simple to pit any two people against each other. It is never simple. The other person becomes how you define your life, how you define yourself.”

Related Characters: Tsukiko (speaker), Celia Bowen, Marco Alisdair, Alexander / Mr. A.H., Hector Bowen / Prospero the Enchanter
Page Number: 458
Explanation and Analysis: