Character Sketch: The Browning Version

Character Sketch of Mr. Crocker Harris

Mr. Crocker Harris is a middle-aged senior teacher in the same school where Frank is also a teacher. Mr. Harris teaches Latin to students. He is a very strict teacher and enjoys an admirable command over his students. He follows rules and regulations of the school quite meticulously. He is strict with his students; but he is not a sadist. He does not want his students to like him; he wants them to make sincere efforts in learning. He gives extra-work to students who show carelessness and make mistakes. Though he is strict, his students admire him. He is sincere towards his work as a teacher.

Character Sketch of Frank Hunter

Frank Hunter was a popular, young science teacher. He is liked by the students who feel he can understand them better than Mr Crocker-Harris. He doesn't follow the rules and regulations of the school. He doesn't like his own subject science of which he was a teacher. He is also popular because he teaches science which the students find easier to comprehend than Classics which they think is "muck". He is easy to talk to and is approachable. His attitude puts them at their ease. He enjoyed it when Taplow imitated Mr. Croker Harris. However, he encourages students to talk ill of other teachers. He probes the details of the relationship between Mr Crocker-Harris and Taplow. He also encourages Taplow to disobey the teacher's orders and go off before meeting Mr Crocker-Harris.

Character Sketch of Taplow

Taplow was sixteen years old studying in the lower fifth grade. He was a science student. His conversation with Frank tells us about his likes and dislikes. Taplow had a desire to specialize in Science subject. He did not like arts, especially the play 'Agamemnon'. He felt that the play was not bad as such, but it was taught in a terrible manner. He was very frank and straightforward about his idea of Crocker-Harris. Taplow had a strange attitude towards him. He admitted that inspite of everything he still liked Crocker-Harris. He even laughed at his poor jokes out of courtesy. He was very scared of disobeying his teacher. He even worked for him in his absence. Taplow went to the chemist to get a prescription for him.

Character Sketch of Millie Croker Harris

Millie is Andrew's younger wife who over the years has grown increasingly bitter towards her husband. She is a thin woman, in her late thirties. Millie is smartly dressed as compared to other schoolmasters' wives. In order to send the waiting Taplow away, she gives him her husband's medical prescription to fetch medicines from the chemist.