Diana Villiers
Encyclopedia
Diana Villiers is a fictional character in the Aubrey-Maturin series of novels by Patrick O'Brian
. Described as beautiful, mercurial, and entirely unreliable, she is the great love and great sorrow of Stephen Maturin's life.
, which begins with Captain Jack Aubrey
and Doctor Stephen Maturin living ashore during the Peace of Amiens. They first see her in a fox hunting
field near their leased country house, and are impressed by her beauty and bold spirit.
In Post Captain, Diana is living with the Williams
family, as a poor relation. Previously a resident of India, where her father was a general and her husband was an official of the East India Company
, she returned to England after both men were killed in the same battle with the forces of "Tippoo Sahib"
. Both Aubrey and Maturin are intrigued by the fiery Diana, although Aubrey also forms a conflicted attachment to Diana's more placid cousin Sophia. Despite Maturin's social disadvantages of being unattractive, illegitimate, and Catholic, Diana enjoys his company and even admits him to her bedroom. However, she does not seem to reciprocate his infatuation and carries on simultaneous affairs with other men, including Aubrey.
In HMS Surprise
, Maturin meets Diana in India
. She accepts his proposal of marriage after Stephen kills one of her other lovers in a duel. However, before the marriage can take place, she goes to the United States
with Johnson, an American she met in Calcutta. When Maturin and Aubrey arrive in Boston as prisoners of war, they meet Diana again as Johnson prepares to reject her for a new mistress. Maturin repeats his offer of marriage, and she accepts. They leave the United States with a diamond necklace that Johnstone had given her — a necklace of immense value with a center stone called "The Blue Peter." Once safely away, Diana is reluctant to go through with the ceremony because she knows she is pregnant by Johnson. She asks Maturin to give her an abortion
, but he refuses. He takes her to Paris, where she can complete her confinement and give birth without the ignominy of being snubbed by British society. There she miscarries.
When Maturin is imprisoned in Paris, Diana uses the Blue Peter as a form of ransom to secure his release. On the boat back to England, they are finally married by Babbington, with the bride given away by Aubrey, now her cousin by marriage.
Maturin buys Diana a fashionable town house in London but they continue to live separately. Maturin stays at the Grapes, in the Liberties of the Savoy, as his personal habits, including bringing dissected corpses and animals into the house, and carelessness with personal hygiene, make him disagreeable to Diana's fashionable lifestyle.
While Diana enjoys London society, Maturin and Aubrey are posted to the Mediterranean in The Ionian Mission
. In Treason's Harbour
, rumours of Maturin having an affair in Malta
are spread by enemies of Maturin. Hearing these, Diana runs to Sweden
under the protection of Jagiello, a Lithuania
n count in The Far Side of the World. She later claims relationship with Jagiello is neither romantic nor sexual. Maturin eventually travels to Sweden
in The Reverse of the Medal
where they are reconciled again after Maturin suffers a severe accident under the influence of laudanum
.
While Maturin is on another voyage to the Far East, Diana gives birth to a daughter, Brigid, who appears to suffer from a form of autism
. In despair, Diana leaves Brigid and disappears. However, in The Commodore
, Maturin tracks her down again in Ireland
. They are reconciled again as Brigid makes a full recovery.
Diana and Brigid spend a lot of time with Aubrey's family. Diana enjoys driving a carriage and team of horses. In The Hundred Days
, this leads to an accident in which she and her aunt, Sophie's mother, are killed when the carriage runs off a bridge at a dangerous corner.
Patrick O'Brian
Patrick O'Brian, CBE , born Richard Patrick Russ, was an English novelist and translator, best known for his Aubrey–Maturin series of novels set in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and centred on the friendship of English Naval Captain Jack Aubrey and the Irish–Catalan physician Stephen...
. Described as beautiful, mercurial, and entirely unreliable, she is the great love and great sorrow of Stephen Maturin's life.
Character history
Diana enters the series in the novel Post CaptainPost Captain (novel)
Post Captain is a 1972 historical naval novel by Patrick O'Brian. It is second in the Aubrey–Maturin series of stories set in the early-nineteenth century, concerning the adventures of Captain Jack Aubrey and naval surgeon Stephen Maturin...
, which begins with Captain Jack Aubrey
Jack Aubrey
John "Jack" Aubrey, KB , is a fictional character in the Aubrey–Maturin series of novels by Patrick O'Brian. The series portrays his rise from Lieutenant to Rear-Admiral in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. The twenty -book series encompasses Aubrey's adventures and various commands along...
and Doctor Stephen Maturin living ashore during the Peace of Amiens. They first see her in a fox hunting
Fox hunting
Fox hunting is an activity involving the tracking, chase, and sometimes killing of a fox, traditionally a red fox, by trained foxhounds or other scent hounds, and a group of followers led by a master of foxhounds, who follow the hounds on foot or on horseback.Fox hunting originated in its current...
field near their leased country house, and are impressed by her beauty and bold spirit.
In Post Captain, Diana is living with the Williams
Recurring characters in the Aubrey–Maturin series
This is a list of recurring characters in the Aubrey–Maturin series of novels by Patrick O'Brian. References to page numbers, where they appear, are based upon the W. W. Norton & Company printing of the novels.-Main characters and their families:...
family, as a poor relation. Previously a resident of India, where her father was a general and her husband was an official of the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
, she returned to England after both men were killed in the same battle with the forces of "Tippoo Sahib"
Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan , also known as the Tiger of Mysore, was the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore. He was the son of Hyder Ali, at that time an officer in the Mysorean army, and his second wife, Fatima or Fakhr-un-Nissa...
. Both Aubrey and Maturin are intrigued by the fiery Diana, although Aubrey also forms a conflicted attachment to Diana's more placid cousin Sophia. Despite Maturin's social disadvantages of being unattractive, illegitimate, and Catholic, Diana enjoys his company and even admits him to her bedroom. However, she does not seem to reciprocate his infatuation and carries on simultaneous affairs with other men, including Aubrey.
In HMS Surprise
HMS Surprise (novel)
HMS Surprise is a 1973 historical naval novel by Patrick O'Brian. It is third in the Aubrey-Maturin series of stories that follow the partnership of Captain Jack Aubrey and the naval surgeon Stephen Maturin...
, Maturin meets Diana in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. She accepts his proposal of marriage after Stephen kills one of her other lovers in a duel. However, before the marriage can take place, she goes to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with Johnson, an American she met in Calcutta. When Maturin and Aubrey arrive in Boston as prisoners of war, they meet Diana again as Johnson prepares to reject her for a new mistress. Maturin repeats his offer of marriage, and she accepts. They leave the United States with a diamond necklace that Johnstone had given her — a necklace of immense value with a center stone called "The Blue Peter." Once safely away, Diana is reluctant to go through with the ceremony because she knows she is pregnant by Johnson. She asks Maturin to give her an abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
, but he refuses. He takes her to Paris, where she can complete her confinement and give birth without the ignominy of being snubbed by British society. There she miscarries.
When Maturin is imprisoned in Paris, Diana uses the Blue Peter as a form of ransom to secure his release. On the boat back to England, they are finally married by Babbington, with the bride given away by Aubrey, now her cousin by marriage.
Maturin buys Diana a fashionable town house in London but they continue to live separately. Maturin stays at the Grapes, in the Liberties of the Savoy, as his personal habits, including bringing dissected corpses and animals into the house, and carelessness with personal hygiene, make him disagreeable to Diana's fashionable lifestyle.
While Diana enjoys London society, Maturin and Aubrey are posted to the Mediterranean in The Ionian Mission
The Ionian Mission
The Ionian Mission is a historical novel by Patrick O'Brian, set during the Napoleonic Wars. It is the eighth in the Aubrey-Maturin series.-Plot summary:...
. In Treason's Harbour
Treason's Harbour
Treason's Harbour is a historical novel by British author Patrick O'Brian, set during the Napoleonic period, which follows the life of two friends, naval captain Jack Aubrey and his ship's surgeon Stephen Maturin. It is the ninth book in the Aubrey-Maturin series.-Plot summary:Jack and Stephen are...
, rumours of Maturin having an affair in Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
are spread by enemies of Maturin. Hearing these, Diana runs to Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
under the protection of Jagiello, a Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
n count in The Far Side of the World. She later claims relationship with Jagiello is neither romantic nor sexual. Maturin eventually travels to Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
in The Reverse of the Medal
The Reverse of the Medal
The Reverse of the Medal is a historical novel by Patrick O'Brian set during the Napoleonic Wars. It was first published by HarperCollins in 1986 and is the eleventh book in the Aubrey-Maturin series, concerning the adventures of naval commander Jack Aubrey, and his friend, ship's surgeon,...
where they are reconciled again after Maturin suffers a severe accident under the influence of laudanum
Laudanum
Laudanum , also known as Tincture of Opium, is an alcoholic herbal preparation containing approximately 10% powdered opium by weight ....
.
While Maturin is on another voyage to the Far East, Diana gives birth to a daughter, Brigid, who appears to suffer from a form of autism
Autism
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
. In despair, Diana leaves Brigid and disappears. However, in The Commodore
The Commodore (novel)
The Commodore is an historical novel set during the Napoleonic Wars, written by British author Patrick O'Brian and published by HarperCollins in 1995. It is the seventeenth volume in the Aubrey-Maturin series. The novel features the adventures of naval commander Jack Aubrey, and his friend, ship's...
, Maturin tracks her down again in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. They are reconciled again as Brigid makes a full recovery.
Diana and Brigid spend a lot of time with Aubrey's family. Diana enjoys driving a carriage and team of horses. In The Hundred Days
The Hundred Days (novel)
The Hundred Days is a historical novel written by British author Patrick O'Brian. It is the nineteenth novel in the Aubrey-Maturin series, set during the Napoleonic Wars...
, this leads to an accident in which she and her aunt, Sophie's mother, are killed when the carriage runs off a bridge at a dangerous corner.