Esmé Squalor
Encyclopedia
Esmé Gigi Geniveve Squalor is the secondary antagonist of the children's novel series A Series of Unfortunate Events
by American author Lemony Snicket
. She is Count Olaf
's girlfriend. Prior to the events of the series she was a professional stage
actress and member of V.F.D.
Esmé is distinguished by her obsession with high fashion
and, later, with her protégée Carmelita Spats. The character's name is widely assumed to be a reference to "For Esmé – with Love and Squalor" by J. D. Salinger
.
Esmé is first introduced as the materialistic
and inconsiderate wife of Jerome Squalor and the self-proclaimed "city's sixth most important financial advisor
". When the Baudelaires discover Olaf's plan to smuggle
Duncan and Isadora Quagmire through a secret passageway in 667 Dark Avenue, Esmé traps them in an unused elevator shaft and tells them their mother once stole a "sugar bowl
" from her. Though the Baudelaires escape, Olaf's plan succeeds and Esmé leaves Jerome to join the count. During the events that follow, Esmé participates in her boyfriend's schemes but becomes increasingly disenchanted by Olaf's disregard for her interests. While Olaf sees embezzling
orphans' inheritances as the "greater good
", Esmé wants only the sugar bowl and Olaf's affection.
When Olaf abducts the Snow Scouts (an élite troop of child scouts
) as slaves
, Esmé takes an interest in the scout Carmelita Spats, welcoming her as an adoptive daughter and shifting her focus from the count. After her plans for a cocktail party
at the Hotel Denouement are canceled by Olaf (who decides to murder the guests instead), Esmé leaves his theater troupe and takes Carmelita. When the hotel is set on fire, Esmé is trapped on the second floor, where she and Carmelita presumably die.
, Count Olaf
, while he is still in disguise as Gunther the auctioneer. After the "In Auction", during which Gunther/Olaf completes a complicated scheme to "launder" the kidnapping of the remaining Quagmire triplets, he drives away with her in his truck. Although the Baudelaires attempt to warn her of Gunther's true identity, she reveals that she knew all along, and that he was her acting teacher. Later, while staying in the Village of Fowl Devotees, the Baudelaires hear that the two are dating. More than Olaf's girlfriend, Esmé acts as one of his henchmen
, though always within the limits of what is "in". She cheated on her husband Jerome.
In The Hostile Hospital
, Esmé was sent to destroy the Snicket File, which is one of the last remaining pieces of evidence that could have sent Count Olaf to jail. She used her sharp stilettos (the heels were real stiletto knives) to harm the orphans. She was unable to claim the file, mainly because the authorities had removed it beforehand, but also because Klaus Baudelaire
had Page Thirteen in his pocket. She attempted to murder the orphans by crushing them with book shelves and then burning the library down that they were in. She was able to capture Violet Baudelaire
, but failed to retain her. Lemony Snicket also mentions that Esmé and Mrs. Baudelaire met at a Thursday tea party.
In The Carnivorous Carnival, Esmé had a rivalry with Madame Lulu, as Madame Lulu had a certain affection for Count Olaf. Esme constantly gives her angry glances and has the idea of tossing Lulu to the lions. In The Slippery Slope
, the Baudelaires and Quigley Quagmire considered taking Esmé hostage in a plan to rescue Sunny Baudelaire
, but canceled the plan because it was "too villainous".
In The Penultimate Peril
, Olaf and Esmé break up after fighting during the dramatic "harpoon gun" incident. She wears a "lettuce bikini" with silver sandals and silver lipstick, and has her name carved into her fingernails. At the end, it is not known whether Esmé escaped the fire at Hotel Denouement with Carmelita Spats, but the narrative suggests that if she did, she never again met the Baudelaire children. She was on the 2nd floor when the Baudelaires last saw her.
In The End
, Esmé is not present but her presence is felt; Olaf, disguising himself as Kit Snicket, wears Esme's fire-dress from The Slippery Slope
, and later mentions the loss of his "true love" as one of the many things that he has "lost too much to go on", although there are implications that he is referring to Kit Snicket, not Esmé.
In Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography
, a transcript of a meeting held by V.F.D.
Volunteers is attended by eleven members of the secret organization, and refers to them only by the first initial of their first name. Two people called O and E, both of which are unwelcome to the meeting, as voiced by many Volunteers, enter the building where the meeting is taking place and force the V.F.D. members to agree to their demands. The O may be Olaf, and the E may be Esmé. It is also revealed that Esme and Jerome were married " after only one evening together." In Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography, it is implied that Esme systematically planned meeting with Jerome, as there is a letter addressed to her from Geraldine Julienne containing information on where Jerome can be found at certain times of the day and details about his personal life.
suggest that she only married Jerome Squalor to gain entry into his penthouse apartment, (although Jerome states in the book that they both moved in only a few weeks ago) which has a secret entryway into the Baudelaires' mansion. She also partly did it because penthouses were "in" and so was having lots of money. That was a fashion that stayed, because if it was "out" to live in a penthouse, she would have divorced him right away, gone to live somewhere else, and remarried him when it was back "in". Esmé has little patience with her husband at times, calling him 'dim-witted' and always gets her way, making Jerome feel he is in the wrong. The couple has an abusive relationship, with Jerome as the typical hen-pecked husband, and Esmé as the controlling wife.
In The Penultimate Peril
, Olaf and Esmé break up their partnership after fighting during the dramatic "harpoon gun" incident - a fight Carmelita was partially responsible for starting.
adopts Carmelita Spats but is unknown if they survive the fire of Hotel Denouement.
Esmé spoils Carmelita Spats, and "likes" Carmelita more than Olaf does, though she states haughtily to Geraldine Julienne that Carmelita is "no daughter of hers" in The Penultimate Peril
.
A Series of Unfortunate Events
A Series of Unfortunate Events is a series of children's novels by Lemony Snicket which follows the turbulent lives of Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire after their parents' death in an arsonous house fire...
by American author Lemony Snicket
Lemony Snicket
Lemony Snicket is the pen name of American novelist Daniel Handler . Snicket is the author of several children's books, serving as the narrator of A Series of Unfortunate Events and appearing as a character within the series. Because of this, the name Lemony Snicket may refer to both a fictional...
. She is Count Olaf
Count Olaf
Count Olaf is the primary antagonist of the children's novel series A Series of Unfortunate Events by American author Lemony Snicket. In the series, Olaf is an actor and is known to have committed many crimes as a member of the fire-starting side of V.F.D. prior to the events of the first book in...
's girlfriend. Prior to the events of the series she was a professional stage
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
actress and member of V.F.D.
V.F.D. members
In the children's novel series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket, many characters are members of a secret organization known as V.F.D. The following is a list all of the known members of V.F.D.-Beatrice Baudelaire:...
Esmé is distinguished by her obsession with high fashion
Haute couture
Haute couture refers to the creation of exclusive custom-fitted clothing. Haute couture is made to order for a specific customer, and it is usually made from high-quality, expensive fabric and sewn with extreme attention to detail and finished by the most experienced and capable seamstresses,...
and, later, with her protégée Carmelita Spats. The character's name is widely assumed to be a reference to "For Esmé – with Love and Squalor" by J. D. Salinger
J. D. Salinger
Jerome David Salinger was an American author, best known for his 1951 novel The Catcher in the Rye, as well as his reclusive nature. His last original published work was in 1965; he gave his last interview in 1980....
.
Esmé is first introduced as the materialistic
Consumerism
Consumerism is a social and economic order that is based on the systematic creation and fostering of a desire to purchase goods and services in ever greater amounts. The term is often associated with criticisms of consumption starting with Thorstein Veblen...
and inconsiderate wife of Jerome Squalor and the self-proclaimed "city's sixth most important financial advisor
Financial adviser
A financial adviser, is a professional who renders financial services to individuals, businesses and governments. This can involve investment advice, which may include pension planning, and/or advice on life insurance and other insurances such as income protection insurance, critical illness...
". When the Baudelaires discover Olaf's plan to smuggle
Human trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
Duncan and Isadora Quagmire through a secret passageway in 667 Dark Avenue, Esmé traps them in an unused elevator shaft and tells them their mother once stole a "sugar bowl
Sugar bowl (A Series of Unfortunate Events)
The sugar bowl is a fictional object from A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. It was first mentioned by name in The Hostile Hospital, in which Snicket ponders whether it was necessary to have stolen it from Esmé Squalor. It is indirectly mentioned in The Ersatz Elevator by Esmé...
" from her. Though the Baudelaires escape, Olaf's plan succeeds and Esmé leaves Jerome to join the count. During the events that follow, Esmé participates in her boyfriend's schemes but becomes increasingly disenchanted by Olaf's disregard for her interests. While Olaf sees embezzling
Embezzlement
Embezzlement is the act of dishonestly appropriating or secreting assets by one or more individuals to whom such assets have been entrusted....
orphans' inheritances as the "greater good
Utilitarianism
Utilitarianism is an ethical theory holding that the proper course of action is the one that maximizes the overall "happiness", by whatever means necessary. It is thus a form of consequentialism, meaning that the moral worth of an action is determined only by its resulting outcome, and that one can...
", Esmé wants only the sugar bowl and Olaf's affection.
When Olaf abducts the Snow Scouts (an élite troop of child scouts
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
) as slaves
Child slavery
-History:In the past, many children have been sold into slavery in order for their family to repay debts or for crimes. Sometimes this is also to give the children a better life than what they had with their family....
, Esmé takes an interest in the scout Carmelita Spats, welcoming her as an adoptive daughter and shifting her focus from the count. After her plans for a cocktail party
Cocktail party
A cocktail party is a party where cocktails are served. Women may choose to wear what has become known as a cocktail dress.Although many believe the inventor of the cocktail party to be Alec Waugh of London, who in 1924 found a need for this pleasant interlude before a dinner party, an article in...
at the Hotel Denouement are canceled by Olaf (who decides to murder the guests instead), Esmé leaves his theater troupe and takes Carmelita. When the hotel is set on fire, Esmé is trapped on the second floor, where she and Carmelita presumably die.
Biography
While the Baudelaires are living with the Squalors, Esmé conspires with the series' arch villainVillain
A villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters...
, Count Olaf
Count Olaf
Count Olaf is the primary antagonist of the children's novel series A Series of Unfortunate Events by American author Lemony Snicket. In the series, Olaf is an actor and is known to have committed many crimes as a member of the fire-starting side of V.F.D. prior to the events of the first book in...
, while he is still in disguise as Gunther the auctioneer. After the "In Auction", during which Gunther/Olaf completes a complicated scheme to "launder" the kidnapping of the remaining Quagmire triplets, he drives away with her in his truck. Although the Baudelaires attempt to warn her of Gunther's true identity, she reveals that she knew all along, and that he was her acting teacher. Later, while staying in the Village of Fowl Devotees, the Baudelaires hear that the two are dating. More than Olaf's girlfriend, Esmé acts as one of his henchmen
Henchman
Henchman referred originally to one who attended on a horse for his employer, that is, a horse groom. Hence, like constable and marshal, also originally stable staff, henchman became the title of a subordinate official in a royal court or noble household...
, though always within the limits of what is "in". She cheated on her husband Jerome.
In The Hostile Hospital
The Hostile Hospital
The Hostile Hospital is the eighth novel in the book series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket.-Plot and summary:The book begins where the previous one left off, with the three Baudelaire children escaping the Village of Fowl Devotees...
, Esmé was sent to destroy the Snicket File, which is one of the last remaining pieces of evidence that could have sent Count Olaf to jail. She used her sharp stilettos (the heels were real stiletto knives) to harm the orphans. She was unable to claim the file, mainly because the authorities had removed it beforehand, but also because Klaus Baudelaire
Klaus Baudelaire
Klaus Baudelaire is one of the main characters in the children's book series, A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket who appears in all thirteen novels. Klaus is the middle child of the Baudelaire orphans; he has an older sister named Violet and a younger sister named Sunny...
had Page Thirteen in his pocket. She attempted to murder the orphans by crushing them with book shelves and then burning the library down that they were in. She was able to capture Violet Baudelaire
Violet Baudelaire
Violet Baudelaire is one of the main characters in the children's book series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket and appears in all thirteen books. She is the oldest of the Baudelaire orphans at 14 years old, and often helps her 12-year-old brother Klaus and her baby sister Sunny...
, but failed to retain her. Lemony Snicket also mentions that Esmé and Mrs. Baudelaire met at a Thursday tea party.
In The Carnivorous Carnival, Esmé had a rivalry with Madame Lulu, as Madame Lulu had a certain affection for Count Olaf. Esme constantly gives her angry glances and has the idea of tossing Lulu to the lions. In The Slippery Slope
The Slippery Slope
The Slippery Slope is the tenth installment in the book series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Daniel Handler under the pseudonym of Lemony Snicket.-Plot Summary:...
, the Baudelaires and Quigley Quagmire considered taking Esmé hostage in a plan to rescue Sunny Baudelaire
Sunny Baudelaire
Sunny Baudelaire is one of the protagonists of Lemony Snicket's novel series A Series of Unfortunate Events. Sunny is the youngest of the three Baudelaire orphans, and is described as an infant through much of the series...
, but canceled the plan because it was "too villainous".
In The Penultimate Peril
The Penultimate Peril
The Penultimate Peril is the twelfth novel in the book series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket.-Plot:The book starts off where The Grim Grotto left off...
, Olaf and Esmé break up after fighting during the dramatic "harpoon gun" incident. She wears a "lettuce bikini" with silver sandals and silver lipstick, and has her name carved into her fingernails. At the end, it is not known whether Esmé escaped the fire at Hotel Denouement with Carmelita Spats, but the narrative suggests that if she did, she never again met the Baudelaire children. She was on the 2nd floor when the Baudelaires last saw her.
In The End
The End (A Series of Unfortunate Events)
The End is the thirteenth and final novel in Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. It was published on October 13, 2006.- Plot description :...
, Esmé is not present but her presence is felt; Olaf, disguising himself as Kit Snicket, wears Esme's fire-dress from The Slippery Slope
The Slippery Slope
The Slippery Slope is the tenth installment in the book series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Daniel Handler under the pseudonym of Lemony Snicket.-Plot Summary:...
, and later mentions the loss of his "true love" as one of the many things that he has "lost too much to go on", although there are implications that he is referring to Kit Snicket, not Esmé.
In Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography
Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography
Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography was first released on May 1, 2002. The book's content relates to the author Lemony Snicket and his series of books, A Series of Unfortunate Events...
, a transcript of a meeting held by V.F.D.
V.F.D.
V.F.D. is a secret organization within the book series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. The purposes of the organization are never made clear, although the name of the organization is connected to various interpretations of the word "fire." V.F.D...
Volunteers is attended by eleven members of the secret organization, and refers to them only by the first initial of their first name. Two people called O and E, both of which are unwelcome to the meeting, as voiced by many Volunteers, enter the building where the meeting is taking place and force the V.F.D. members to agree to their demands. The O may be Olaf, and the E may be Esmé. It is also revealed that Esme and Jerome were married " after only one evening together." In Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography, it is implied that Esme systematically planned meeting with Jerome, as there is a letter addressed to her from Geraldine Julienne containing information on where Jerome can be found at certain times of the day and details about his personal life.
Jerome Squalor
Letters from The Unauthorized AutobiographyLemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography
Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography was first released on May 1, 2002. The book's content relates to the author Lemony Snicket and his series of books, A Series of Unfortunate Events...
suggest that she only married Jerome Squalor to gain entry into his penthouse apartment, (although Jerome states in the book that they both moved in only a few weeks ago) which has a secret entryway into the Baudelaires' mansion. She also partly did it because penthouses were "in" and so was having lots of money. That was a fashion that stayed, because if it was "out" to live in a penthouse, she would have divorced him right away, gone to live somewhere else, and remarried him when it was back "in". Esmé has little patience with her husband at times, calling him 'dim-witted' and always gets her way, making Jerome feel he is in the wrong. The couple has an abusive relationship, with Jerome as the typical hen-pecked husband, and Esmé as the controlling wife.
Count Olaf
Esmé had acted before with Count Olaf in a modified version of the play The World is Quiet Here, replacing Beatrice after only one performance. Count Olaf holds Esmé in extremely high regard; she is the only one (besides Olaf) allowed in the front seat of his automobile, and was allowed to read the Snicket File when it fell into villainous hands.In The Penultimate Peril
The Penultimate Peril
The Penultimate Peril is the twelfth novel in the book series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket.-Plot:The book starts off where The Grim Grotto left off...
, Olaf and Esmé break up their partnership after fighting during the dramatic "harpoon gun" incident - a fight Carmelita was partially responsible for starting.
Carmelita Spats
Esmé in The Slippery SlopeThe Slippery Slope
The Slippery Slope is the tenth installment in the book series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Daniel Handler under the pseudonym of Lemony Snicket.-Plot Summary:...
adopts Carmelita Spats but is unknown if they survive the fire of Hotel Denouement.
Esmé spoils Carmelita Spats, and "likes" Carmelita more than Olaf does, though she states haughtily to Geraldine Julienne that Carmelita is "no daughter of hers" in The Penultimate Peril
The Penultimate Peril
The Penultimate Peril is the twelfth novel in the book series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket.-Plot:The book starts off where The Grim Grotto left off...
.
Outfits
Esmé had a number of strange looking outfits including:- A pinstripe suit. (The Ersatz ElevatorThe Ersatz ElevatorThe Ersatz Elevator is the sixth novel in the book series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Daniel Handler under the pseudonym of Lemony Snicket. The Baudelaires are sent to live with the wealthy Esmé and Jerome Squalor.-Plot summary:...
) - Black boots, white gloves, and a motorcycle helmet. (The Vile VillageThe Vile VillageThe Vile Village is the seventh novel in the book series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. After escaping Olaf once again, the Baudelaire orphans are taken into the care of a whole village, only to find lots of rules and chores, evil seniors, and Count Olaf and his evil girlfriend...
) - A purse in the shape of an eye, Fur coat, VeilVeilA veil is an article of clothing, worn almost exclusively by women, that is intended to cover some part of the head or face.One view is that as a religious item, it is intended to show honor to an object or space...
hat, with feathers, and stiletto shoes. (The Hostile HospitalThe Hostile HospitalThe Hostile Hospital is the eighth novel in the book series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket.-Plot and summary:The book begins where the previous one left off, with the three Baudelaire children escaping the Village of Fowl Devotees...
) - A long, white dress with the words "I ♥ Freaks". (The Carnivorous Carnival)
- A long, scarlet and gold gown that makes fire-like, crackling sounds, called "The Flame-Imitating Dress". (The Slippery SlopeThe Slippery SlopeThe Slippery Slope is the tenth installment in the book series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Daniel Handler under the pseudonym of Lemony Snicket.-Plot Summary:...
) - An OctopusOctopusThe octopus is a cephalopod mollusc of the order Octopoda. Octopuses have two eyes and four pairs of arms, and like other cephalopods they are bilaterally symmetric. An octopus has a hard beak, with its mouth at the center point of the arms...
costume. (The Grim GrottoThe Grim GrottoThe Grim Grotto is the eleventh novel in the book series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket.-Plot:The book begins where The Slippery Slope left off, with the Baudelaires traveling on a collapsing toboggan down the Stricken Stream of the Mortmain Mountains, leaving Quigley Quagmire...
) - Lettuce leaves worn in the fashion of a bikiniBikiniThe bikini is typically a women's two-piece swimsuit. One part of the attire covers the breasts and the other part covers the crotch and part of or the entire buttocks, leaving an uncovered area between the two. Merriam–Webster describes the bikini as "a woman's scanty two-piece bathing suit" or "a...
, silver sandals, silver fingernails, and Vision Furthering Devices. (The Penultimate PerilThe Penultimate PerilThe Penultimate Peril is the twelfth novel in the book series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket.-Plot:The book starts off where The Grim Grotto left off...
)
Appearances
- The Ersatz ElevatorThe Ersatz ElevatorThe Ersatz Elevator is the sixth novel in the book series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Daniel Handler under the pseudonym of Lemony Snicket. The Baudelaires are sent to live with the wealthy Esmé and Jerome Squalor.-Plot summary:...
- The Vile VillageThe Vile VillageThe Vile Village is the seventh novel in the book series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. After escaping Olaf once again, the Baudelaire orphans are taken into the care of a whole village, only to find lots of rules and chores, evil seniors, and Count Olaf and his evil girlfriend...
- The Hostile HospitalThe Hostile HospitalThe Hostile Hospital is the eighth novel in the book series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket.-Plot and summary:The book begins where the previous one left off, with the three Baudelaire children escaping the Village of Fowl Devotees...
- The Carnivorous Carnival
- The Slippery SlopeThe Slippery SlopeThe Slippery Slope is the tenth installment in the book series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Daniel Handler under the pseudonym of Lemony Snicket.-Plot Summary:...
- The Grim GrottoThe Grim GrottoThe Grim Grotto is the eleventh novel in the book series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket.-Plot:The book begins where The Slippery Slope left off, with the Baudelaires traveling on a collapsing toboggan down the Stricken Stream of the Mortmain Mountains, leaving Quigley Quagmire...
- The Penultimate PerilThe Penultimate PerilThe Penultimate Peril is the twelfth novel in the book series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket.-Plot:The book starts off where The Grim Grotto left off...
See also
- Count OlafCount OlafCount Olaf is the primary antagonist of the children's novel series A Series of Unfortunate Events by American author Lemony Snicket. In the series, Olaf is an actor and is known to have committed many crimes as a member of the fire-starting side of V.F.D. prior to the events of the first book in...
- Carmelita Spats
- Count Olaf's theater troupe