Character Sketch from ICSE Class 9 English The Model Millionaire of Hughie Erskine, Alan Trevor, Baron Hausberg, Laura Merton and Colonel Merton
A character sketch defines what the character is like and how he/she evolves or develops throughout the story. In this post you can find the Character Sketch of Hughie Erskine, Alan Trevor, Baron Hausberg, Laura Merton and Colonel Merton from ICSE Class 9 English Short Story The Model Millionaire from Treasure Chest book.
- Character Sketch of Hughie Erskine
- Questions related to the Character of Hughie Erskine
- Character Sketch of Alan Trevor
- Questions related to the Character of Alan Trevor
- Character Sketch of Baron Hausberg
- Questions related to the Character of Baron Hausberg
- Character Sketch of Laura Merton
- Character Sketch of Colonel Merton
Related:
- The Model Millionaire Summary, Explanation
- The Model Millionaire Question Answers
- ICSE Class 9 English Lesson Notes
Character Sketch of Hughie Erskine
Hughie Erskine was a young man, who was good-looking with crisp brown hair and grey eyes. He was charming, he was not only popular among men but also among women. But intellectually we must admit he was not of much importance.
He was simply unable to make money. He survived on an allowance of two hundred pounds a year given by an old aunt. His father had left him with an inheritance of a cavalry sword and History of the Peninsular War in fifteen volumes. In order to earn money he had tried the stock exchange, worked under a tea merchant and sold dry sherry. Thus, he was a delightful, ineffectual young man with a perfect profile and no profession. He was in love with a girl named Laura Merton, daughter of a retired Colonel. The Colonel liked Hughie but was against the engagement. He would allow them to get married only if Hughie had ten thousand pounds of his own. This made Hughie sad. Though he was unable to marry Laura because of the condition put up by her father, both he and Laura were madly in love. He would visit Laura every day. The rest of the time he would tire out his friends talking about Laura. One day on his way to Laura’s place he dropped in to see his friend Alan Trevor who was an artist and an excellent painter. Trevor liked Hughie for his good looks, so he had given him the permanent entry to his studio.
Here Hughie saw Trevor finishing the portrait of a beggar. The model for the painting was a poor piteous beggar. The state of the beggar moved Hughie to dig in his pockets and give the beggar the largest denomination coin he had. Hughie left the studio. Laura scolded him for his extravagance. Later that evening he met Trevor who claimed to have finished and framed his painting. Trevor told Hughie that the model was interested in the latter and had made enquiries about him and Laura. Hughie was afraid that the beggar had seen that he had a soft corner for the beggar so he would harass him for money. Hughie became red and angry. But the next moment he felt shocked and ashamed when Trevor told him that the beggar was actually Baron Hausberg, a very rich man who had commissioned Trevor to paint him as a beggar. Hughie confessed to giving the richest man, ‘a sovereign’. Alan had a hearty laugh and the embarrassed Hughie rushed home. The next morning he had a visitor, a messenger from Baron Hausberg. Baron had sent Hughie 10,000 pounds as a wedding gift. Hughie was able to finally marry Laura and Trevor was the best-man in the wedding and Baron made a speech at their wedding breakfast.
Questions related to the Character of Hughie Erskine
Q1. Describe Hughie’s character.
Q2. What condition had the Colonel raised for Hughie to marry his daughter Laura? Why?
Character Sketch of Alan Trevor
Alan Trevor was a painter and also an artist. He has been described as a “strange rough fellow, with a freckled face and a red ragged beard” whose art is well received by critics and patrons. He believed that beautiful people should rule the world. He liked beauty and intellect. But Alan’s definition of beauty even included someone wearing rags. Alan was a hard worker in comparison with Hughie’s more relaxed nature. He was totally amused by Hughie’s act of giving a sovereign to the beggar. When Baron dressed as an ugly beggar enquired about Hughie, Alan gave him information about Hughie’s poverty and his inability to marry Laura.
Later, Alan served as Hughie’s best-man at the wedding.
Questions related to the Character of Alan Trevor
Q1. What did Alan do?
Q2. Compare and contrast the personalities of Alan and Hughie.
Character Sketch of Baron Hausberg
Baron Hausberg was one of the wealthiest men in Europe but he was an odd fellow. He had commissioned Trevor, a master artist, to paint him as a beggar rather than the grand man he was.
Hughie felt sorry on seeing Baron’s piteous condition that he gave him a sovereign-almost all the money he had. Baron was attracted to the kindness Hughie showed and when he came to know about Hughie and Laura, he decided to help them by giving Hughie 10,000 pounds as a wedding gift.
Questions related to the Character of Baron Hausberg
Q1. Describe the Baron.
Q2. How did the Baron help the newly wedded couple?
Character Sketch of Laura Merton
Laura Merton is Hughie’s love interest. She adored Hughie as well. Laura is apparently quite good-looking herself. Her protective father, Colonel Merton didn’t allow her and Hughie to marry unless he had 10,000 pounds.
Character Sketch of Colonel Merton
Colonel Merton is a minor but an important character in the story. He is the father of Hughie’s love interest, Laura. He had served in the army and had been posted to India. He lost his temper frequently and his digestion was disturbed. He was not very rich either. He wanted a better life for his daughter, hence he put the condition of Hughie having ten thousand pounds before getting engaged. He liked Hughie but he knew that Hughie was neither smart nor rich.