Mr. Dawson Character Analysis

By Stephen Bray

Mr. Dawson is the nearest physician to Blackwater Park, where Marian Halcombe lay ill with an infection that subsequently turned to typhus.

He is also the second of the venerable characters whom despite their moral and professional standing Collins renders inadequate. Indeed all of the elder characters in the book are deficient in some way. Glyde and Osco are obviously villains. Mr. Gilmore despite his solicitations is unable to alter the conditions of Laura Fairlie's marriage contract. Frederick Fairlie suffers with a personality disorder.

We must remember that these are all fictitious characters invented by Wilkie Collins, and not 'real' people, even if based upon types that Collins had met in the course of his life.

We are not informed if Mr. Dawson is a surgeon, or an apothecary by training, but most probably he is an apothecary. Collins avoids the use of the term doctor when describing him, or in his title.This training was held by many to be inferior to that of physicians, but really without good cause. A good description of the training and life of an apothecary in general practice may be found in Dr. Bradley Remembers, by Francis Brett Young, which was published 1939 but refering to an earlier period.

The claim that Mr. Dawson is  an apothecary is made upon the following, meagre, evidence. He is too indignant when the unqualified Count Fosco makes the diagnosis of Typhus. A physician would have been more secure of his station, and a surgeon more intrusive in his treatment. We note that Dawon isn't accorded the title 'doctor' that physicians rather than surgeons use. Some apothecaries were accorded the title 'doctor', or they adopted it but strictly their licence to practice medicine didn't make them doctors of medicine. This is however largely conjecture and you are advised to make further enquiries before arguing firmly in favour of my opinion.

Like the lawyer Gilmore the medical man Dawson takes firm steps to help Miss Halcombe. He warns Eliza Michelson the housekeeper to be on guard for any misdemeanours both by Mrs Rubelle the nurse, or Count Fosco. He also treats Miss Halcombe and attends her regularly. Yet despite all his effort she gets worse!

Some claim that Dawson differs from Gilmore because where Gilmore doesn't agree with the marriage settlement he makes it nevertheless, Dawson refuses to treat Miss Halcombe when his diagnosis is questioned. In fact the actions are dissimilar because their contexts are different. Where one draws up a contract on paper, the other's contract is with a person's body. It would in effect have been impossible for Mr. Dawson to treat Miss Halcombe under the directions of the unqualified Fosco, or another doctor and also remain the responsible medical practitioner. This is the point at issue for Dawson, and the difference in context between these two professional men.

We must ask ourselves what purpose does the character of Dawson serve in the story? Why could he not have been allowed to make a correct diagnosis, or eventually offer an adequate treatment. In fact there's very little reason why he appears at all. Most of the films and also the musical omit his character from the story.

The part he later plays in vouching for Walter Hartright, which gives him leave to be released from his charge of assault pending his hearing could easily have been managed without reference to Dawson.

My conclusion is that Dawson serves two purposes. Firstly he enables us to appreciate more intensely the severity of Marian Halcombe's illness. Secondly he enables Wilkie Collins to probe the degree to which his readers should respect elders, and also the professions.