Gemma Doyle
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gemma Doyle (born c. 1879) is the heroine of Libba Bray's novels A Great and Terrible Beauty, Rebel Angels, and The Sweet Far Thing.
Contents |
[edit] Appearance
Gemma is a large girl, though skinny, taller than most of the other girls her age. She has unruly red hair, green eyes, and freckles, which she dislikes, though Gemma is considered pretty.
[edit] Childhood
Gemma lived most of her life in India. In July of 1895, Gemma's mother died, and the Doyle family came back to England. Gemma, then only sixteen, was sent to Spence Academy.
[edit] Family and Friends
- Virginia Doyle, Gemma's mother
- John Doyle, Gemma's father, who became addicted to laudanum, after his wife's death
- Thomas Henry "Tom" Doyle, Gemma's older brother, who works at Bethlem Royal Hospital
- Felicity Worthington, a friend of Gemma's, at Spence
- Ann Bradshaw, a friend of Gemma's at Spence, and Gemma's school room-mate
- Pippa Cross, a friend of Gemma's, at Spence
- Nell Hawkins, a young woman who is under Tom's care at Bedlam
- Kartik, a young Indian man whose Rakshana mission seems to be either to protect or to kill Gemma; she is rather in love with him
- The Honorable Simon Middleton, a ninteen-year-old man whom Gemma meets in December of 1895 at Victoria Station, and who courts Gemma, that winter, before she refuses him, fearing that Simon could never really understand her
[edit] Name
Gemma's first name means "jewel"[1]. Her surname, Doyle, comes from the Irish language Ó Dubhghaill, or "descendent of Dubhghall". The word Dubhgall, as it were, is Gaelic for "dark stranger"[2]. Gemma's full name, then, means "jewel who is descended from a dark stranger".
In Rebel Angels, Gemma, Felicity, and Ann make anagrams of their names. Gemma's proves to be Dog Mealy Em, which does not make her very happy. This scene may be done predominantly for humor, however. Gemma's name could just as easily become something like Emma LeGody, which would pass as a normal name, though it may not have seemed as funny to the reader.
[edit] External Links
- Libba Bray's Official site
- Rebelle, the official fanlisting for Gemma
