Excerpt from Marjorie Garber, “Character: The History of a Cultural Obsession”

Marjorie Garber explores the word’s complexity and history.

Multiple small paper tabs, each decorated with a simple line drawing of a different facial expression

Photograph by iStock

Kenan professor of English and of visual and environmental studies Marjorie Garber is an eclectic and creative scholar. In Character: The History of a Cultural Obsession (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, $30), she has found a suitably broad subject for her interests, spanning the meanings of the term from the ancient word for engraving or stamping, to the multiple manifestations of moral principles, upheld or violated. There is plenty of grist: for the intellect in general, and for discussions of the hurly-burly of contemporary leadership—or the lack thereof. From “The Character Effect,” her afterword:

A strange thing has happened to the idea of character on its way to the twenty-first century.

What once was an object of conviction, the belief in human character, has become more like a label, or an evaluation, or a good (or bad) grade. It’s almost as if this qualitative term is better left unspoken—except in headlines, Senate hearings, job references, and obituaries.

Scientists tend not to use it. Nor do social scientists—psychologists, sociologists, anthropologists. Philosophers prefer “ethical” or “moral.” Biographers may write warmly of the “character” of figures from the past, like Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, or Eleanor Roosevelt. But when “character” appears in the biographies of present-day figures, especially those of politicians and celebrities, the assessment is usually not so positive. Character flaws and character failings sell books. But in the process of this evolution, something of the term’s complexity and history has been neglected, or forgotten.

Is bad presidential behavior bad character, or just locker-room talk? Is a gross violation of decency, or a glaring instance of financial impropriety, “not in character” for a person whom we would like to praise, or hire, or vote for? “Out of character” implies a sense of what would be “in character” for the individual in question. But how do we know what is “in” his or her character?

In recent years, there seems to have developed something of a gulf between the ideal of character and its practice. “Preachers say, ‘Do as I say, not as I do,’ ” noted the seventeenth-century English jurist and scholar John Selden, adding dryly that he would not take such advice from a doctor.

You might also like

Must-Read Harvard Books Winter 2025

From aphorisms to art heists to democracy’s necessary conditions 

The Artist Edward Gorey—and Pets—at Harvard

Winter exhibits at Houghton Library   

Parks and Rec Comedy Writer Aisha Muharrar Gets Serious about Grief

With Loved One, the Harvard grad and Lampoon veteran makes her debut as a novelist.

Most popular

What Trump Means for John Roberts’s Legacy

Executive power is on the docket at the Supreme Court.

The Origins of Europe’s Most Mysterious Languages

A small group of Siberian hunter-gatherers changed the way millions of Europeans speak today.

The Harvard Professor Who Quantified Democracy

Erica Chenoweth’s data shows how—and when—authoritarians fall.

Explore More From Current Issue

A diverse group of adults and children holding hands, standing on varying levels against a light blue background.

Why America’s Strategy For Reducing Racial Inequality Failed

Harvard professor Christina Cross debunks the myth of the two-parent Black family.

Illustration of tiny doctors working inside a large nose against a turquoise background.

A Flu Vaccine That Actually Works

Next-gen vaccines delivered directly to the site of infection are far more effective than existing shots.

A vibrant bar scene with tropical decor, featuring patrons sitting on high stools.

Best Bars for Seasonal Drinks and Snacks in Greater Boston

Gathering spots that warm and delight us