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Illustrated portrait of Bertie Raynes

A character in The Charioteer

Bertie Raynes

Andrew's father, whose history with Dave broadens the novel's sense of hidden queer feeling across generations.

The book

Cover of The Charioteer by Mary Renault
The CharioteerMary Renault, 1953

A wounded soldier must choose between different kinds of love in a world where neither can be public.

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Who they are in the book

Spoiler-free

Bertie is Andrew's father and appears mostly through Dave's memories and family history.

Dave's earlier attachment to him suggests that Andrew's conflict is not unique to one wartime generation.

How the book draws them

Appearance, manner, and tone — as the book sketches them, in our words.

  • GenerationHe belongs to an earlier generation of English Quakers.
  • DressSimple interwar clothing reflects his community.
  • ExpressionRestraint suits his remembered rather than active presence.
  • FunctionHis history broadens the novel's generational frame.
Bertie's narrative statusHow the book leaves them, what happened after, and what the record says. Open when you're ready.

He is not a major active figure in the principal plot.

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