MBTI Type: ESTP

Gwendolen’s sister complains, “She always gets what she wants!” and Gwendolen retorts, “It’s because I demand the best!” She’s very physically present and engaged in the environment, enjoying riding, hunting, shooting, and dancing (“I don’t see why the boys get to do so many things!”). She believes you should take big risks for big payoffs, or it’s not living at all; Daniel’s first meeting with her involves Gwendolen recklessly placing an enormous bet at the gaming tables. She’s opportunistic and engaged enough with the environment to be quick-witted, responding to things as they happen and somewhat caught off guard whenever Grandcourt “pauses” to think. She hates the idea of a tedious life as a governess so much, she’d rather pawn all her jewels. She isn’t very good at sensing the greater intuitive potential at people; Daniel’s choice in a wife blindsides her, since she assumed it would be herself; but she also knows Mirah is a threat (she’s Fe threatened by her, also, since Daniel speaks so highly of Mirah’s kindness and goodness) almost immediately. Gwendolen engages in futuristic thinking from time to time, but it mostly happens after she’s trapped in a hellish, abusive relationship – she starts seeking ways out, and latches onto Daniel as a potential collaborator in her escape. She’s detached and often unkind, but chooses logic much of the time over sheer emotion – even though she despises Grandcourt’s behavior, and is incredulous that he’d abandon his mistress and children to marry her, Gwendolen knows it’s the financial solution to all her problems, so she goes along with the marriage anyway. She uses her understanding of others to try and appeal to them. She struggles overmuch with “learning to love people” instead of hating them; she sneers at first at romantic sentiment and affection, often mocking young men’s emotional overtures behind their back. And yet, Gwendolen can turn on the charm to get what she wants. She flirts, pouts, and begs. She shares her feelings with her mother (some of them) hoping to elicit similar emotional responses (she’s annoyed when her mother doesn’t understand why boys writing poems about croquet is stupid). Another woman’s suffering touches her enough to make an emotional statement that she’ll do whatever she can to protect them. Gwendolen senses Daniel’s disapproval at her gambling and, feeling a need to impress him, or perhaps thwart him, she gambles more, just to prove she doesn’t care – but she’s offended by a total stranger’s disapproval. Over the course of the story, Gwendolen learns to care more about other people’s feelings, and not simply manipulate them for her own ends.

Enneagram: 3w2 so/sx

Gwendolen is focused on her image, and on seeming to have the best – she does not want to ride an old nag, so she persuades her uncle to buy her a much prettier horse. She marries a rich but cruel man to avoid becoming a governess – a step down in her estimation and unworthy of her skills. She loves to be praised and does not like criticism, becoming insulted and defensive when a music teacher tells her she has only a “little” talent. Gwendolen does not spend much time introspecting, but shifts into 9ish behaviors under stress – becoming passive, compliant with her husband, submissive to his will, and needy, apathetic and unable to save herself. Her 2 wing brings in the desire for love and a need for Daniel to respect, love, and cherish her, as well as to manipulate to get what she wants.