I think that Mildred is the most ridiculous character in Of Human Bondage.  She doesn’t care a snippet about Philip and unapologetically uses him for his generosity and takes advantage of his feelings for her.  What’s worse is that she doesn’t even seduce him, he is fully taken in by her because of her foul character and mannerisms.  This whole scenario can be filed under you can’t help who you fall in love with, but all the same their relationship makes me roll my eyes and want to shake Philip and say “You are stupid.”

I write this mostly because I’m done reading the section where she goes on vacation with Griffiths and comes back only to retriever her things without bothering to say hello or good-bye to Philip once last time.  What a trollop!  It’s also horrifying to think of how Griffiths and Mildred went behind Philip’s back.  Although we all know that Mildred doesn’t feel the way that Philip feels, Griffiths was asked point-blank if he was in love with Mildred and he said no.  Then he turns around and sends her a love letter.  If he were a true friend, he would have answered plainly and admitted his feelings so that Philip wouldn’t feel so inclined to torment himself by sending them on a trip he pays for.

Despite Mildred’s lack of love for Philip, she has used him ungraciously for every thing she has ever needed.  He uses his money to pay for her wants and needs when she comes to London asking for help because Miller knocked her up and left her to be with his wife.  She never promises to pay him back, she simply takes it and runs.

So that’s my biggest complaint with her, she uses Philip and he’s so head over heels in love with her that he doesn’t even care.