Mrs. Atkins

Mrs. Atkins is Ruth's widowed, invalid mother, who never forgives her daughter for marrying Robert Mayo instead of Andy. Mrs. Atkins criticizes Robert's inefficiency in running both the Mayo farm and her farm. She also complains about Ruth and Robert's sickly child, Mary, who often cries to her mother. Mrs. Atkins is an extremely religious person and says cruelly to Kate Mayo that her husband died early because he was a sinner and that the ill-fated marriage between Robert and Ruth was also a result of God's will. Although Mrs. Atkins claims in the second act that she is about to die, she outlives many of the other characters and survives until the end of the play. At this point, she is sneaking money to Ruth behind Robert's back to help pay the bills, since Robert is having a hard time keeping the farm running on his...