Proserpine is an efficient typist. She works in the office of Morell. She is around thirty years of age. She is hardworking and a lady of self-respect. She belongs to the middle class. She is unable to hide her enticement for luxurious items.
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She is ambitious as well as romantic. She is secretly in love with Morell. Shaw uses Candida to explain Proserpine’s sacrifices to remain near Morell, her love. She not only works at a lower salary for Morell but also helps in minor household chores. Morell is not aware of Proserpine’s love for him. Marchbanks knows that she has a love affair but can’t imagine anyone falling in love with Morell.
She nurtures jealousy for Candida as Morell continuously praises his wife. She is very intelligent. She knows that Lexy imitates Morell and has no idea of his own. She is quick witted too. She does not let Burgess insult her beyond a point and in retaliation, titles him as ‘a silly old fathead’.
She is a hard-working and non-complaining employee. She does not get much time to enjoy life and its luxuries. At supper hosted by Burgess, she could not resist the desire for champagne inspite of her oath of not touching the wine. This is so as she could not afford champagne on her own meager finances. She soon gets overdrunk and starts talking illogically and stumbling of.
She is rightly portrayed as a representative of sympathetic low middle class of the society.