Belle Watling is a notorious prostitute, café owner and brothel-madam in Atlanta, Georgia. She is a good friend of Rhett Butler and Melanie Hamilton. She is often compared to Scarlett O'Hara, though the women don't get along.
Appearance[]
Belle is a beautiful woman, who is known for her red-dyed hair, even more fiery than that of Beatrice Tarleton.
Personality[]
Belle is a good and loyal friend, especially to Rhett Butler and Melanie Hamilton. She has a deep respect for truly kind individuals who don't shun her because of the rules of society. Even so, Belle endorses the social order that spits on her. She agrees with the notion that she is and should be an "outcast", because of her profession.
While she is a charitable soul, and a "Confederate", she doesn't agree with all typically Southern views. She dislikes members of the Ku Klux Klan, and only helps them hide at Rhett's insistance.
Biography[]
Belle (possibly Isabelle) was born at some point after 1828. Details of her early life are shrouded in mystery but she knew Rhett Butler and his family for years before she became a prostitute. Rhett and Belle had a short affair, which got Rhett kicked out of West Point Academy and disinherited by his father.
In 1849, Rhett permanently left Charleston and went to California during the gold rush. In 1850 (estimated), Belle gave birth to her son Tazewell Butler, who was adopted by Rhett as his ward and sent to school at his expense. It is also most likely that Tazewell was Rhett's biological son.
Sometime after this, Belle Watling moved to Atlanta, Georgia. Here, she became a well-known prostitute and eventually madam up until the Civil War. During the Civil War (1861-1864), Belle had both Confederate and Yankee customers and was able to secure herself a café as a steady source of income.
Scarlett O'Hara first meets Belle on her visit to Pittypat Hamilton. Uncle Peter warns her that Belle is a "bad woman", because of her dyed hair, revealing clothes and, of course, her profession. Later, Belle offers her money to the hospital for wounded soldiers Caroline Meade is running, but Mrs Meade chases her away. It is only when Melanie intervenes, that Belle is allowed to donate her money.
When Tara is taxed 300 dollars, Scarlett O'Hara visits Rhett in prison and tries to manipulate the money out of him, even offering to become his mistress. Rhett refuses and the two end their interaction in a fight. On her way out, Scarlett meets with Belle again, who is on her way in. Throughout the war years, she is still Rhett's best friend.
In 1868, the Ku Klux Klan attacks Shanty Town and during the attack, Yankee police officers kill Frank Kennedy and Tommy Wellburn. Rhett saves the remaining men (Ashley Wilkes, Dr Meade, Hugh Elsing) and brings them to Belle's brothel, providing them with an alibi. Afterwards, Ashley's wife Melanie calls on Belle to thank her for saving Ashley's life, and they form a friendship. Belle recalls how during the war, Melanie stood up for her when nobody else did. She also tells Melanie about her son, a subject she rarely talks about.
During Rhett Butler's marriage to Scarlett O'Hara (1868-1873) Belle remains Rhett's confident. After Scarlett's refusal to sleep with her husband out of fear of having another child, Rhett sleeps with Belle again. Even so, they are more friends than lovers and Rhett frequently just comes to Belle to rant about Scarlett and have a drink. Even so, Belle reminds Rhett that he will always love Scarlett because they are made for each other.
In 1873, Rhett loses his daughter Bonnie and not even Belle is able to console him. The only one who is able to talk to him, Melanie, dies soon after. Belle is present at Melanie's funeral.
Trivia[]
- Belle's name is a nod to Scarlett's façade as the "Southern Belle" archetype. While Scarlett is a business-woman deep down under her belle behaviour, Belle is honest about who she is.
- Belle, Scarlett, Rhett and Ashley are the only true main characters throughout the novel who don't die by the end.
- It is unknown where Belle is from, but it is not Atlanta. She could be from New York, where West Point Academy is (where Rhett studied when he had an affair with her), but it is more likely she is from Charleston, South Carolina, where Rhett's family is from. Additionally, Belle has a southern accent (in the film), and describes herself as a Confederate.