Dr Meade is one of Atlanta's most prominent doctors. He is a respectable member of society and an acquaintance of Pittypat Hamilton, John Wilkes, Beatrice Tarleton and Gerald O'Hara. He is married to Caroline Meade and father to their sons Darcy and Philip.
Appearance and Personality[]
He was tall and gaunt and wore a pointed beard of iron gray, and his clothes hung on his spare figure as though blown there by a hurricane. Atlanta considered him the root of all strength and all wisdom and it was not strange that he had absorbed something of their belief. But for all his habit of making oracular statements and his slightly pompous manner, he was as kindly a man as the town possessed.
Like most characters of the novel, Dr. Meade is extremely bigoted and he makes great speeches about the "Good Cause of the South". His racist views and bitterness from losing his sons make him violent enough to join the Klan.
Biography[]
Dr. Meade first made his appearance at Scarlett O'Hara's first wedding, to Charles Hamilton. He and his wife are friends of the groom, but seem to be very well acquainted with Scarlett's family as well. Dr Meade sent Scarlett his condoleances when Charles died at the front. After this, Dr. Meade was host of the bazaar which was started to raise funds for the Cause.
During the war, Dr. Meade organised a hospital with his wife, tending to many of the wounded soldiers who returned to Atlanta from the front. His hospital, set in a church, also employed his wife who organised it all and nurses Scarlett and Melanie Hamilton. No nurse was more devoted than Melanie, and Dr Meade and she became friends. Around this time, Dr. Meade lost both of his sons. First Darcy in The Battle of Gettysburg, then Philip during the Siege of Atlanta.
His job became even more tiresome when Atlanta was captured. He refused to leave the many soldiers who needed his care to deliver Melanie's baby, who was then delivered by Scarlett O'Hara. After the burning of Atlanta, Dr Meade and his wife Caroline didn't bother to rebuild their house in Atlanta, as they had no children or grandchildren to fill it with.
After the war, Dr Meade joined the Ku Klux Klan with Frank Kennedy, Tony Fontaine, Tommy Wellburn, Ashley Wilkes and Hugh Elsing. Tony flees to Texas with help from Frank and Dr. Meade after he has killed Eustis. During another attack by the Klan, Tommy and Frank die while Ashley is injured. They are saved by Rhett Butler, who hides them at the Watling Brothel, claiming they were there all night.
Finally, Dr Meade tends to Melanie Hamilton on her deathbed, telling her husband Ashley, son Beau, sister-in-law India and closest friend Scarlett that she died.