Character Analysis
Mrs. Manson Mingott is the matriarch of the Mingott clan, one of the most prominent families in New York, just below the van der Luydens.
Mrs. Mingott is, to put it politely, generous. The novel returns again and again to her huge size, and one of the funnier moments in the novel is when her hands are described as two seagulls perched on her large lap (4.3). It's as if her body bears the weight of all that is wonderful and exciting about New York society. She's rich because she was able get hold of her husband's money when he died. She's socially savvy, able to mingle in mixed society with everyone from Dukes to artists, without anyone thinking she’s staining her moral character.
She also has an incredible emotional IQ. She can sense the chemistry between Archer and Olenska, and even jokes about them getting married, while all the time supporting Archer's engagement to May. She basically rules over New York from her mansion by Central Park, which, by the way, is considered to be in the boondocks.
Mrs. Mingott can get away with all these eccentricities because she is pretty asexual. Her body has grown to such a size that she has become immobile, and she has no romantic yearnings. Mrs. Mingott shows how all sorts of shenanigans are permitted if you're a wealthy woman with the right family background— as long as you don’t want to be thought of as a sexy beast.