Gilbert Blythe facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gilbert Blythe
Anne of Green Gables character
Gilbert Blythe (left) as shown in a 1908 illustration
First appearance	Anne of Green Gables
Last appearance	Rilla of Ingleside
Created by	L. M. Montgomery
Portrayed by	Paul Kelly Tom Brown Patric Knowles Robin Halstead Christopher Blake Jonathan Crombie Drew Haytaoglu Dylan Duff Lucas Jade Zumann
Information
Nickname(s)	Gil
Occupation	Doctor
Title	Doctor Blythe
Family	John Blythe (father) Mrs. Blythe (mother) Anne Shirley (wife) Joyce Blythe (daughter, dies soon after birth) James Matthew Blythe (son) Walter Cuthbert Blythe (son) Anne Blythe (daughter) Diana Blythe (daughter) Shirley Blythe (son) Bertha Marilla Blythe (daughter) Walter Shirley (father-in-law, deceased) Bertha Willis (mother-in-law, deceased)
Religion	Presbyterian
Nationality	Canadian

Gilbert Blythe is a main character in Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery's famous Anne of Green Gables series of novels. He is known for his intelligence, kindness, and his long-standing relationship with the main character, Anne Shirley.

Gilbert's Personality and Looks

Gilbert is described as a very good-looking young man. He has brown, curly hair and hazel eyes. He is tall and has a lean build. When he was younger, he wore a special kind of hat called an Aegean hat.

At first, Gilbert seemed to know he was popular with girls. But when Anne Shirley didn't return his feelings, it helped him grow up. He became a mature and well-liked person. Throughout the books, Gilbert is shown as fair, practical, and dependable. He has a lot of common sense. He is also very smart, witty, and has a great sense of humor.

As Gilbert gets older, he becomes more patient and devoted. He eventually becomes a respected doctor in the fictional town of Glen St. Mary, Prince Edward Island. He lives there with his wife, Anne, their children, and their housekeeper, Susan. Gilbert is down-to-earth and helps Anne stay grounded when her mind wanders.

Gilbert and Anne's Story

Gilbert Blythe is interested in Anne from their very first meeting. He tries to get her attention. But when Anne ignores him, he playfully calls her "Carrots" because of her red hair. He doesn't know how sensitive she is about it. Anne gets angry and breaks her slate over his head. Even though he tries to say sorry, she refuses to forgive him for several years.

Early Rivalry and Friendship

Throughout the first book, Gilbert often shows how much he admires Anne. But she always rejects him coldly. She even holds a grudge after he saves her from a pond. This happens after a play-acting of a poem called "Lancelot and Elaine" goes wrong. When Anne still won't be friends with him, Gilbert stops trying so hard.

Instead, they become strong academic rivals. Their competition is friendly on Gilbert's side. Anne slowly starts to see Gilbert as smart as she is. They both compete to win scholarships to Queens Academy.

Gilbert's Kind Act

After Queens, Gilbert decides to teach at the Avonlea school. He wants to earn money for his future college education. Anne's guardian, Matthew, suddenly passes away. Anne chooses to give up her scholarship to stay at Green Gables and help Marilla.

When Gilbert learns about Anne's situation, he gives up his teaching job. This allows Anne to teach in Avonlea and live at Green Gables with Marilla. Gilbert then teaches at the White Sands School. When Anne finds out about his kind act, she finally forgives him.

College Years and Growing Feelings

During the two years Anne teaches in Avonlea, Gilbert and Anne become very close friends. As this part of their lives ends, Anne starts to have stronger feelings for him. But she doesn't realize these feelings are love.

Gilbert wants to become a doctor. He goes to study at Redmond College. Anne joins him there later. She is free to go after Rachel Lynde moves to Green Gables to keep Marilla company. This happens in the book Anne of the Island.

Gilbert's feelings for Anne become very clear during their first year of college. Anne feels a bit uncomfortable around him. She believes her feelings for Gilbert are only friendly. She thinks true love needs a "dark, proud, and romantic" hero, which isn't Gilbert. However, Anne gets jealous when Gilbert shows interest in other girls. She also feels a deep respect and loyalty to their friendship. This suggests she might be falling in love with him without knowing it.

A Proposal and a Realization

In their second year of college, Gilbert asks Anne to marry him. But Anne says no. She tells him she doesn't love him "in that way" and only wants to be his friend. Gilbert is disappointed. He says that her friendship isn't enough for him; he wants her love. Their relationship becomes awkward after this.

Anne then meets and is courted by another student, Roy Gardner. At first, Roy seems like her "ideal" hero. But Anne secretly admits to herself that Roy is missing something. She and Roy don't share the same sense of humor. Gilbert seems to give up. Anne thinks he is interested in another student, Christine Stuart. But Christine is later revealed to be just a friend. Gilbert instead focuses on winning the Cooper Prize. This is a special scholarship that will let him go to medical school.

Soon after graduation, Gilbert gets typhoid fever. He became very sick from working too hard during school. Anne has just turned down Roy Gardner's marriage proposal. She realizes she doesn't love Roy. She is shocked to hear that Gilbert might die. She then understands that she loves Gilbert and always has. She realizes they belong together. She had mistaken her strong bond with Gilbert for just friendship. Her relationship with Roy was only a passing fancy. Gilbert also admits he never loved Christine Stuart. She was already engaged, and he was just asked to look after her at college.

Marriage and Family Life

Gilbert gets better from his illness. He and Anne become friends again after he learns she refused Roy Gardner. He proposes to her a second time, and she accepts!

They are engaged for three years. Gilbert wants to finish medical school before they marry. They write letters to each other often during this time. Anne works as a principal at Summerside High School. This is told in Anne of Windy Poplars.

Gilbert and Anne marry in Anne's House of Dreams. They move to the town of Glen St. Mary. Gilbert takes over his uncle's medical practice there. He becomes an excellent and well-respected doctor. Their married life is very happy. They have seven children: Joyce (who dies as a baby), James Matthew (Jem), Walter Cuthbert (who dies during the First World War), Anne and Diana (twins, called Nan and Di), Shirley (the youngest boy), and Bertha Marilla (called Rilla).

The book series ends in 1919 with Anne and Gilbert being happy. Gilbert is 55 and still deeply in love with Anne. Later, a collection of short stories called The Blythes Are Quoted was published. In these stories, the Blythe family appears often. The series continues into the early 1940s. Gilbert and Anne are still living in Glen St. Mary. They are grandparents to at least five children, some of whom are fighting in World War II.

Actors Who Played Gilbert

Many actors have played Gilbert Blythe in films and TV shows.

• In the 1919 film, Paul Kelly played Gilbert.
• Tom Brown played him in the 1934 film.
• In the 1940 movie Anne of Windy Poplars, Patric Knowles was Gilbert.
• For the 1972 BBC TV show, Robin Halstead played the young Gilbert. Christopher Blake played the adult Gilbert in the follow-up series, Anne of Avonlea.
• Jonathan Crombie famously played Gilbert in the CBC Television film adaptations of 1985, 1987, and 2000.
• In the Japanese anime Anne of Green Gables, Kazuhiko Inoue is his voice actor.
• Andrew MacBean played Gilbert in the musical version of Anne of Green Gables.
• Drew Haytaoglu played Gilbert in the 2016 film L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables.
• Lucas Jade Zumann portrays Gilbert in the 2017 CBC and Netflix series Anne with an E.
• Dylan Duff also played Gilbert in the 2019 play/film Anne of Green Gables.