The Father

Laura and the doctor discuss the mental health of the Captain. The doctor is not sure that the Captain has truly suffered a mental breakdown, but he takes detailed notes of Laura's claims because he wants documentation of every detail in case he needs to declare the Captain “certified incapable of managing his affairs” (56). In case of such a diagnosis, the Captain would lose all his civil and familial rights, including the right to decide Bertha's future. The doctor warns Laura against inflaming her husband's anger in case she does cause a breakdown. She mentions that the Captain has been rambling that he might not be Bertha's father, but claims she has no idea where he heard this rumor. Laura weeps out of worry for her husband. The doctor agrees to monitor the Captain closely for any worrying signs. He will stay at home under the pretense that he is treating Laura's mother for an unspecified illness. 

In a separate room, Margret reads a hymnal, becoming excited about the dark, foreboding message that “all is fleeting, all is vanity” (58). Bertha joins Margret, worried by the strange sound of someone singing that she heard in the attic.