Content Warning: This section discusses anti-gay bias and war trauma.

Ellwood is a primary protagonist of the novel. At the start, he is a student at Preshute boarding school in England. He is described as “delicate” (22), small in stature but able to overcome his physical disadvantages by being charming and intelligent. He has several sexual relationships with other boys at Preshute but fails to find the same romantic connection he has with Gaunt. However, he chooses not to act on his feelings, convincing himself throughout his childhood that Gaunt does not love him back. As a way to express his feelings, Ellwood frequently quotes poetry, doing so to convey his excitement for the war and his love for Gaunt.

Ellwood is a dynamic character who changes throughout the course of the text. In the beginning, he argues with Gaunt about war, insisting that they need to fight for the “magic” that is England (8). However, after joining, he becomes disillusioned, realizing that the true “ugliness” of war that is not conveyed through poetry or literature (91). As a result, Ellwood stops quoting poetry and instead writes his own, convinced that he needs to convey to the public the gore and horror he has seen.