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Philip Wakem. Philip is the only son ofMr. Wakem, a wealthy lawyer who becomes the enemy of Mr. Tulliver, and by extension, Tom Tulliver. Philip has a physical “deformity,” a hunchback, which makes him feel depressed and insecure. However, he is also very intelligent, sensitive, and gifted. He maintains an uneasy friendship with Tom—who admires Philip’s intelligence but has contempt for his disability—when they both study with Mr. Stelling. When Maggie comes to visit Tom, Philip feels an instant kinship, since they share many intellectual and artistic interests. Philip falls in love with Maggie and begins meeting secretly with her in the woods around Dorlcote Mill, where he gives her books and encourages her reading and cultural interests. However, the hatred between the Wakems and the Tullivers thwarts their romance. Philip’s love is further frustrated by Maggie’s attraction to and elopement with Stephen Guest, even though she doesn’t go through with the marriage. However, he ultimately forgives Maggie, apologizing for pressing his romantic feelings on her when she might not have felt the same. Philip’s compassion and sensitivity make him an important figure in Maggie’s life, since he is one of the only people to recognize and support her deeper intellectual and emotional aspirations.