Ruth DeWitt Bukater (born in 1860s) is the mother of Rose DeWitt Bukater and one of the main antagonists in Titanic. She was very snobby, rude, and selfish, most likely due to the fact that she was consumed by her wealth. After her husband died and left her and Rose penniless, Ruth's gold-digging personality went to the extreme and targeted Cal for Rose so they could remain wealthy. She is portrayed by Frances Fisher.
Character History[]
Early Life[]
Ruth was born around the 1860s. Not much else is known about Ruth's early life, but it is known that she was born in Pennsylvania. It is not known who her parents were, but they were most likely first-class, because Ruth inherited much of their wealth.
It is also unknown who Ruth's husband was, but it is known that she gave birth to his daughter, Rose DeWitt Bukater. When her husband died when Rose was still a child; Ruth claimed that he left them with nothing but a legacy of bad debts hidden by a good name. Rose and Ruth did not develop a very good relationship, however; because when Rose was about 16, Ruth forced her into an arranged marriage with Caledon Hockley for his money.
Onboard RMS Titanic.[]
In 1912, Cal and Rose boarded the Titanic with Ruth. "So this is the ship they call the unsinkable," Ruth remarked as she boarded.
Ruth is seen numerous amounts of time throughout the movie pushing Rose around, forbidding her to smoke, or giving her a cold glare when she sees her spitting.
At the dinner scene, Ruth exposes Jack as a steerage passenger in hopes of having him sh
Ruth talking to Rose. unned (though he avoids it with a joke) and avoiding Rose seeing him again, in case she runs off with him and leaves her penniless.
The next day she forbids Rose from seeing Jack again, saying all Rose's father left her when he died was a "list of debts hidden by a good name. That name is the only card we have to play."
Once the ship hit a iceberg, Ruth was reluctant to get on a lifeboat, not realizing what great peril she was in. She said to Rose that she 'hoped there were first class seats' on the lifeboats, so she wouldn't have to sit next to any steerage, believing them to be inferior to her.
Rose is angered by this comment, shouting at her mother that half the people on this ship will die, and that she is behaving awfully in the circumstances.
When Ruth gets on lifeboat no.6 with Rose, she is seen to be shocked and scared when Rose jumps out of the lifeboat to be with Jack. She tries to call her back, but Rose either doesn't hear her or doesn't care anymore.
She survives the disaster, but is led to believe that Rose is dead. Her character isn't seen again after this scene.
Aftermath[]
It is unknown what happened to Ruth after the disaster. She is never shown or even heard of reuniting with her daughter so it is unknown what happened between her relationship with Rose.
Most fans speculate that she became a poor and penniless seamstress, without the financial security of the arranged marriage between Cal and Rose.
It is however, possible that she re-married into wealth, but this is unlikely, mainly because back in 1912 it was considered scandalous to re-marry, especially at Ruth's age. However, since Ruth does not make an appearance after her survival, nor is mentioned of, her ultimate fate is left unknown.