A character in Gone With the Wind. Being the persistent lover and later husband of the heroine, Scarlett O'Hara, his character bore much similarity to hers, both were capricious, practical, and mercenary. However, being 17 years older than Scarlett, he was much more mature, better educated, and he loved his children very much, while Scarlett, pushed partly by the desire for security, and partly by pride, spent all her time in making money, and was a far worse mother than most.
For the most part of his life, he did whatever he wanted to do, cared nothing about becoming a social outcast; he loved Scarlett avidly, but with little return. When Scarlett's second husband, Frank Kennedy, died, he managed to become her third. After marrying Scarlett, he reconciled with the society for the sake of his daughter Bonnie, which later became the only chain that keeps him to Scarlett after she had disappointed him for so many times. Finally, in an accident, the child died. Rhett was so deep in grief that he almost went mad, and broke up with Scarlett despite the latter finally discovered his love.
He had a heart more tender than most men, but also with more pride. In many situations, like regarding "the cause", making money, getting out of emergency, he was incomparably calm and practical; but with respect to love, whether to children or to sweetheart, he was a sensationalist. Overall, he had a respectable heart, but wrapped up in hard shells of cynicism and disappointment that Scarlett did not love her, for so long.