GILBERT BLYTHE

'Gilbert Blythe' is the friend and eventual husband of Anne Shirley in Lucy Maud Montgomery's ''Anne of Green Gables'' series of novels. Anne and Gilbert had seven children: Joyce (also called Joy; died as an infant), James Matthew (also called Jem), Walter Cuthbert (who died during the First World War), Anne and Diana (twins; also called Nan and Di), Shirley, and Bertha Marilla (also called Rilla, an abbreviation for her middle name).
Gilbert Blythe was in the same class as Anne Shirley and Diana Barry, despite being a couple years older. In his youth he had a bit of an ego and enjoyed teasing the girls at school. When Anne ignored him, he gave her the nickname "Carrots" because of her red hair (about which she was very touchy). This caused her to smash her slate over his head in rebuttal. He tried to apologize, but Anne's childish pride would not allow her to forgive him. Years passed and the two continually tried to one-up each other in academic circle. Gilbert studied to prove himself worthy of her, and Anne studied to ensure that Gilbert could never be judged superior to her. In her final year at Queen's academy Anne won the Avery Scholarship which would allow her to attend Redmond College. Unfortunately her adopter Matthew died soon after of a heart attack. His sister, Marilla, decided to sell Green Gables as she thought she would be unable to mange it with her vision problems. However, Anne's attachment to Green Gables would not permit this and she resolved to stay home to help Marilla. She decided to apply for a job at the Avonlea School but found out that Gilbert had done this before her. In the end, Gilbert gave up the position at the Avonlea School and applied for the White Sands School instead so Anne could stay in Green Gables with Marilla. Anne found out about Gilbert's noble act and ended her grudge against him.
For those 2 years Anne taught in Avonlea, Gilbert became a close friend. Following the death of Mrs. Rachel Lynde's husband Thomas Lynde and Mrs. Lynde's residence at Green Gables, Anne left for Redmond along with Gilbert and Charlie Sloane— Gilbert's rival for Anne's affection. Anne tried to shun his romantic advances in fear of completely ending their friendship. In their second year, he proposed but Anne refused him for the same reasons. She then began liking a Roy Gardner who was perfect in every way but in the end, Anne realized she could never "really" love him because he was not a kindred spirit. Upon returning home after graduation Gilbert contracted typhus and remained weak for months, narrowly escaping death.
This episode convinced Anne that she did love him after all. "She finally realized in that moment that he belonged to her and she to him!" Soon after, Gilbert who still hadn't given up, proposed and this time the answer was 'yes'. Gilbert intended to become a doctor, so three years of engagement followed as he finished his medical course. Their married life was very happy, and as the series ended Gilbert was fifty-five and still in love with Anne Shirley.
In the CBC Television film adaptations, Gilbert Blythe was played by Jonathan Crombie.
In the anime adaptation, he was voiced by Kazuhiko Inoue.
In Riverwalk Theatre's production of the play version, Gilbert Blythe was played by Alex Freeman.