Welcome to my latest character profile. Harriet Oleson is the opinionated, antagonistic owner of the Walnut Grove mercantile. Known for spoiling her children, pushing her status and weight around the community, and meddling in other people's lives, Harriet Oleson appears to have few redeeming qualities. However, thanks to the talent of Katherine MacGregor and her on-screen chemistry with Richard Bull, who played her television husband, Nels Oleson, and because of her ability to embrace often being the show's comic relief, Harriet has gone down in Little House on the Prairie history as a character you can't help but love every once in a while. Let's take a glimpse into MacGregor's Mrs. Oleson.
From the moment we meet Harriet Oleson in "Harvest of Friends," we know two things: she wears the figurative pants in the family, and she looks down on the farmers in Walnut Grove. For nine seasons, we watch Harriet cast the deciding vote at home and sometimes in town, so when she gets her comeuppance, it feels so good.
But the writers and producers must have realized viewers would quickly dislike Harriet if she were all prickles and stings, which the Little House on the Prairie 50th Anniversary Podcast has discussed. So they carefully crafted the Olesons, and Harriet in particular, to be over-the-top in actions and reactions, blending drama and comedy in a way that left viewers feeling sorry for Nels while also understanding that as strange as their family unit seemed to others, it worked for them.
Nels and Harriet could have dreadful fights. Harriet's overbearing ways could grate on Nels's nerves. He moves out in more than one episode. Once, they teeter on the edge of divorce ("Family Quarrel" Season 1). But in the end, no matter the quarrel, they realize they love each other.
Though she uses her status to her advantage and indulges the wealthier members of Walnut Grove, Harriet's strong sense of pride in their hometown motivates her to do what she feels is best for all. She understands how important it is for Walnut Grove to have a bank, and as a member of the School Board, she knows how critical funding is to educating the town's children ("Ebenezer Sprague" Season 2 and "The Werewolf of Walnut Grove" Season 6). Harriet makes sure the telephone comes to Walnut Grove ("Crossed Connection" Season 5). She is excited about the economic growth the railroad will bring ("The Empire Builders" Season 9). However, we know she often goes about things the wrong way, which creates learning experiences for her character.
She votes to replace Miss Beadle and Miss Wilder when they can't manage disruptive students before accepting that Mr. Applewood is a less-than-ideal choice ("Trouble Maker" Season 2) and that the children love Miss Wilder so much they do what the adults won't ("The Werewolf of Walnut Grove" Season 6).
Portrayed as an ill-informed bigot, Harriet struggles to accept Joe Kagan when he comes to town, but after interacting with Samson, one of the Black blind school children, she defends the town opening its doors to all of Mary and Adam's students to obnoxious town resident Mr. Larrabee after Mr. Standish closes the blind school in Sleepy Eye ("Blind Journey" Season 5).
Peppered throughout the series, we learn bits of Harriet's backstory. When Mr. Sprague comes to town, Harriet describes herself as a woman of quality from the city ("Ebenezer Sprague" Season 2). As she strong-arms Nellie into understanding the importance of the hotel and restaurant they gave her, Harriet explains that being a businesswoman allowed her to attract a suitor ("Back to School" Season 6). When Reverend Alden asks Anna Craig to marry him, we learn that Harriet was previously engaged to Dean Harmon, who chose ministry over marriage ("The Preacher Takes a Wife" Season 6). Then, when Willie decides to fail his college entrance exam so he can stay in town and marry Rachel Brown, much to Harriet's dismay, Nels reminds her that his mother opposed their marriage because it would ruin his life ("May I Have This Dance" Season 9).
Because of the actor's decision not to return for the final three movies, fans did not see Harriet Oleson after that wonderful dance with Nels in their parlor. She was either off selling property they owned in Look Back to Yesterday, in New York visiting Nellie in Bless All the Dear Children, or convalescing in The Last Farewell. But that might be the best way to remember her.
Harriet Oleson was a complicated woman. She held herself above many, but she dealt with the same problems as everyone else. Her children defied her ("Here Comes the Brides" Season 4 and "May I Have This Dance" Season 9). Her marriage was imperfectly perfect ("Family Quarrel" Season 1 and "Second Spring" Season 6). She didn't always get her way ("Welcome to Olesonville" Season 9). She often had to learn the hard way ("Harriet's Happenings" Season 5 and "Wave of the Future" Season 8).
Ultimately, though, Harriet was the woman that Nels loved. She was the mother that Nellie, Willie, and Nancy cherished. She took her civic responsibility seriously. And though she couldn't explain it, she knew she would miss Caroline Ingalls when they parted ways as the town's economy slowed ("As Long As We're Together" Season 5), because Harriet had it all, but maybe what she was still searching for was a close female friend to share a cup of tea with around the table and chat.
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