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The Wizard of Oz: Chapters 18-24 Summary and Analysis

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In this post, we come to the end of L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Therefore, we are going to summarize and analyze chapters 18-24 and reflect on the book. In the following chapters, as in the previous chapters, Dorothy attempts to find her way out of Oz after the Wizard abandons her accidentally. Moving forward, she has a host of strange encounters.

Chapter Eighteen: Summary

Dorothy and her friends spend chapter 18 mourning two losses. One is the loss of the Wizard himself and the second is Dorothy’s chance at getting home to Kansas. However, they hatch a plan to travel to the South after they realize that Glinda the Good Witch might be able to help them. As it turns out, the Flying Monkeys cannot travel to Kansas because no Flying Monkey has ever traveled there.

“It seems, in spite of dangers, that the best thing Dorothy can do is to travel to the Land of the South and ask Glinda to help her. For, of course, if Dorothy stays here she will never get back to Kansas.

The company prepares themselves once again to go on an adventure and set out the next morning.

Chapter Nineteen: Summary

In chapter nineteen, Dorothy and her companions combat some fighting trees on their way south to Glinda. At first, a branch strikes the Scarecrow at a wall of trees and sends him flying. After the Tin Woodsman graciously steps forward, he strikes the limb in twain and they are able to ford the ferocious forest in order to continue traveling south to Glinda.

The four travelers walked with ease through the trees until they came to the farther edge of the wood. Then, to their surprise, they found before them a high wall which seemed to be made of white china. It was smooth, like the surface of a dish, and higher than their heads.

While the trees take center stage in this chapter, their threat is quickly dispatched by a sharp axe and a brave woodsman.

Chapter Twenty: Summary

In chapter twenty, Dorothy and company meet Glinda the Good Witch. Before meeting her, however, they ascend her glass wall with a ladder made by the Tin Woodsman. Granted, the surroundings that the group found were extremely strange:

“Before them was a great stretch of country having a floor as smooth and shining and white as the bottom of a big platter. Scattered around were many houses made entirely of china and painted in the brightest colors. These houses were quite small, the biggest of them reaching only as high as Dorothy’s waist. There were also pretty little barns, with china fences around them; and many cows and sheep and horses and pigs and chickens, all made of china, were standing about in groups.”

They meet a great deal of strange people here: from an ornery milkmaid, to a kind princess, to a clown, who is head-to-toe laced with cracks because he is a fool. They learn to be careful as they walk through this strange place, and once again leave to the other side—destroying a small church on the way out.

Chapter Twenty-One: Summary

Dorothy and company descend the wall after exiting the tiny city made out of China. There, they find themselves in a forest. They come upon many different kinds of beasts that address the Cowardly Lion as their king. They tell him that there is a terrible creature that lurks in the woods that has been eating the beasts one-by-one.

“It is a most tremendous monster, like a great spider, with a body as big as an elephant and legs as long as a tree trunk. It has eight of these long legs, and as the monster crawls through the forest he seizes an animal with a leg and drags it to his mouth, where he eats it as a spider does a fly.”

The Cowardly Lion decides to go and deal with the monster. He does so by jumping and landing on its back. He then knocks the creatures’ head off and watches its legs twitch until it is dead. It’s dark. Afterward, he promises to return to rule over them as long as Dorothy is safely back in Kansas.

Chapter Twenty-Two: Summary

In chapter twenty-two, Dorothy and her friends encounter the Hammer-Heads, who are creatures who have necks that extend far out and allow them to strike people with their flat heads. It is actually a little unsettling, because they are also incredibly mean, as they pummel the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion for trying to pass. As such, Dorothy calls upon the Winged Monkeys. They arrive and carry Dorothy and her friends over the hill to the land of the Quadlings.

The country of the Quadlings seemed rich and happy. There was field upon field of ripening grain, with well-paved roads running between, and pretty rippling brooks with strong bridges across them. The fences and houses and bridges were all painted bright red, just as they had been painted yellow in the country of the Winkies and blue in the country of the Munchkins.

While there, they meet some Quadling people and enjoy cake and cookies with them until they are admitted into the castle to see Glinda.

Chapter Twenty-Three: Summary

Dorothy washes up before meeting the Good Witch Glinda, and her companions all clean themselves up, too. The scarecrow patted himself, the lion cleaned his mane, and the Tin Woodsman made sure his joints were oiled. Then, they entered the throne room of the Good Witch.

She was both beautiful and young to their eyes. Her hair was a rich red in color and fell in flowing ringlets over her shoulders. Her dress was pure white but her eyes were blue, and they looked kindly upon the little girl.

Dorothy explains her predicament to Glinda, who listens intently. When it is over, she tells Dorothy that in exchange for the Golden Cap, she will transport her to Kansas. Dorothy, having rid herself of the monkeys, gives up the cap. Glinda, in her wisdom, then sends each of Dorothy’s companions to where they belong. The Scarecrow to the Emerald City where he will rule. The Tin Woodsman to the land of Winkies. The Cowardly Lion to the jungle where he is to rule the wild beasts.

Glinda then reveals to Dorothy that the silver slippers have magical powers. She can travel back home! After a tearful goodbye to her friends, Dorothy prepares to leave.  

“Dorothy now took Toto up solemnly in her arms, and having said one last good-bye she clapped the heels of her shoes together three times, saying: “Take me home to Aunt Em!”

After flying through the air, Dorothy lands back in Kansas. Here, she realizes that the magical, silver shoes have flown off and are now lost for good.

Chapter Twenty-Four: Summary

In this brief chapter, Dorothy has made it home and so runs toward Aunt Em who is overjoyed to see her. She kisses Dorothy and embraces her, asking her where she came from.

Dorothy replies:

“From the Land of Oz,” said Dorothy gravely. “And here is Toto, too. And oh, Aunt Em! I’m so glad to be at home again!”

Analysis and The End

In these chapters we find that the Land of Oz still has a lot to offer in the way of strange characters, obstacles, and places to visit. This is very reminiscent of Gulliver’s Travels. Especially the glass country section, which seems to be remarking on the fragility of society and institutions. Case in point, the princess is brittle and so is the church. Methinks this was L. Frank Baum being cheeky about what he saw a frailties in society.

Furthermore, ever since the Wicked Witch of the West was brutally murdered by Dorothy, there has been little for the characters to accomplish. However, these chapters give us additional insight into the imaginative land of Oz. Now, I am back to being excited, and I am looking forward to the last few chapters!

Mostly, we see a rehash of obstacles for Dorothy to face in these two chapters. Additionally, the Cowardly Lion is faced with his own task, which is to defeat an evil monster that lurks in the forest. Of course, he defeats it easily. Then, he and his friends travel safely to the land of the Quadling. They are only stopped by those vicious Hammer-Heads before venturing forth.

Again, we see Dorothy’s dedication to her quest and her ability to problem solve as she works with her companions to reach the land of the Quadlings. In the final two chapters, we will see if Dorothy gets her wish to return to Kansas!

Conclusion

So, the story is over, and we have conquered Oz in all its magic and wonder and strangeness. Does that mean it’s over for good? Probably not. I would like to look at some of the other Oz books in the future. But, maybe we will try something different for a few Mondays in exchange for a brief reprieve from a novel exploration

Works Cited

Baum, L. Frank. “The Wizard of Oz the First Five Novels.” Fall River Press, 2014.

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The Wizard of Oz: Chapters 12-17 Summary and Analysis

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In this post, we are looking at L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by summarizing and analyzing chapters 12-17. A lot happens in this chapter, and we should be aware of the world in which Baum is writing. With that said, we will learn about the Wicked Witch of the West and how she can be stopped.

Chapter Twelve Summary: The Search for the Wicked Witch

In Search of Evil

Dorothy and her party leave the Emerald City and travel in the direction of the Wicked Witch of the West. Before they enter her territory, however, the Witch spies them and begins to plot their demise.

Now the Wicked Witch of the West had but one eye, yet that was as powerful as a telescope, and could see everywhere. So, as she sat in the door of her castle, she happened to look around and saw Dorothy lying asleep, with her friends all about her. They were a long distance off, but the Wicked Witch was angry to find them in her country; so she blew upon a silver whistle that hung around her neck.

As we know in The Wizard of Oz, things can get violent and quite dark. As such, the book does not shy away from gory depictions. This is reminiscent of some of the dark elements present in Grimms’ Fairy Tales. So far, it’s one of my favorite chapters!

The Witch’s whistle summons a pack of hungry wolves that descend upon Dorothy and her friends. The wolves seem very excited to do away with the group. At first, all is lost. There are 40 wolves and four of the party. Yet, the Tin Woodman takes his sharpened axe and takes to killing all of the wolves.

Angered, the Witch decides to send her crows to kill the group. This action is thwarted due to the Scarecrow’s stature as, well, a Scarecrow. He takes to snapping the crows’ necks as they descend upon the group.

The King Crow flew at the Scarecrow, who caught it by the head and twisted its neck until it died. And then another crow flew at him, and the Scarecrow twisted its neck also. There were forty crows, and forty times the Scarecrow twisted a neck, until at last all were lying dead beside him. Then he called to his companions to rise, and again they went upon their journey.

Likewise, a group of black bees attempts to kill the group. Yet, the Tin Woodsman is able to easily foil them. The bees cannot harm the Woodsman with their stingers. As such, they die in a pile on the ground around him. Lastly, the Winkies try to kill the group with their spears. Yet, the Cowardly Lion roars and scares them off. This action works wonderfully. For their failure, the Wicked Witch beats them with a strap and sends them back to their labors.

The Flying Monkeys and a Gold Cap

It is at this point that the Wicked Witch summons the Flying Monkeys. The Witch can only summon the monkeys three times due to the rules surrounding the summoning device—a golden cap. The Witch had already used it twice. Once to enslave the Winkies to steal their land, and once to drive the Wizard of Oz from the West. Now, on her third time, she commands them to defeat Dorothy and her companions; a job they competently execute.

They destroy the Tin Woodman by dropping him from a high altitude down onto sharp rocks. This dents him so badly that he cannot move. They destroy the Scarecrow by ripping him to pieces. Then they tie up the Cowardly Lion and kidnap Dorothy, taking her to the Wicked Witch’s castle for interrogation. But, Dorothy has the mark of protection on her forehead given to her by the Good Witch of the North.

The Wicked Witch was both surprised and worried when she saw the mark on Dorothy’s forehead, for she knew well that neither the Winged Monkeys nor she, herself, dare hurt the girl in any way. She looked down at Dorothy’s feet, and seeing the Silver Shoes, began to tremble with fear, for she knew what a powerful charm belonged to them.

One day, the Witch tricks Dorothy into falling to the ground, and one of her silver slippers falls free from her foot. This gives the Witch just enough time to nab it up from the ground. Enraged, Dorothy grabs a pale of ill-placed water and douses the Witch with it, which causes her to melt. With freedom in her hands, Dorothy tells the Cowardly Lion that the Witch no longer threatens them.

Analysis of Chapter Twelve

In this chapter, the Witch destroys the party. Therefore, the fellowship breaks. However, there is a theme in this chapter of perseverance. Even though Dorothy feels defeated, she still maintains that there must be something to do to defeat the Wicked Witch. She is right, because by the end of the chapter, Dorothy destroys the Witch and frees the Cowardly Lion.

Additionally, the Cowardly Lion, himself, remains undefeated, even in captivity. The Witch tries to break his spirit every day by visiting him in the courtyard. Here, she tells him that she can put a harness on him and use him as a slave. Nonetheless, the Lion remains stalwart and unbreakable. He tells the Witch, “No. If you come in this yard, I will bite you.”

There is definitely something to take from both Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion’s colossal spirits.

Chapter Thirteen Summary: The Rescue

Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion, freed from the Wicked Witches enslavement, set about trying to save their friends. Though the Winged Monkeys destroyed them, they are able to reassemble them. Dorothy asks the Winkies to help her collect and save her friends, and they happily oblige.

So they called the yellow Winkies and asked them if they would help to rescue their friends, and the Winkies said that they would be delighted to do all in their power for Dorothy, who had set them free from bondage. So she chose a number of the Winkies who looked as if they knew the most, and they all started away.

The Winkies fixed up the Tin Woodsman as some of their ranks were knowledgeable about tin working and they sharpened his axe, setting him up as if he were brand new. Then, they found and brought The Scarecrow back to the Wicked Witch’s castle and stuffed him with new straw and sewed him back up again. At this point, because they were all rejoined in good company in the Wicked Witch’s Yellow Castle, the “spent a few happy days” there until they realized that they had to venture off again to the Emerald City—with a few new tools even.

Dorothy went to the Witch’s cupboard to fill her basket with food for the journey, and there she saw the Golden Cap. She tried it on her own head and found that it fitted her exactly. She did not know anything about the charm of the Golden Cap, but she saw that it was pretty, so she made up her mind to wear it and carry her sunbonnet in the basket. Then, being prepared for the journey, they all started for the Emerald City; and the Winkies gave them three cheers and many good wishes to carry with them.

Analysis of Chapter Thirteen

In this chapter, the company uses the friendships and skills they have acquired on their journey to fight against hardship. The field mice once again direct them to the right place, and Dorothy uses a newly acquired magical item to help her and friends reach their objective. Likewise, we continue seeing Dorothy’s resourcefulness and compassion in this chapter. She implores the Winkies to help her, which they do, and asks the field mice for help, which they also do, and she also uses the Winged Monkeys to her benefit.

Journeys and quests should not be easy. They should be dangerous and exciting. We have seen a lot of that here, especially when they put together her friends and venture off yet again to head back home. In The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, just because you think the adventure is over, one more thing always seems to creep up to hinder the heroes.

Chapter Fourteen Summary: The Winged Monkeys

On their way to the Emerald City, Dorothy and her companions become lost and have to resort to asking the field mice if they know they direction. As it turns out, though the Queen of the Field Mice tells them the correct direction, they realize that they are far off course, as the Winged Monkeys had kidnapped them and flown them a great distance to reach the evil witch.

It is here that Dorothy learns about the Golden Cap she took from the Witch. It is actually a charm that allows her to possess the Winged Monkeys for her own benefit. After calling upon them, she asks them to fly her and her friends to the Emerald City. The Winged Monkey’s agree to do so because Dorothy controls them.

“We will carry you,” replied the King, and no sooner had he spoken than two of the Monkeys caught Dorothy in their arms and flew away with her. Others took the Scarecrow and the Woodman and the Lion, and one little Monkey seized Toto and flew after them, although the dog tried hard to bite him.

While flying, the Winged Monkeys tell Dorothy about how they became enslaved by the cap, and it involved dropping a sorceress’s loved one in a river, because the Winged Monkeys are mischievous creatures that’s what fantastical creatures do in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The sorceress, unhappy with the Winged Monkeys’ conduct, threatened them with the same treatment if they did not agree to her wishes: “… the Winged Monkeys should ever after do three times the bidding of the owner of the Golden Cap.”

After the story, the Winged Monkey’s deposit Dorothy and her friends at the gates of the Emerald City. The Winged Monkeys depart until they are needed again.

Chapter Fifteen Summary: The Discovery of Oz, the Terrible

The Quest Rewards

Dorothy and company enter the Emerald City and straightaway head to the Wizard of Oz, who owes them each a debt for ridding the land of the Wicked Witch of the West. However, Oz does not send for them immediately, and the group has to sit and wait for three days until The Scarecrow threatens the wizard with the Winged Monkeys. Of course, Oz relents and asks them to meet him in the throne room to receive their reward. Oz gets dodgy at this point and tells them to return the following day. Dorothy and friends do not like this response and decide to try and intimidate; however, that doesn’t go accordingly.

The Lion thought it might be as well to frighten the Wizard, so he gave a large, loud roar, which was so fierce and dreadful that Toto jumped away from him in alarm and tipped over the screen that stood in a corner. As it fell with a crash they looked that way, and the next moment all of them were filled with wonder. For they saw, standing in just the spot the screen had hidden, a little old man, with a bald head and a wrinkled face, who seemed to be as much surprised as they were.

The Truth Revealed

It is at this point that the Wizard of Oz reveals the truth. As it turns out, he is but a normal man and has kept himself safe due to his deceptive nature. The Wicked Witch, for instance, thought of him as a powerful wizard and thus was afraid to attack him head on unless she had magical means (the Winged Monkeys). Though he’s a liar, the Wizard of Oz rationalizes his actions to the best of his ability.

According to the wizard, he actually from Omaha. One day, he flew into the sky in his balloon and became lost above the clouds. By the time he landed, he found himself in the land of Oz. Once there, he commanded the people to build his city and his palace, and he named it the Emerald City. Why would the good people of Oz do this? Well, much like the Wicked Witch, they thought he was powerful. Nevertheless, he lived in fear of the Witches. Yet, he grew relieved to discover that Dorothy had landed on the Wicked Witch of the East. He was more relieved when he found at that she had killed the Wicked Witch of the West with a bucket of water.

Though, now that the truth was out, the Wizard of Oz tells Dorothy that there is little he can do to actually help her and her friends, but tells them to give him a few days to think about it, because even though he has no real powers, he was still quite ingenious.

Analysis of Chapter Fifteen

This is a chapter is a centered on a big reveal and offers up a fun twist to the story. In fact, it is an education in how to take your own story and flip it on its head if you were of the mind. In other words, all stories need twists and turns to remain engaging and entertaining, and you should think about what Baum does here to make this already fantastical story even more delightful. The wizard is not a wizard but a normal man, and he has an interesting story (more interesting than the Winged Monkeys’ story, I think), which causes the readers and Dorothy and her friends to take pity on him. It’s really creative!

Also, I love that at the end of the chapter it is revealed that Dorothy refers to the Wizard of Oz as “The Great and Terrible Humbug.” This is amusing because it’s really disparaging. It’s made even funnier in the next chapter because the wizard sees himself that way, too.

Chapter Sixteen Summary: The Magic Art of the Great Humbug

The chapter opens with the company reaping the rewards of the fantastic adventure.

  • The wizard stuffs The Scarecrow’s head with a large amount of bran, pins, and needles, and “stuffed the rest with straw, to hold it in place,” and The Scarecrow was thankful.
  • The Tin Woodman receives a heart after the Wizard cuts a hole in his chest and plops in a pretty heart that is made of “silk and stuffed with sawdust.”
  • The Cowardly Lion is given his courage through the use of a tonic, which gives him the courage he was after since the beginning of their quest.

As for Dorothy, the Wizard is perplexed, as he is conflicted about his own powers.

“How can I help being a humbug,” he said, “when all these people make me do things that everybody knows can’t be done? It was easy to make the Scarecrow and the Lion and the Woodman happy, because they imagined I could do anything. But it will take more than imagination to carry Dorothy back to Kansas, and I’m sure I don’t know how it can be done.”

At that, the chapter ends. We as the reader are left to ponder how the Wizard will help Dorothy in order to get her back to Kansas.

Chapter Seventeen Summary: How the Balloon Was Launched

The Wizard decides that to get Dorothy back to Kansas, he must construct a large balloon to launch into the air. The balloon will then carry both himself and Dorothy home to where they belong.

“You see, when I came to this country it was in a balloon. You also came through the air, being carried by a cyclone. So I believe the best way to get across the desert will be through the air. Now, it is quite beyond my powers to make a cyclone; but I’ve been thinking the matter over, and I believe I can make a balloon.”

The Wizard and Dorothy set themselves about constructing a wonderful balloon to fly across the great desert and upon its completion the Wizard informs the people of the Emerald City that he is going to go visit “a great brother Wizard who lived in the clouds.” Of course, the people believe him to be magic when he is in fact not. So, this news is taken exactly as expected and the “news spread rapidly throughout the city…”

The Wizard has the balloon brought out, and he addresses the audience as a charlatan. However, he grants the Scarecrow permission to rule the city; but, unfortunately, before Dorothy can get on the balloon, her dog Toto runs into the crowd and Dorothy chases after him. The Wizard sails away into the clouds. He is never seen again.

Chapter Seventeen Analysis

For this week’s posts, we are looking at the theme of magic in writing, and both chapter sixteen and seventeen of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz deals with the Wizard’s magic in some way. What we know of the Wizard is that he is a fake; that is, he has lied about who he is to the people who love and cherish him, which has caused a conflict inside of him (man vs. man), as he is unsure of how to proceed with rewarding Dorothy and her friends because he has no way to actually reward them through the use of magical powers.

Thus, he resorts to practical means to reward each member of the company and to reward Dorothy herself; so, he makes handcrafted rewards and, because they all believe in him (which they really shouldn’t) they take their rewards as truth, like a odd sort of placebo. He stuffs The Scarecrow’s head with straw, gives the Tin Woodsman a beautiful heart, and concocts a tonic for the Cowardly Lion. Lastly, he literally creates a balloon with Dorothy’s help.

Yet, because the Wizard is a flawed individual, not all of his magical tricks work, as he leaves Dorothy behind as he has no way to control the balloon once it takes flight.

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The Wizard of Oz Chapters 6-11 Analysis

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We are currently conducting a The Wizard of Oz analysis, so feel free to catch the previous post analysis. Aside from that, we are going to continue summarizing and analyzing the book by reading through chapters 6-11.

Chapter Six: The Cowardly Lion

So far, we have met the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman in The Wizard of Oz. They have both agreed to help Dorothy on her journey to the Emerald City. In the end, she hopes to find a route back to Kansas. Additionally, this journey guarantees the Tin Woodman can receive a heart and the Scarecrow can receive a brain. In chapter six, they encounter another ally: The Cowardly Lion.

“Just as he spoke there came from the forest a terrible roar, and the next moment a great Lion bounded into the road. With one blow of his paw, he sent the Scarecrow spinning over and over to the edge of the road, and then he struck at the Tin Woodman with his sharp claws. But, to the Lion’s surprise, he could make no impression on the tin, although the Woodman fell over in the road and lay still.”

After Dorothy swats his nose for trying to eat her dog Toto, the Cowardly Lion reveals that he is in fact a coward. He himself says that that only a chicken would eat a small dog. It is at this moment that the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman explain their purpose for traveling with Dorothy. This causes the Cowardly Lion to ask whether the great and powerful Oz could also grant him courage. They all seem to think so, and the journey continues.

Chapter Seven: The Journey to the Great Oz

The Ditches

In continuing with this The Wizard of Oz analysis, both the forest and the elements present obstacles for Dorothy and her companions to overcome. For instance, the question of food arises and the party disagrees as to how Dorothy will be fed. The reality is that the Tin Woodman would “weep” if the Cowardly Lion “killed a poor deer.” Additionally, they run into a wide ditch that seems impossible to pass:

The crew decides that they could cross this first obstacle by climbing on the Cowardly Lion’s back. By allowing him to jump over the ditch for them, the could overcome the obstacle. And, after gathering everyone on his back, he does just that effortlessly.

The next moment it seemed as if she was flying through the air; and then, before she had time to think about it, she was safe on the other side.

Eventually, they come to a second ditch that is far too wide for them to cross by jumping. Even the Cowardly Lion knows this can’t be achieved. As such, they put their heads together and come up with a solution. The Tin Woodman chops down a tree, which spans both sides of the ditch and they cross the river. Now, shortly before this second hazard, the Cowardly Lion made everyone aware of another hazard of the forest: the Kalidahs.

The Kalidahs

The Kalidahs, as the Cowardly Lion describes, are “monstrous beasts with bodies like bears and heads like tigers.” They could easily kill the Cowardly Lion just as easily as he could have killed Toto. “I’m terribly afraid of the Kalidahs.” The Cowardly Lion tells his companions, but their goal is unavoidable.

As the group traverses the now fell tree that spans the ditch, a couple of Kalidahs attempts to pursue them. No doubt, they have ill-intent in their hearts. The company flees across the fell tree. However, before the Kalidahs can catch them, the Scarecrow reminds the Tin Woodman of his axe. So, the Woodman chops the end of the fell-tree bridge, and it plummets into the abyss. Both Kalidahs are “dashed to pieces on the sharp rocks at the bottom” (Baum).

Afterward, they make a new camp, and the Scarecrow finds Dorothy some fruit to eat. Meanwhile, with the troubles of the forest conquered, the Tin Woodman builds a raft for them. Dorothy falls asleep for the evening, dreaming of Kansas.

Chapter Eight Summary: The Deadly Poppy Field

After the Tin Woodman creates a raft for the company to ride on, they travel down the river with efficiency. However, they soon discover that the current is too quick. The sticks they crafted to steer them are too short. In a hurry, the Scarecrow gets himself stuck in the middle of the river. Luckily, Dorothy and her friends are not selfish. They attempt to recover him, and the Cowardly Lion tells them to use his tail to pull the boat. It works. Afterward, they head back to where they lost the Scarecrow. Fortunately, they run into a large stork who agrees to help them recover their friend.

So the big bird flew into the air and over the water till she came to where the Scarecrow was perched upon his pole. Then the stork with her great claws grabbed the Scarecrow by the arm and carried him up into the air and back to the bank, where Dorothy and the Lion and Tin Woodman and Toto were sitting.

It is here that they run into the the deadly poppy field. The poppy field is dangerous because those who traverse it fall asleep forever. As they enter the “meadow of poppies” that is filled with “big scarlet” flowers, Dorothy grows tired. The Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow, unaffected, carry Dorothy and the now sleeping Toto away from the meadow.

On their way, however, they come across the Cowardly Lion. He has fallen asleep in the poppies as he was not immune to the poison flowers.

They followed the bend of the river, and at last came upon their friend the Lion, lying fast asleep among the poppies. The flowers had been too strong for the huge beast and he had given up, at last, and fallen only a short distance from the end of the poppy-bed, where the sweet grass spread in beautiful green fields before them.

Both the Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow decide that they can do nothing for the Cowardly Lion. The Lion is simply too big to pull out of the field. They decide to exit the poppies to save Dorothy. They hope that the cowardly lion dreams of the courage he so ardently sought.

Chapter Nine Summary: The Queen of the Field Mice

The company, encounter a mouse who is trying to escape a terrible beast. After the Tin Woodman decapitates the Wildcat, they discover that the mouse the Queen of the Field Mice. So, she decides to help them recover their friend, the Cowardly Lion, from the poppy fields.

After fashioning a truck for the lion, the mouse tended to the great beast and they pulled him from the deadly poppy fields.

“At first the little creatures, many though they were, could hardly stir the heavily loaded truck; but the Woodman and the Scarecrow both pushed from behind, and they got along better. Soon they rolled the Lion out of the poppy bed to the green fields, where he could breathe the sweet, fresh air again, instead of the poisonous scent of the flowers.”

The party thanked the Queen of the Field Mice and saw them off before settling down for supper. Luckily, they had befriended the right group of mice.

Chapter Ten Summary: The Guardian of the Gate

After the Cowardly Lion awoke and was fully alert, the party travel along the yellow brick road until they reached the lands around the Emerald City where everything was far more green and less blue (as the blue was the color of the Munchkin people). Dorothy and her companions knock on the door of a large farmhouse and take shelter for the evening in the house of kindly family who feeds them dinner and questions them about their quest to see the Wizard of Oz.

“Where are you all going?”

“To the Emerald City,” said Dorothy, “to see the Great Oz.”

“Oh, indeed!” exclaimed the man. “Are you sure that Oz will see you?”

“Why not?” she replied.

“Why, it is said that he never lets anyone come into his presence. I have been to the Emerald City many times, and it is a beautiful and wonderful place; but I have never been omitted to see the Great Oz, nor do I know of any living person who has seen him.”

“Does he never go out?” asked the Scarecrow.

“Never. He sits day after day in the great Throne Room of his Palace, and even those who wait upon him do not see him face to face.”

They learn that because he is a powerful wizard, Oz can take any form he likes, from a “bird” to an “elephant” to a “cat” and many more. However, in his “own form,” nobody knows what he looks like.

In the morning, the company heads to the gate of the Emerald City where the Guardian of the Gate greets them. The guardian is a short man of greenish tint, and he informs them that the wizard does not suffer fools. As such, they must tell the truth and not waste his time lest he destroy them. Moreover, he tells Dorothy that he must take her to the Wizard of Oz’s palace. Yet, she and her companions must wear special glasses, so the radiance of the city does not blind them.

“Then the Guardian of the Gates put on his own glasses and told them he was ready to show them to the Palace. Taking a big golden key from a peg on the wall, he opened another gate, and they all followed him through the portal into the streets of the Emerald City.”

Chapter Eleven Summary: The Wonderful City of Oz

Meeting the Wizard

Dorothy and Co. head to the great hall where the Wizard of Oz resides, and a green girl beckons them inside. There, the guards tell them to spend the night. They would take Dorothy in the morning to see the wizard on the first morning, the Scarecrow the second, the Tin Woodman the third, and the Cowardly Lion on the fourth.

So, on the first morning, after a restful slumber, a soldier greets Dorothy and states:

“Oh, he will see you,” said the soldier who had taken her message to the Wizard, “although he does not like to have people ask to see him. Indeed, at first he was angry, and said I should send you back where you came from. Then he asked me what you looked like, and when I mentioned your silver shoes he was very much interested. At last I told him about he mark upon your forehead, and he decided he would admit you to his presence.”

Afterward, Dorothy meets with the Wizard, who is a large, imposing head, and he tells her that if she desires a return to Kansas then she must kill the Wicked Witch of the West. Likewise, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion all go meet the Wizard on their respective days and are told that they are to do the same thing: kill the last evil witch!

Conjuring a Plan

Regardless, though Dorothy does not know how to kill the Wicked Witch of the West and that the previous witch she killed was by accident, she agrees…and so does her party.

However, each member declares that they will be unable to kill her due to their deficiencies, whether that be a lack of heart, courage, or a brain. Nevertheless, they prepare themselves for the long journey: the Tin Woodman sharpens his axe, the Scarecrow stuffs himself with straw, and Dorothy receives goods from a green girl who became fond of the companions during their time in the Emerald City.

What is more, the Wizard presents himself in a different form to each companion: a little old lady to the Scarecrow, a dreadful beast to the Tin Woodman, and a ball of fire to the Cowardly Lion. We have yet to discover for what reason the Wizard has decided to manifest himself as different forms.

Chapters 6-11 Analysis

Starting the Journey

In chapter 6, the crew start their journey to go find the witch by heading to her lands in the west of Oz. The Tin Woodman is given a moment toward the end of the chapter to show that while he doesn’t have a heart, he possesses a great kindness toward living creatures after he steps on a bug and is upset about it. He resigns to watch the road more carefully until Oz grants him his heart.

In chapter seven, the overarching theme of The Wizard of Oz is really about teamwork. The party all put their skills on display to help defeat trouble, from using their wits, to their strength, to their skills. For example, the Scarecrow helps Dorothy gather nuts to eat regardless of his clumsiness, and he covers her with dried leaves for a bed, which shows his loyalty and dedication to the quest and to Dorothy herself.

Strength in Numbers

We also have two instances where the Cowardly Lion uses his strength to try to jump over a wide ditch to help his friends pass an obstacle, which shows his interest in cooperation to reach their goal. Furthermore, the Tin Woodman puts his skills to use by using his axe twice, both in defeating a pair of Kalidahs, and by crafting a raft for their future adventure downriver.

So the Woodman took his axe and began to chop down small trees to make a raft … But it takes time to make a raft, even when one is as industrious and untiring as the Tin Woodman, and when night came the work was not done.

The teamwork emphasis is important because it harkens back to a theme I discussed at the beginning of the examination of this The Wizard of Oz: loyalty. The characters are all loyal to each other in servitude of their quest. While there is a self-serving narrative to question, there is a bent of kindness that doesn’t always tend itself to selfishness, such as covering someone with a pile of leaves or collecting food for them out of the kindness of your heart.

Making Sacrifices

Additionally, chapter eight of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is all about sacrifices, both intentional and unintentional. They unintentionally sacrifice the Scarecrow to get their boat to safety (though he is saved), and they intentionally sacrifice the Cowardly Lion to the poppy fields to save Dorothy. Similarly, the stork who saves the Scarecrow sacrifices some of her time to save him for a possible reward in the future, which is interesting.

Now, sacrifice has a weird connotation. Often, it seems negative or at least, if it is positive, then it is simply noble. I think we see more shades of positivity in the use of it in chapter eight as a theme. The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman are noble in that they must sacrifice one friend, who is much stronger, to save another, who is much weaker. While these noble qualities make them aspirational characters, we also understand that they all expect something from each other. These expectations include loyalty, friendship, or a ticket to Oz to see the wizard.

Small Assistance

Chapter nine and ten feature a lot of scenarios where something small does something larger than itself. What I mean more specifically: the mice step-up to help Dorothy and her companions to save the Cowardly Lion after another small mouse is found out to be royalty (this is unexpected). Dorothy herself charges forward and knocks on an Emerald City citizen’s door “boldly,” which is not altogether out-of-character, but it does defy what we know as adults of children—who are typically more shy and timid.

Who is this Great Oz?

The conversation that Dorothy has with the family from Emerald City and the Guardian of the gate shows us that the Wizard of Oz assumes many forms. He is not an old, cowled wizard, but he is a powerful force that does not have time to waste on errant adventurers. As we learned in a previous chapter, not everything is as it seems in Oz. Sometimes the characters you think are strong are, in fact, not strong at all, and some characters, who are supposed to be kind and wise, are in fact deceitful and cruel.

The Wizard of Oz is no different.

And because his actions are counter to what we assumed they would be, I believe we can look at his intentions in two ways:

A Deceitful Tyrant

The Wizard of Oz is deceitful and selfish. He desires Dorothy to go and assassinate the Wicked Witch of the West because he does not have the power to do so but has the authority and is in a position of power in Oz so he can compel Dorothy to kill the witch. In this light, the Wizard of Oz is a truly despicable person. If he cannot find use for the individual then he wants nothing to do with them because they can offer him nothing. As such, he is a sociopathic ruler and authoritarian who seeks power by eliminating his adversaries through Machiavellian means.

A Product of His Environment

The Wizard of Oz is a product of his environment. All of Oz to this point has been very transactional. If you do this for me, then I will do this for you. In so many ways, this is their currency. For example, a large bird helps save the Scarecrow early on in the story as long as Dorothy remembers to help it in the future. Similarly, the Queen of the Field Mice is freed from torment by the Tin Woodman. Yet, she requires nothing in return. Thus, Dorothy asks her to free her friend the Cowardly Lion from his perpetual slumber. There is give and take in all of these interactions. Thus, by asking Dorothy to kill the witch, Oz will return her back to Kansas (and give her companions what they want, too).

I am not sure which is correct, but I think the first one seems more right at the moment. Any good The Wizard of Oz analysis would make a bold claim, but this novel is more obstruse. This is due in part to what the soldier tells Dorothy. He says, “Indeed, at first he was angry, and said I should send you back where you came from.” In other words, the Wizard of Oz did not need to be bothered by a young girl seeking his wisdom. After all, she could offer him nothing in return, so he wanted to send her away. To me, that’s a sign of a cruel and selfish leader.

Works Cited

Baum, L. Frank. “The Wizard of Oz the First Five Novels.” Fall River Press, 2014.

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The Wizard of Oz Chapters 1-5 Analysis

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In starting our journey to the Emerald City through this analysis of The Wizard of Oz, we begin by cracking the first five chapters of this classic. Now, even though this book is for younger readers, L. Frank Baum wrote it during a time when childlike flights of fancy were in the narrative ecosystem. But, let us not tarry, and let’s start our adventure into the wonderful land of Oz!

Chapter One Summary: The Cyclone

Life on the Farm

This Wizard of Oz analysis begins in chapter one with descriptions of the dull life of Dorothy Gale. As an orphan, she lives with Uncle Henry and Aunt Em on a lonely farm in Kansas. The picture of her life is unexciting and helps inform the audience of the dire nature of her existence.

“Their house was small, for the lumber to build it had to be carried by wagon many miles. There were four walls, a floor and roof, which made one room; and this room contained a rusty looking cooking stove, a cupboard for dishes, a table, three or four chairs, and the bed.”

We get more of the desolate nature of Dorothy’s life as we learn more about Uncle Henry and Aunt Em. The land they lived on has taken the shine and sparkle from them. This may be due to hardship, or perhaps from the loneliness of the place. The elements had changed them, including Aunt Em.

Baum states: “They had taken the sparkle from her eyes and left them a sober gray; they had taken the red from her cheeks and lips, and they were gray also.”

This is a very deliberate description of Em and pairs with the description of Uncle Henry. Her husband apparently “never laughed,” and only “worked hard from morning till night and did not know what joy was” (Baum). The author also characterizes him as “gray” and absent of life.  

The Things Dorothy Loves

Nevertheless, there was light in this world that certainly kept Dorothy motivated in the form of her little dog Toto. Toto “was not gray,” and had “long, silky hair and small black eyes that twinkled merrily on either side of his funny, wee nose.” The dour mood of the first few pages begins to dissipate shortly after. The now famous tornado comes and sweeps the house away and into the sky—literally. Before the tornado arrives, Uncle Henry runs to tend to the cows and the horses. Meanwhile, Aunt Em runs for the cellar with Dorothy behind her. But, alas, Dorothy is too late, and a tornado sweeps her and the house into the the air. They are carried far, far away.

Again, Dorothy’s very surroundings want to destroy her. This is either by a slow descent into grayness, or by outright obliteration due to a tornado.

Chapter Two Summary: The Council with the Munchkins

Dorothy arrives in Oz via the cyclone, which lands harshly and jolts her awake from her slumber. Immediately upon exiting the house, she meets some of the inhabitants of this strange land. They include a witch and a few munchkins. To her dismay, she learns that her rough landing caused quite a stir. Her house and grand entrance killed the Wicked Witch of the East.

“Dorothy looked, and gave a little cry of fright. There, indeed, just under the corner of the great beam the house rested on, two feet were sticking out, shod in silver shoes with pointed toes” (Baum). Dorothy is distraught, because she was “an innocent, harmless little girl … and she had never killed anything in all her life.”

This is a nice touch of character and softens the reader to Dorothy’s disposition. Witch of the North (the good witch) consoles Dorothy. She tells the young girl that the Wicked Witch of the East lived a monstrous life. She had kept the munchkin people in “bondage for many years, making them slave for her night and day.” This description seems like a really terrible way to live your life as a munchkin.

Regardless, the munchkins are now in Dorothy’s debt for freeing them. She is gifted the silver shoes that once belonged to the now deceased witch. Additionally, the munchkins give her directions to the City of Emeralds, where she can find the Great Wizard of Oz.

As the good witch tells her: “’The road to the City of Emeralds is paved with yellow brick,’ said the Witch; ‘so you cannot miss it. When you get to Oz do not be afraid of him, but tell your story and ask him to help you. Good-by, my dear” (Baum).

As we know from the film, Dorothy’s journey truly begins in the next chapter.

Chapter Three Summary: How Dorothy Saved the Scarecrow

In this chapter, Dorothy does exactly as the title states, and makes a new friend on her journey from the Munchkin land to the Emerald City. The Scarecrow is stuck on a post and can not move from where he is set. As such, Dorothy takes plight on him and removes him from his imprisonment (much as she had freed the munchkins).

We have some obvious and less obvious characterization in this chapter. For starters, the author has revealed Dorothy to be an empathetic character who cares about those around her. We see this when she unintentionally frees the munchkins from their slavery.

The Scarecrow, we learn, lacks confidence in himself. Baum reveals this in both his literal characterization and his metaphorical characterization. That is, he is literally a scarecrow, left in a field without company. He is stuffed with straw, so he lacks a brain (and blood and organs for that matter). This is who he literally is.

“Dorothy leaned her chin upon her hand and gazed thoughtfully at the Scarecrow. Its head was a small sack stuffed with straw, with eyes, nose and mouth painted on it to represent a face. An old, pointed blue hat, that had belonged to some Munchkin, was perched on his head, and the rest of the figure was a blue suit of clothes, worn and faded, which had also been stuffed with straw. On the feet were some old boots with blue tops, such as every man wore in this country, and the figure was raised above the stalks of corn by means of the pole stuck up its back.“

Metaphorically, we understand him to have low self-esteem, or at least he represents a failure to understand one’s own capabilities. This drives his goals to journey with Dorothy to the Emerald City where there is a chance for him to receive a brain. We learn this about the Scarecrow through his own words when he speaks to Dorothy about his desires and ambitions. He tells her that he doesn’t care that he is a stuffed man because he cannot be hurt. Yet, he does not want people to make fun of him for being a fool.

Chapter Four Summary: The Road through the Forest

It is at this point in The Wizard of Oz that Dorothy has made a friend and is now making her way to the Emerald City to speak with the wizard of Oz. They continue following the road but are finding it hard to navigate because the road itself is shabby. The “walking grew so difficult that the Scarecrow often stumbled over the yellow brick, which were here very uneven” (Baum). Because this development creates complications, Dorothy and the Scarecrow stop and set up camp near a little brook where she then prepares dinner.

We get some more moments of characterization, as we learn a little more about the Scarecrow. He tells Dorothy that he never hungers because his mouth is not real. Additionally, we start to see some of Dorothy’s values arise in this scenario. She tells him that she hopes to return to Kansas regardless of how “gray” the homes are. This is because “we people of flesh and blood would rather live there than in any other country, be it ever so beautiful. There is no place like home” (Baum). One of the characteristics we will come to find out is that Dorothy is a loyal person. This loyalty will see her through to the end of the story. She is both loyal to Kansas and loyal to her friends.

Chapter Five Summary: The Rescue of the Tin Woodman

The Sad Tale of the Tin Woodsman

Dorothy and the Scarecrow continue venturing toward the Emerald City through a great forest. They discover a man made entirely out of tin rusted into a standing position. Dorothy retrieves an oil can and begins oiling the tinman’s joints.

It’s here that we learn of his sad tale:

The Tin Woodman was in love with a munchkin girl and was engaged to marry her. However, he did not have a home, so decided that he would make a home and some money. Yet, the munchkin girl lived with a lazy old woman who did not want her to leave. Her laziness ensured the munchkin would be around to do her bidding.

A Promise Made

As the Tin Woodman tells Dorothy: “So, the old woman went to the Wicked Witch of the East, and promised her two sheep and a cow if she would prevent the marriage. Thereupon the wicked witch enchanted my axe, and when I was chopping away at my best one day, the axe slipped all at once an cut off my leg.”

From here, the enchanted axe deals blow after blow to the Tin Woodman. Yet, the Tinsman fashions him new appendages to replace the old ones he continuously loses. Finally, though, to really do him in, the Wicked Witch of the East causes the axe to slice his abdomen in two, which destroys his heart.

Again, the Tin Woodman says to Dorothy:

“But, alas!I had now no heart, so that I lost all my love for the Munchkin girl and did not care whether I married her or not. I suppose she is still living with that old woman, waiting for me to come after her.”

They all decide to venture off together to find the Wizard of Oz, because the Tin Woodman could benefit from a heart so that he could love again, and the Scarecrow wanted a brain as to not be a fool. Dorothy, meanwhile, in a moment of selfishness, thinks that it doesn’t matter whether either of her adventuring friends ever actually get what they want as long as she gets what she wants: a return ticket to Kansas.

Chapter 1-5 Analysis

Setting

I think revealing the setting as a form of conflict is a really interesting way to open a book. Baum clearly understood the hardship of this sort of life and what it can do to somebody’s spirit, as he had spent time in the Dakota Territory in the late 1800s and had gone bankrupt after failing to adjust his bazaar to the “hard times” put on by a drought. I can certainly see a socioeconomic critique in this first chapter.

“In an editorial on mercantile practices written a few months after the business folded, Baum probed the heart of the matter when he wrote that customers cry “not so much for genuine worth as for something pretty and attractive at a low cost” (Koupal).

Conflict drives all classic stories and typically your most interesting ones are the ones that stand the test of time. As such, there are many conflicts in this book.

Moreover, it matters where you live, and it matters where you stand. Uncle Henry and Aunt Em are colorless forms because the land has taken the life out of them. Yet we see that is not always the case in Baum’s work because we find colorful inhabitants of Oz waiting just at the other end of the cyclone. The contrast is intentional, and, in fact, if you were to watch the1939 film, one could surmise that this juxtaposition is exactly why the first part of the film is in black and white and the other two-thirds are in full color.

Additionally, the munchkins live in a beautiful world. So, we can assume that they would otherwise prosper if it were not for the Wicked Witch’s “bondage” of servitude. Therein, we see that geography matters because the land has not robbed them of their joy. Yet Oz is not without treacherous locations.

The East and South feature a massive desert that is impassable by anybody, and so does the West, which also has the last Wicked Witch on the lookout for people foolish enough tread her land.

Meanwhile, in the North:

“’The North is my home,’ said the old lady (the good witch), ‘and at its edge is the same great desert that surrounds this Land of Oz…’” (Buam).

Conflict

So, Oz is a dangerous place to live. And, the characters give us directions—directions to the City of Emeralds—which help us navigate the world. And, all of this matters, because the munchkins prosper in their land even though danger is right next door. With that said, there are even pleasant lands in the North, but East and West are dangerous, as is the great desert.

The Good Witch even makes it a point to tell Dorothy that “there are no witches left; nor wizards, nor sorceresses, nor magicians” in civilized places like Kansas, but that such things are alive and well in the Land of Oz. This creates a contrast between lands and belief systems as well. Kansas is civilized while Oz must be uncivilized. Or, perhaps, there are only pockets of civilizations in the world.

Lastly, lest I stray too far into the reeds, while geographic location matters, it also matters where you stand in general. In the last chapter, Dorothy was standing in the house when she was picked up from the storm, while Uncle Henry had run to the stables and Aunt Em had hidden in the cellar. The Wicked Witch of the East was unfortunately standing under the house as it landed roughly on her old bones. In a careful Wizard of Oz analysis, we can see how there is a clear sequence of events driving her from location to location.

Characterization

Continuing, good characterization should serve the plot in some way, too. We learn about the Scarecrow in chapter three, but we also learn more about the theme and what the story is trying to tell us and how it might end. Likewise, we learn more about our protagonist, which serves the plot, because we need to know how Dorothy will respond to trouble when it presents itself.

For example, we learn more about the Scarecrow and how he came to be. After two munchkins put him together, and literally paint on his senses, he is used as a prop to scare away the crows from eating all the corn in the Munchkins’ farm field. This does not work because, apparently, he is not all that imposing.

A crow lands on the Scarecrow’s shoulder and tells him that “’Any crow of sense could see that you are only stuffed with straw.’ Then he hopped down at my feet and ate all the corn he wanted.” Such an insult reveals to us why the Scarecrow feels like a fool. He is entirely incapable of doing what he was created to do, which is super insulting to his life’s purpose.

“I felt sad at this,” he states in the book, “for it showed I was not such a good Scarecrow after all …”

The Wizard of Oz Analysis and Conclusion

This analysis of The Wizard of Oz shows the book as a much darker story than the one given to us in the movie. The movie shies away from the gorier, controversial aspects. It certainly would have been a little violent for the child audience for whom the film was made. There is also a lot about slavery in this story, and many of the characters are ostensibly imprisoned in their own lives.

For instance, the Munchkins are literally imprisoned by the Wicked Witch to do her biding. Dorothy is imprisoned in her dull life in Kansas; the Scarecrow is imprisoned on a stake in a corn field,; and the Tin Woodman is imprisoned in his rust. Slavery is not an easy theme and neither is imprisonment, but both of those ideas are present in The Wizard of Oz.

Nevertheless, between both this chapter and the previous chapter, we get solid character development with both the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman. Both characters are kind and courageous because they have decided to journey with Dorothy to the Emerald City. We also learn about Dorothy’s selfish side, which has hitherto not revealed itself. I have no doubt that this characteristic will show itself again in the story (like Chekov’s gun) but let us hope Dorothy can look past her self-interest in the future to help her new acquaintances.

Works Cited

Baum, L. Frank. “The Wizard of Oz the First Five Novels.” Fall River Press, 2014.

KOUPAL, NANCY TYSTAD. “THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF THE WEST: L. FRANK BAUM IN SOUTH DAKOTA, 1888-91.” Great Plains Quarterly, vol. 9, no. 4, 1989, pp. 203–215. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/23531112. Accessed 8 July 2021.

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Turn of the Screw: Chapters 6-10 Summary

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Turn of the Screw: Chapters 1-5 Summary

In this post, we are examining Henry James‘s The Turn of the Screw chapters 6-10. At the midway point now, everything begins to ramp up, from hauntings to unforeseen truths.

The Turn of the Screw: Chapters 6-7 Summary

In these chapters, we find that the governess is investigating a mystery. The mystery involves one Peter Quint. This Quint character happens to be looking for Miles, but the children have been strangely silent on the subject. The governess’s relationship with the children becomes more peremptory as she seeks to uncover the reason behind the ghostly visitations. One day, while watching Flora, she takes note of a female visitor nearby who shares ghostly qualities.

Later, the governess confronts Mrs. Grose about the happenings. She accuses the children of knowing more than they let on. She also tells Mrs. Grose about the female ghost and also admits that she believes the ghost to be the previous (now deceased) governess. After some chatter about the subject, Mrs. Grose reveals that both Quint and Miss Jessel (the ghost) had a relationship outside of what is deemed right and proper.

The Turn of the Screw: Chapters 8-9 Summary

The governess is eventually able to convince Mrs. Grose about the ghostly visitations, however many issues arise from her prying. It is reveled that both Quint and Miss Jessel had an affair, and that Quint was a bad influence on Miles; likewise, Miss Jessel’s relationship with Flora could also be questioned. Such accusations are also levied at the children, as, according to the governess, they could be under the spell of ghosts. Regardless, their youthful naivete may also have covered up crimes of a sexual nature.

Bly continues on unabated, and the governess is ever vigilant about keeping the children safe, and without ghostly molestation. The governess finds herself and the children growing closer to each other. However, due to the nature of the spiritual accusations, she is unsure of veracity of this relationship. One night, while reading, the governess hears something odd, and she leaves the room to investigate. She finds the ghost of Quint who eventually disappears.

The Turn of the Screw: Chapter 10 Summary

It is soon discovered that Flora is no longer in her bed but is behind her window blinds. Flora comes out and is seemingly terrified due to the governess’s absence. Both characters are irate about the other’s actions. Later, the governess finds the ghost of Miss Jessel who promptly disappears. Keeping tabs on Flora, the governess attempts to see what the child sees at night and finds a window with a similar view, only to find Miles out on the lawn.

Conclusion

In The Turn of the Screw Chapters 6-10, the tension amps up with a ghostly visitation. The governess also becomes more adept at gathering information. Though, from her own admission, she seems to be self-involved in the case, going off of ghostly apparitions as her main body of evidence. Her love for the children ostensibly keeps her from prying too deep. Seeing each of the children in precarious spots is heartbreaking and confusing for her, but she strives to understand the truth.

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Turn of the Screw: Chapters 11-15 Summary

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Turn of the Screw: Chapters 1-5 Summary
Turn of the Screw: Chapters 6-10 Summary

In this post, we continue with The Turn of the Screw: Chapters 11-15 summary. The novel is by psychological-horror author Henry James. As we are nearing the end of the book, we should be taking note of the building tension in the manor. The governess has now seen ghosts on two occasions. Meanwhile, the children are acting in strange ways. In the following chapters, more eeriness assails the governess as she comes closer to unraveling the mystery.

Turn of the Screw: Chapters 11-13 Summary

After standing on the lawn at night and frightening the governess, she leads Miles back inside. After questioning him, Miles insists it is because he wants to be “bad” and to prove it to her.

He tells her: “‘Think me—for a change—bad!’ I shall never forget the sweetness and gaiety with which he brought out the word, nor how, on top of it, he bent forward and kissed me.”

While the governess doesn’t entirely understand Miles’s motivations, she forgives the child.

Though Mrs. Grose doesn’t believe the governess, the governess goes into detail about the children’s relationship with Quint and Miss Jessel. She explains that they are either tied to them or are in fact that spiritual slaves. In her opinion, she aims to destroy the children. Mrs. Grose attempts to convince the governess to contact the master of the house in order to spirit the children away. However, the governess denounces any and all plans for various reasons. Mostly, she doesn’t want to seem like she is going insane.

In the text, the governess explains that she could already see the master of the house’s reactions. She saw his, “derision, his amusement, his contempt for the breakdown of her resignation.”

As the season turns to autumn, the governess finds the children still a delight but has her suspicions. Mostly, her suspicions are about how they communicate with the ghosts. Yet, the governess is unable to confront the children about these sightings. As such, she leaves it be for the time. After the children ask to see their uncle, the governess insists that they write letters–letters that she in fact keeps and does not send to the master of the house.

Turn of the Screw: Chapters 14-15 Summary

One day, when walking to church with the household, Miles asks about returning to school. He admits that he has been very good with only one exception. The governess tries to parse Miles’ reasons for being sent out of school. But, she is unable to discover his motives. Miles then insists that he wants to go back to school, and though he is rebuked, he insists. He comes to the conclusion that he will convince his uncle to visit and allow him to return.

In the novel, both the governess and Miles have a brief exchange outside of the church before the child enters:

Miles, on this, stood looking at me. “Then don’t you think he can be made to?”

“In what way?”

“Why, by his coming down.”

“But who’ll get him to come down?”

“I will!” the boy said with extraordinary brightness and emphasis. He gave me another look charged with that expression and then marched off alone into church.

At this point, the governess intends to leave Bly as she feels the events at the manor have been untenable. Entering the house, she sits on the stares but remembers seeing the ghost of Miss Jessel. So, she decides to head to the schoolroom. Regardless, she sees the ghost of the woman once more and has a violent reaction. No doubt this is a consequence of the trauma and anxiety caused by the apparition.

She states of the occurrence: “It was as a wild protest against it that, actually addressing her—’You terrible, miserable woman!’—I heard myself break into a sound that, by the open door, rang through the long passage and the empty house. She looked at me as if she heard me, but I had recovered myself and cleared the air. There was nothing in the room the next minute but the sunshine and a sense that I must stay.”

Conclusion

In The Turn of the Screw: Chapters 11-15, we have more character building and a continued rising of suspense. We discover that Miles is quite precocious and is a conniving child. He makes plans to manipulate people into getting what he wants, such as convincing the governess that he is capable of being “bad.”

In addition, we also learn that the governess has multiple motives for staying on at Bly Manor and not alerting the master of the house. For one, her duty to the children is supreme, and her motherly protection seems to be paramount to her leaving; moreover, she understands that what she has seen at Bly is a little strange and that alerting anybody other than Mrs. Grose may make her seem insane.

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Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: Chapters 16-21 Summary

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In this post, we analyze Robin Hood by Howard Pyle chapters 16-21. We have only a few chapters left of the book, so rather than do two chapters next week, we will just summarize Robin Hood by Howard Pyle chapters 16-21 in this post.

Chapter 16: Little John Turns Barefoot Friar

In this chapter, Little John disguises himself as a friar and visits the countryside. As stated in the text, both Little John and Friar Tuck enter a storehouse. There, they find a “robe of a Gray Friar” for the yeoman. The merry men laugh at Little John, but he still carries on in his mission.

In his travels, Little John meets a variety of characters. Through these interactions, he shows his worth as both an honorable and charitable man. He meets a group of women and helps them carry their eggs. He also meets some selfish friars and embarrasses them, Eventually, he meets the Sheriff of Nottingham’s men who are moving treasure from one place to another. Using his guile and disguise, he gains their trust and travels with them. Eventually, he overpowers them and takes the money back to Sherwood Forest.

Chapter 17: Robin Hood Turns Beggar

Meanwhile, Robin Hood disguises himself as a beggar after a confrontation about hidden money. So, after trading clothes, Robin Hood continues on his way. He then meets four beggars who are blind, deaf, and mute. Suspecting Robin is somebody he is not, they attack him but Robin defends himself and escapes with their money. Afterward, Robin tricks a corn dealer into giving him his money by using his disguise as a beggar for support against Robin Hood.

“Then merry Robin laughed again, and quoth he, ‘Men hereabouts call me Robin Hood; so, sweet friend, thou hadst best do my bidding and give me thy shoes, wherefore hasten, I prythee, or else thou wilt not get to fair Newark Town till after dark.”

Chapter 18: Robin Hood Shoots Before Queen Eleanor

Richard Partington, a page from Queen Eleanor, invites Robin and his merry men to an archery contest. At the contest, they will shoot in front of Queen Eleanor, with no harm coming to them for their participation. Robin Hood, disguised so as to not rouse King Richard, uses his exceptional prowess to win the contest. King Richard pardons Robin for his victory. .

However, the king discovers that Robin Hood was actually the person in disguise. Therefore, he sends men to find he and his merry men for capture. Partington warns Robin, so they leave the inn and go their separate ways. Robin then meets a cobbler and trades clothes with him. This leads to the arrest of the cobbler. Afterward, Robin stays at an inn and meets a friar and trades clothes with him, only to have the friar arrested.

After meeting Sir Richard of Lea on the road, the knight gives him some good information on returning to London to beg for mercy in front of the queen. This plan works and the queen sees that Robin is returned safely.

The text states: “Is it so?” quoth Robin, starting; for he knew right well that it was the Queen sent the message, and that she spake of the King’s wrath. “Now, I thank thee, good fellow, for thou hast done me greater service than thou knowest of this day.” Then he called his three yeomen together and told them privately that they had best be jogging, as it was like to be ill for them so nigh merry London Town. So, without tarrying longer, they made their way through the crowd until they had come out from the press. Then, without stopping, they left London Town and started away northward” (Pyle).

Chapter 19, 20, and 21

A bounty hunter, Guy of Gisbourne, is sent to capture Robin Hood. He is a ruthless and cunning adversary. Using their skills, they both duel each other to a standstill. Robin Hood eventually defeats Guy of Gisbourne and then uses the bounty hunter’s own appearance (his clothes and likeness) to infiltrate the Sheriff’s camp, where he frees the merry men and turns the tide of battle.

The Sheriff of Nottingham, enraged at being bested by Robin Hood time and time again, waits for the outlaw at an inn where he is to meet Guy of Gisbourne. Little John, meanwhile, meets a woman on the road whose sons were arrested and are to be hanged at the inn of the Sheriff of Nottingham. Little John uses an old man disguise and tracks down the Sheriff, asking him for money. The Sheriff agrees if only Little John will string up the arrested sons. Of course, Little John frees the men but is arrested himself, and Robin joins him just in time to misguide the Sheriff. Robin uses his own disguise to free Little John and the merry men chase of the Sheriff and his men.

In the final chapter, King Richard visits Sherwood Forest disguised as a monk. He sees their honor and justice firsthand, and so reveals his identity, offering Robin Hood a royal pardon for his crimes. King Richard invites them to join his royal service and acknowledges them for their noble actions and positive impact.

As the author writes: “The next day the King took leave of Nottingham Town; so Robin Hood and Little John and Will Scarlet and Allan a Dale shook hands with all the rest of the band, kissing the cheeks of each man, and swearing that they would often come to Sherwood and see them. Then each mounted his horse and rode away in the train of the King” (Pyle).

Epilogue

Robin returns to Sherwood after the death of King Richard, and blows his horn, which attracts Little John and his men, Will Scarlet, Allan A Dale, etc. The new king, King John, sends the Sheriff of Nottingham and Sir William Dale to bring Robin back to his duty. The merry men kill the Sheriff and send Sir William packing.

Of the battle, the text says, “…so thus it came about, at last, that Robin Hood and his yeomen met Sir William and the Sheriff and their men in the forest, and a bloody fight followed. The first man slain in that fight was the Sheriff of Nottingham, for he fell from his horse with an arrow in his brain ere half a score of shafts had been sped. Many a better man than the Sheriff kissed the sod that day, but at last, Sir William Dale being wounded and most of his men slain, he withdrew …” (Pyle).

After, Robin gets sick and dies after a bloodletting at a nunnery. He dies in Little John’s arms after firing his last arrow through a window and out toward Sherwood Forest. The merry men disband and go about their own lives.

The author writes, “As he finished speaking, he raised himself of a sudden and sat upright. His old strength seemed to come back to him, and, drawing the bowstring to his ear, he sped the arrow out of the open casement. As the shaft flew, his hand sank slowly with the bow till it lay across his knees, and his body likewise sank back again into Little John’s loving arms; but something had sped from that body, even as the winged arrow sped from the bow” (Pyle).

Robin’s arrow speeds through the sky and disappears on the horizon as Robin Hood dies.

Analysis

In Robin Hood by Howard Pyle chapters 16-21, the story has come to an end and all loose ties are now connected. Robin Hood dons many disguises, along with his men, to show the protean nature of their gorilla warfare and charades. They use guile and whimsy to best their opponents, from dressing as unrecognizable pathfinders to friars and cobblers. Additionally, they use their smarts to beat the Sheriff at his own game, by freeing their own men and killing his (Guy of Gisbourne, for instance). And, finally, in showing their martial prowess, they kill the Sheriff and defeat all of his men in fair combat.

Unfortunately, and maybe aptly, Robin dies of a fever in a nunnery, firing off his final arrow in a show that both times have changed and that the world was moving onward. The new king and sheriff were less harsh, and it seems as though the previous corruption was lessening; so much so that the merry men could finally disband.

Works Cited

Pyle, Howard. The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood. Scribner, 1883.

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Turn of the Screw: Chapters 1-5 Summary

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In this post, we introduce the first part of Henry James’s The Turn of the Screw: Chapters 1-5 (1898). It is a gothic novella that is about a very peculiar haunting at Bly Manor. Meanwhile, the reader is left to question the narrator’s motives and reliability throughout the novella. This is a classic of the ghost story genre, so reading it and understanding it is crucial to writing good ghost stories.

Prologue of The Turn of the Screw

The story begins delightfully on a Christmas Eve, with a group of people gathered around the fireplace. Much as was the tradition of yesteryear in telling ghost stories around Christmas (which can be seen in Dickens’ A Christmas Carol), this group is indulging in much of the same. The narrator, remaining anonymous, discusses Douglas, one of the guests, and the strange story that he tells them that involves two children named Flora and Miles.

Douglas himself seems troubled by the story, and stands “there before the fire, to which he had got up to present his back, looking down at his interlocutor with his hands in his pockets.” A look of shame crossing him, he states: “Nobody but me, till now, has ever heard. It’s quite too horrible.” The crowd of guests of course turn on him and compel him to tell his story: “It’s beyond everything. Nothing at all that I know touches it.”

Before sharing his ghost story, and in a bit of back story, Douglas gives some details: a governess, who was a young and poor daughter of a country parson, accepts a position as governess with a charming bachelor in a grand house on Harley Street. She is hired to care for the two aforementioned children. The children are under the current care of the housekeeper Mrs. Grose and other servants. Meanwhile, the previous governess has died. Preparing himself, Douglas reads from papers he has collected, which apparently contain The Turn of the Screw: Chapters 1-5, and the rest.

The Turn of the Screw: Chapters 1-2 Summary

The story begins most unseemly at first, with the governess starting her position at Bly. She meets Flora and the maid, Mrs. Grose. Flora calms the governess’s nerves about her new job through her beauty and spiritedness. The next day, the governess receives a letter from her employer who informs her that Miles’s headmaster refuses to let him return to school. Nervous about the boy due to probably behavior problems, the governess is anxious, but Mrs. Grose assures her that Miles is simply acting out as boys are want to do at their age and in some circumstances.

In a concerning moment, the governess learns that the previous governess was a young, pretty woman who was well-liked by both children and the master. However, she left Bly on holiday and never returned, and was later reported dead due to mysterious circumstances. In the exchange between the new governess and Mrs. Grose, there is both shock and surprise from both parties:

“She was not taken ill, so far as appeared, in this house. She left it, at the end of the year, to go home, as she said, for a short holiday, to which the time she had put in had certainly given her a right. We had then a young woman—a nursemaid who had stayed on and who was a good girl and clever; and she took the children altogether for the interval. But our young lady never came back, and at the very moment I was expecting her I heard from the master that she was dead.”

I turned this over. “But of what?”

“He never told me! But please, miss,” said Mrs. Grose, “I must get to my work.”

The Turn of the Screw: Chapters 3-4 Summary

The governess begins these chapters by thinking about her respect for Mrs. Grose, and then she meets Miles, and is likewise charmed by the young man, as he is both innocent and as beautiful as his sister, Flora. Both the governess and Mrs. Grose decide to ignore the letter detailing Miles’ expulsion and move on.

Her summer continues without error, and she actually finds that she quite enjoys her time at Bly. One evening, she sees a mysterious man on the tower, thinking that he was somebody she knew. Though, without knowing who he is, she finds the episode eerie. The man stares at her for some time before moving on.

As she states: “So I saw him as I see the letters I form on this page; then, exactly, after a minute, as if to add to the spectacle, he slowly changed his place—passed, looking at me hard all the while, to the opposite corner of the platform. Yes, I had the sharpest sense that during this transit he never took his eyes from me, and I can see at this moment the way his hand, as he went, passed from one of the crenelations to the next. He stopped at the other corner, but less long, and even as he turned away still markedly fixed me. He turned away; that was all I knew.”

Afterward, the governess thinks about this episode as being very strange, and wonders about a hidden mystery within the house. She walks home and meets Mrs. Grose in the hall. She realizes that the maid knows little and so does not mention it. Being careful and inquisitive when it comes to encounters in the house, the governess returns to her duties with little fear. Though, later, the governess sees the man staring through a window; she attempts to confront him but finds nothing. However, this time around, Mrs. Grose seems shaken, so she too has seen the mysterious figure.

The Turn of the Screw: Chapter 5 Summary

The governess describes the man to Mrs. Grose who is shocked by the entire affair. The governess also notes the man’s red hair, pale face, and handsome features. Mrs. Grose tells her that he was a man named Peter Quint, who was a former valet for the housemaster. However, it turns out that it would be impossible for him to have been in the window.

The story states:

She hung fire so long that I was still more mystified. “He went, too,” she brought out at last.

“Went where?”

Her expression, at this, became extraordinary. “God knows where! He died.”

“Died?” I almost shrieked.

She seemed fairly to square herself, plant herself more firmly to utter the wonder of it.

“Yes. Mr. Quint is dead.”

Conclusion

In The Turn of the Screw: Chapters 1-5, we have here the classic trappings of a ghost story. One that features a doting governess, two small, innocent children, and a mystery of gothic proportions. James’s style is very calming and explanatory. It lulls the reader into a sense of calm before dropping a mysterious plot point down, which both entice and excite the reader. It may be slow, but it gives us the sense of foreboding we can expect in a gothic thriller.

Read this description of Mrs. Grose’s fear:

“She turned white, and this made me ask myself if I had blanched as much. She stared, in short, and retreated on just my lines, and I knew she had then passed out and come round to me and that I should presently meet her. I remained where I was, and while I waited I thought of more things than one. But there’s only one I take space to mention. I wondered why she should be scared.”

The language is clearly from 1889, but it is not ostentatious. It tells the story in a very straightforward manner, highlighting the fear that these strange occurrences cause to the people who are baring witness. In moving ahead, we have to keep in mind that the author is going to establish many norms for future ghost stories, but that should not deter us from how engaging and interesting this story is in reality.

Works Cited

Henry James. The Turn of the Screw. Project Gutenberg, 10 Oct. 1997, http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/209. Accessed July 29, 2024.

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Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: Chapters 6-10 Summary

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Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: Chapters 1-5 Summary

In this post, we continue the novel The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle by summarizing chapters 6-10. In it, we will learn more about Little John and Will Scarlet and other merry men. We will also see a deepening conflict between Robin and the Sheriff of Nottingham.

Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: Chapters 6-17 Summary

In chapter 6, Little John attends the Nottingham Fair disguised as a yeoman. Due to his immense size and strength, he wins over those attending the fair. While playing at an archery contest, he wins the grand prize, besting everybody including the Sheriff of Nottingham’s men.

The text states, “Near the target, in a good place, sat the Sheriff upon a raised dais, with many gentlefolk around him … A score of brave shots were gathered there, and among them some of the keenest hands at the longbow … and among them Little John stood taller than all the rest” (Pyle).

The Sheriff offers Little John a job, which he takes in order to gain more information for Robin Hood.

In chapter 7, Little John becomes a trusted employee of the Sheriff. He uses his position to keep Robin Hood informed as to the Sheriff’s business. Little John eventually uses the Sheriff’s idea to host a feast. In this way, he can get back at the Sheriff by luring him into Robin Hood’s good graces.

“Then one of the band brought the Sheriff a cup of sack, bowing low as he handed it to him; but the Sheriff could not touch the wine, for he saw it served in one of his own silver flagons, on one of his own silver plates,” the story states.

However, Robin gives the Sheriff his own stolen goods back. He tells him to “take thou thine own again … and hearken to me, good Sheriff, take thou a piece of advice with it. Try thy servants well er thou dost engage them again so readily.” With this warning and fair bit of advice, the Sheriff leaves Sherwood Forest.

Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: Chapters 8-10 Summary

Chapter 8

In chapter 8, Little John encounters a tanner named Arthur-a-Bland on his way to Blyth. Both men engage in a physical duel and are comparable in many ways, which leads to them ceasing their quarrel. Robin, watching the battle happen from the bush, notes that he had never “thought to see Little John so evenly matched.”

Little John tells Arthur that he is one of Robin’s men. This excites the tanner who then agrees to join the merry men.

The tanner exclaims: “Will I join thy band? … Ay, marry, will I!”

Chapter 9

In chapter 9, Robin Hood meets Will Scarlet, a man who dresses in red and who is quite skillful with both sword and bow. After a duel with Robin, wherein the “dust of the highway rose up around them like a cloud” and there was “the rattle of staves against one another,” Will Scarlet reveals that he is related to the outlaw of Sherwood himself, for he is Robin’s nephew. Will explains to Robin that he fled from a crime he did not commit. He then wants to join Robin’s merry men. Robin welcomes him warmly.

Chapter 10

In chapter 10, Robin encounters a miller’s son, Midge. Midge does not want to give up his goods; believing Robin is a common thief, he refuses to relent. Meanwhile, the man impresses Robin with his tenacity. He asks him to join the merry men. Midge accepts and joins the group.

The text states:

“So that night all was ablaze with crackling fires in the woodlands, for though Robin and those others spoken of, only excepting Midge, the Miller’s son, had many a sore bump and bruise here and there on their bodies, they were still not so sore in the joints that they could not enjoy a jolly feast given all in welcome to the new members of the band. Thus with songs and jesting and laughter that echoed through the deeper and more silent nooks of the forest, the night passed quickly along, as such merry times are wont to do, until at last each man sought his couch and silence fell on all things and all things seemed to sleep.”

Analysis of Robin Hood

Popularity and Menace

These chapters inform the reader of the merry men’s growing popularity. Will Scarlet joins the group along with Arthur and Midge; all of whom boast their own skills and exceptions. The thought of new comrades joining Robin Hood and his merry men is charming. Considering the story is set during the medieval era, which is such a dark time, a little levity helps.

Moreover, these chapters continue building the Sheriff of Nottingham’s menace. While Robin dupes Little John, he is still an intelligent and crass man. As Robin sees the skill in Little John and still employs him to his company (even though he doesn’t know his identity). However, we also see the Sheriff’s shortsightedness, as he follows the trail of somebody who wronged him too closely. This ensnares him in a trap. Having Robin outsmart the Sheriff further cements their stature as heroes of yore. They they clearly show the Sheriff but remain kind and generous to him.

Righteousness and Goodness

Robin has already grown from outlaw on the run to hero of Sherwood forest. He stands up for both peasants and servants. His growth can be seen in his actions. He both welcomes new members to the merry men, and he gives the Sheriff necessary “advice” to steer him away from crookery. These are certainly the qualities of a hero. Robin his overtly standing up for people who have very little power compared to sheriffs and kings.

Robin’s motivations seem purely out of the goodness of his heart. But, I have to wonder, why put yourself in harms way if only to stand up for the little guy? What does Robin have to gain? I think an immediate answer is: what does he have to lose? At this point, he has killed a man in self-defense and lives on the lamb to avoid punishment from the Sheriff of Nottingham who simply can not be impartial when it comes to Robin’s sentencing, as the Sheriff was related to the murdered man. Therefore, Robin can only take on the mantle of hero for the people, as his unjust, albeit self-imposed, exile may be a motivating factor.

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Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: Chapters 11-15 Summary

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In this post about Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: Chapters 11-15, we are going to read about Robin Hood’s further adventures in Sherwood Forest. Robin encounters the minstrel Allan-a-Dale and Friar Tuck. He disrupts a wedding, and he also saves a knight from ruin. This is a really exciting chunk of the book. It has more meetings between Robin and various allies, and it also shows him in triumphant in multiple vignettes.

Chapter 11: Allan-a-Dale

In this chapter, Robin runs into Allan-a-Dale, a rather upset minstrel. Why is he upset? Well, Sir Stephen of Trent, a knight, is marrying Allan’s true love. Robin, also upset at the man’s sorrow, agrees to help him.

As Robin states: “Methinks I have a plan might fit thy case, Allan,” said he. “But tell me first, thinkest thou, lad, that thy true love hath spirit enough to marry thee were ye together in church, the banns published, and the priest found, even were her father to say her nay?” (Pyle).

And after Allan agrees, Robin tells him: “Then give me thy hand, Allan,” cried Robin, “and let me tell thee, I swear by the bright hair of Saint AElfrida that this time two days hence Ellen a Dale shall be thy wife. I will seek this same Friar of Fountain Abbey tomorrow day, and I warrant I will get upon the soft side of him, even if I have to drub one soft” (Pyle).

Allan then sings a beautiful song titled: “May Ellen’s Wedding.”

The final stanza of this 18-stanza poem tells of Allan’s want to spirit Ell o’ the Dale (his love) away:

    "There's ancient men at weddings been,
     For sixty years and more,
     But such a wondrous wedding day,
     They never saw before.
     But none could check and none could stay,
     The swans that bore the bride away."

Chapter 12: Robin Hood Seeks the Curtal Friar

And so, Robin ventures out to find the Friar, so they have somebody willing to marry the minstrel.

“Now will I go to seek this same Friar of Fountain Abbey of whom we spake yesternight, and I will take with me four of my good men and these four shall be Little John, Will Scarlet, David of Doncaster, and Arthur a Bland,” Robin says of his venture.

They travel far and eventually come to a place where there is a “shallow ford” and where just on the other side of the stream is a “little hermitage.” Here, the Friar of Fountain Dale dwells. Robin, walking toward the hermitage, suddenly stops. He believe he hears two voices nearby instead of the expected singular voice of the friar.

“Tis strange … surely there be two people that spoke the one to the other, and yet methinks their voices are mightily alike.”

Upon seeing that it is in fact the Friar alone and talking to himself, Robin lies in wait. He sees what else the man is up to by his lonesome in the forest. The Friar finished his meal and drank from his flask while talking to himself in two separate voices. Eventually, he began to sing “The Loving Youth and the Scornful Maid.”

The Meeting of Robin and the Friar

Toward the end of the song, Robin Hood joins in with the Friar and they sing together:

“So it’s hark! hark! hark!
To the joyous lark
And it’s hark to the cooing dove!
For the bright daffodil
Groweth down by the rill
And I’ll be thine own true love.”

After a tense confrontation between the two involving men and dogs, both parties settle down. The men exchange their pleasantries.

“Why, truly,” said the Friar demurely, “some do call me the Curtal Friar of Fountain Dale; others again call me in jest the Abbot of Fountain Abbey; others still again call me simple Friar Tuck.”

“I like the last name best,” quoth Robin, “for it doth slip more glibly off the tongue. But why didst thou not tell me thou wert he I sought, instead of sending me searching for black moonbeams?”

Robin then asks the Friar to accompany them back to Sherwood forest so that he may explain the problem they have. The friar agrees and they venture to back home.

Chapter 13: Robin Hood Compasses a Marriage

On the day of the wedding, Robin and his Merry Men awake and prepare for their honorable assignment. Robin disguises himself and he and his men travel to the church where Ellen is to be married.

After waiting awhile, guests and participants begin to arrive at the church. They were “holy men” of the “church,” such as the Bishop and the Prior; they were “jesting and laughing between themselves about certain fair dames, their words more befitting the lips of laymen … than holy clerks.”

Then, Sir Stephen and Ellen arrive–and Robin notes her beauty and her sadness in the moment. Just before the ceremony begins, Robin blows his horn and his trusty men take charge. The men at arms who protect the church fall away quickly. Allan-a-Dale arrives with 18 “yeomen all clad in Lincoln green.”

In quick succession, Robin and his men convince Sir Stephen and the Bishop to leave Ellen o’ the Dale alone. She then weds Allan-a-Dale. Robin and his companions–including Ellen o’ the Dale–leave and travel back to Sherwood Forest. “That night there was such a feast held in the greenwood as Nottinghamshire never saw before. To that feast you and I were not bidden, and pity it is that we were not; so, lest we should both feel the matter the more keenly, I will say no more about it.”

Chapter 14: Robin Hood Aids a Sorrowful Knight

Changing Seasons

As time moves on in our story, the community is saving for the long, arduous winter season. The “gentle springtime” fell away and passed the “yellow sunlight” and “quivering heat and deep, bosky foliage.”

In the text, the author writes: “So passed the seasons then, so they pass now, and so they will pass in time to come, while we come and go like leaves of the tree that fall and are soon forgotten.”

The merry men, meanwhile, convalesce in Sherwood Forest and ready themselves for the winter by hosting a feast. Robin splits the group between he and Little John to go seek admirable guests for the feast. They then travel and wait for guests to come to them from the road.

The Knight

While waiting, a sorrowful knight approaches and Robin strikes a up a conversation with him.

Robin tells his men: “Yon is verily a sorry-looking gallant, and doth seem to have donned ill-content with his jerkin this morning; nevertheless, I will out and talk with him, for there may be some pickings here for a hungry daw. Methinks his dress is rich, though he himself is so downcast. Bide ye here till I look into this matter.” 

The knight introduces himself as Sir Richard of the Lea. The man explains his sorrow as a debt owed to the Priory of Emmet. He also stands to lose his lands. The knight, contrary to standard, is poor due to a ransom paid to save his son and other unfortunate events.

The knight tells Robin that he should not be “ashamed” but, “friend, I tell thee the truth, when I say that in my purse are ten shillings, and that that is every groat that Sir Richard of the Lea hath in all the wide world.”

Robin invites him to Sherwood, where they find the Bishop of Herford. Little John has done well capturing the man. For entertainment, Robin and his men engage in contests, such as archery and singing. Then, Robin tells of Sir Richard of the Lea’s problem and passively implies the bishop’s duty to relieve the man.

They send the knight off with gifts and hold fast to the bishop for three days. After which, they send him with an escort. Though, the Bishop rode away untroubled, “he vowed within himself that he would sometime make Robin rue the day that he stopped him in Sherwood.”

Chapter 15: How Sir Richard of the Lea Paid His Debts

The Travels of Sir Richard

Sir Richard of the Lea travel down a long, dusty highway toward Emmet Priory. Once there, he tells one of his men to knock on the door. A porter tells Sir Richard that he was expected.

Inside, they enter and find a feast underway. Here, Prior Vincent, the Sheriff of Nottingham, a doctor of law and others join them. Before Sir Richard attends, they converse about the knight’s debt. They also discuss his penury and land. Sir Richard arrives and begs them for mercy. They insist that he pays for his debt. While they are unrelenting in their insistence, Sir Richard produces a bag of money and pays his debt.

Little John reveals himself to be one of the knight’s men. Then he tells him that he will report back to Robin Hood.

The author tells us that: “At this, the tall man-at-arms, who was no other than Little John, turned, grinning, to the Sheriff. ‘I give thee good den, fair gossip,’ quoth he. ‘I would say, sweet Sheriff, that I have heard all thy pretty talk this day, and it shall be duly told unto Robin Hood. So, farewell for the nonce, till we meet again in Sherwood Forest.’ Then he, also, turned and followed Sir Richard down the hall, leaving the Sheriff, all pale and amazed, shrunk together upon his chair.”

Sometime Later

After some time has elapsed (twelvemonth and a day), we see that Sir Richard’s money has grown. As such, he means to repay Robin Hood.

“But the year had brought great change, I wot, to the lands of Sir Richard of the Lea; for, where before shaggy wild grasses grew upon the meadow lands, now all stretch away in golden stubble, betokening that a rich and plentiful crop had been gathered therefrom. A year had made a great change in the castle, also, for, where were empty moats and the crumbling of neglect, all was now orderly and well kept.”

On his journey to Sherwood, the knight stops to witness a wrestling match at the Denby Fair. The match is controversial. A new entrant, David of Doncaste, outwrestles the local champion, William of the Scar. Doncaster receives the grand prize. The crowds accost the young man (and new champion) as he leaves. He is then attacked by a blacksmith and leader of the mob. However, the blacksmith is smacked down accordingly by the young champion

Then, Sir Richard intervenes to assert the fairness of the bout.

As the young man frees himself, he states that, “Sir Richard of the Lea, mayhap thou hast saved my life this day,” and the knight responds, “Who art thou that knowest Sir Richard of the Lea so well?” quoth the Knight. “Methinks I have seen thy face before, young man.” Of course, the recognition is based on Sir Richard’s familiarity with the merry men of Sherwood, which causes the knight to laugh out loud. Afterward, the knight reintroduces David of Doncaster to the militant group of citizens and excuses the crowd, giving them wine as a consolation prize.

The Aftermath

Sir Richard then ventures to Robin Hood to pay his respects. He gives each man a bow and a quiver of arrows. For Robin, he gives him “a stout bow inlaid with the cunningest workmanship in gold, while each arrow in his quiver was innocked with gold.” Soon after, they lead the knight out of Sherwood through a parade of lit torches. The chapter ends with, “Thus Robin Hood helped a noble knight out of his dire misfortunes, that else would have smothered the happiness from his life.”

Analysis

Much like the previous set of chapters, we find that the merry men are attracting more characters and talent. Allan-a-Dale, Ellen o’ the Dale, Friar Tuck, and so on have all been well met in their travels with Robin Hood. Therefore, this adds an element to the group (intelligence, cleverness, and kindness). The addition shows that the merry men are capable of change. They evolve when new members join, as long as it is helping some one in need in some way.

Moreover, these chapters really show Robin Hood’s character as a charitable, kind individual who looks to exact justice where he sees malice and oppression. Allan-a-Dale for instance is upset at a lost love, but it is the oppressive nature of marriage that turns Robin into a justice seeker. That is to say, he saves Ellen o’ the Dale from a marriage that would cause great sadness. Additionally, Robin’s understanding of unfair taxation and debts leads him to help a knight who has simply had a round of bad luck. These acts give us keen insight into who Robin Hood is and what he stands for in the long run.

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Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: Chapters 1-5 Summary

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In this post regarding Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: Chapters 1-5 , we begin our medieval adventures with The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle. Last year, we examined another medieval classic, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, and I had so much fun conducting research and analyzing the text that I wanted to relive that experience.

Background of Robin Hood

To begin, we just have to know that this text was published in 1883 and that it is considered to be the book on Robin Hood. After discussing urtexts on here, we find that there are many ballads written about Robin Hood from yesteryear, including “A Gest of Robyn Hood,” “Robin Hood and the Monk,” “Robin Hood and the Potter,” and “Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne.” However, as contemporary readers, we need to consider accessibility of language, so I have settled on Pyle’s more straightforward text.

Additionally, the stories are episodic and detail many of Robin Hood’s most famous adventures, from his meeting with Little John, a famous archery contest, and his final days. I hope you enjoy this Reading of… series and hope you stick with it until the end.

(Also, you can find the book on Project Gutenberg for free!

Robin Hood: Chapter 1-2

The Making of Robin

In the beginning, Robin lives in the English countryside. He was a talented archer and “could speed a gray goose shaft with such skill and cunning” that no other stood in his way. Robin was a virtuous, honorable man.

While out walking through the forest one day, he is encountered by a group of foresters. The men challenge him to a shooting contest, which Robin wins handily. However, one of the members of the group, drunk and angry that Robin won so easily, attempts to murder the youth and fires an arrow at him. Robin, turning on his heels after being missed by only “three inches,” lets loose an arrow and it kills the man in return. Afterward, Robin flees into Sherwood Forest, where he decides to live as an outlaw.

Robin Hood the Rebel

Robin lives alone in the forest for a long time–away from Locksley Town–as an outlaw for murder and poaching. The Sheriff of Nottingham swears to bring Robin to justice to reap the reward and to exact revenge, as the man Robin shot down was of relation.

Robin eventually begins to attract attention from “yeomen” who see him as “their leader and chief,” and they begin their acts of kindness and generosity to the local population.

“But to the poor folk they would give a helping hand in need and trouble, and would return to them that which had been unjustly taken from them,” the text states. “… they swore never to harm a child nor wrong a woman …”

Robin and his Merry Men

While seemingly content, one day Robin’s Merry Men inform him that they have seen little fare in the woods, so Robin leaves to find game. He travels far and wide searching for food to hunt and comes upon a bridge. There, he meets a tall men who challenges him to a duel with staves. Robin agrees and the two men engage in a bout. It turns out that this man is Little John, a protector of sort, and Robin’s right hand man.

Additionally, Robin meets a tinker by the name of Wat o’ the Crabstaff, who carries a warrant for his arrest. Robin is crafty and sly though. He pretends to be somebody else and accompanies the tinker to a nearby inn. There, he plies the man with many drinks until he falls asleep. Then, he takes the warrant. The next day, Crabstaff finds Robin and they battle. The man is so brave and fierce that Robin asks him to join his Merry Men.

As Robin tells him: “”Nay, touch him not,” said Robin, “for a right stout man is he. A metal man he is by trade, and a mettled man by nature; moreover, he doth sing a lovely ballad. Say, good fellow, wilt thou join my merry men all?”

And, he does.

Robin Hood: Chapter 3-5

The Archery Contest

Continuing, Robin engages in an archery contest in Nottingham Town, which is in fact a trap to lure the outlaw into the clutches of the Sheriff of Nottingham. Robin attends the contest disguised as somebody else and wins the competition.

As the story is told, “Then the tattered stranger stepped forth, and all the people laughed as they saw a yellow patch that showed beneath his arm when he raised his elbow to shoot, and also to see him aim with but one eye. He drew the good yew bow quickly, and quickly loosed a shaft; so short was the time that no man could draw a breath betwixt the drawing and the shooting; yet his arrow lodged nearer the center than the other by twice the length of a barleycorn.”

Revealing himself after his victory, Robin escapes with a few of his Merry Men and the venture back to Sherwood. However, Will Stutely (one of the Merry Men) is captured by the Sheriff’s men and is set to be executed. Disguising themselves once again, Robin and some of his men gain access to the town and free Will in the shortly before he is to be hanged.

Will Scarlet

The author writes that Will looked up from his shackles “he felt his heart leap within him and then stand still for pure joy,” as he saw some of the men of Sherwood nearby and “his own good master in the press … Robin Hood …”

Lastly, Robin uses a disguise as a butcher to return to Nottingham. There, he sells his wares and gains the attention of the Sheriff, who invites him to dine with him. Robin gains information on the Sheriff’s plans and once again reveals himself and fights his way to escape, leaving the Sheriff humiliated and embarrassed.

“Then bitterly the Sheriff rued the day that first he meddled with Robin Hood, for all men laughed at him and many ballads were sung by folk throughout the country, of how the Sheriff went to shear and came home shorn to the very quick,” the author writes. “For thus men sometimes overreach themselves through greed and guile.”

Analysis of Robin Hood: Chapters 1-5

In Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: Chapters 1-5 we learn a great deal about Robin Hood and his Merry Men. We meet many characters, from Little John to Crabstaff and the Sherriff. We also learn why the Sheriff of Nottingham hates Robin so much, as Robin is generally a thorn in the man’s side.

These introductory chapters set the stage for conflicts to come, and it also shows that the men of the Sherwood Forest are kind, giving, and nurturing. They embody knightly qualities while also sharing the dichotomy of outlaws. That is to say, how can somebody be both hated by law but loved by the people? But such is the story of Robin Hood.

Works Cited

Pyle, Howard. The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood. Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1883. https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/964/pg964-images.html