The Virginian (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: Owen Wister
- First Published: 1902
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Western
- Time of Work: Late nineteenth century
- Setting: Wyoming
- Genres: Long fiction, Bildungsroman, Historical fiction, Regional fiction, Western fiction
- Subjects: Justice, Teaching or teachers, Values, Cattle, Tricks, Love or romance, Sex or sexuality, Crime or criminals, Gender roles, Nineteenth century, Education or educators, Native Americans or American Indians, Lynching, Ranches, ranchers, or ranching, Cowboys or cowgirls, Westerns, Duels or dueling, Frontier or pioneer life
- Locales: Wyoming
Characters Discussed
The Virginian, a cowboy in Wyoming who is one of nature’s gentlemen. He can perform his duties well and hold his own in practical jokes, drinking bouts, and poker games. When given an opportunity, he proves to be an apt leader of men and a successful ranch foreman. He falls in love with a young schoolteacher from the East and by his manly behavior proves his worth to the woman, who finally marries him, even though he is a rough-and-ready man by her standards. The Virginian believes in law and order, even if violence is required to maintain them; one of...
[The entire page is 670 words long]
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