Wakefield (Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne
- First Published: 1835
- Type of Plot: Fable
- Time of Work: The 1800's
- Setting: London
- Principal Characters: Wakefield, Mrs. Wakefield
- Genres: Fable
- Subjects: Sin or Original sin
- Locales: London, England
The Story
Wakefield is a middle-aged man living in London, in a comfortable home with his wife of ten years. He has an “inactive mind,” a peculiar “vanity,” a “harmless love of mystery,” a certain “selfishness” and “strangeness.” One October evening, he tells his wife good-bye before leaving by coach for a journey into the country. Knowing his love of mystery, she does not inquire into the details of his trip. He tells her not to be alarmed if he does not return for three or four days but to expect him on Friday evening. She later recalls the “crafty...
[The entire page is 1702 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Navigate
See Also
