The Demon Lover

"The Demon Lover" ends as the demon lover of the title, impersonating a taxi driver, captures Kathleen Drover, the terrified protagonist, and takes her away through the deserted streets of London.

Examples of foreshadowing in "The Demon Lover" include the eerie atmosphere of the abandoned house, the mysterious letter from a former lover who was presumed dead, and the repeated unsettling...

While there is no dramatic irony in "The Demon Lover," the ending is ironic because Mrs. Drover's attempted escape only leads to her final captivity.

The identity of the cab/taxi driver in "The Demon Lover" is ambiguous and left to the reader's interpretation. It is implied that he might be the ghost of Mrs. Drover's former fiancé, returning to...

The plot structure of "The Demon Lover" follows a linear sequence with flashbacks. The story begins with Mrs. Drover returning to her London home during World War II, then flashes back to her...

The moral of "The Demon Lover" is that one cannot escape the past. Kathleen, the protagonist, finds herself haunted by a former love from her past, illustrating that intense emotions and unfulfilled...

"The Demon Lover" is indeed a traditional ballad. It follows the classic ballad structure, featuring a narrative with four-line stanzas (quatrains) and a rhyme scheme where the second and fourth...

Some examples of imagery in "The Demon Lover" include the yellow smoke stain on the marble mantlepiece and the claw marks left on the floor by the piano.

In Elizabeth Bowen's "The Demon Lover," Mrs. Drover's psychological state and her house's eerie atmosphere reflect the impact of World War II. Mrs. Drover returns to her deserted London home to...

In "The Demon Lover" by Elizabeth Bowen, Mrs. Drover's fiancé promised her before returning to war that he would be with her "sooner or later" and that she need only wait for him. Despite his...

As in the case of other supernatural stories by LeFanu, such as "Carmilla" and "The Familiar," this story is also based on a woman who was deeply affected by war.

In "The Demon Lover," key symbols include the sea, representing escapism and the desire for freedom, and the demonic figure, embodying temptation and the idea of deception with a hidden flaw. The...

The theme of appearance versus reality in "The Demon Lover" is highlighted through the protagonist's unsettling experience. Kathleen Drover's perception of safety in her familiar home is shattered by...

"The Blitz" had a great impact on the people who lived in London during the war. Many homes were destroyed and many people left their homes to seek safety elsewhere.

When Mrs. Drover gets into the taxi, she realizes the driver is the demon lover she is trying to escape.

Detailed descriptions about the “unfamiliar queerness” of the setting and how Mrs. Drover “felt intruded upon” all create suspense in “The Demon Lover.” The narrator’s frequent emphasis on how Mrs....

Mrs. Drover promised the soldier she would wait for him and stay faithful until he returned from the war. This promise becomes a source of haunting tension as the story unfolds, highlighting themes...

In "The Demon Lover," the letter's sender is a mysterious figure from Mrs. Drover's past, likely her deceased fiancé, who promised to return. The letter rekindles her anxiety and fear, suggesting a...

It is the fact that the man is not very lovable or kind that makes Kathleen’s attraction to him so creepy. Also, because he does not really love her, it seems odd for him to be able to make some sort...

Mrs. Drover sees her own face in the mirror.

The mood in "The Demon Lover" is created through a backdrop of war, contributing to a gloomy and depressing atmosphere. Mrs. Drover's family moves due to the Blitz, and a mysterious letter evokes...

The author of the mysterious letter "K" in "The Demon Lover" is implied to be Kathleen's deceased lover. Twenty-five years earlier, during World War I, she promised to reunite with him. Upon...

Kathleen feels free when the soldier goes missing because he has had a sinister hold over her.

Mrs. Drover was surprised and puzzled to find a letter on the hall table when she arrived at her London home. She had been expecting a letter containing news of her husband, but this one was not from...

Immediately after reading the mysterious letter, Mrs. Drover looks for the date on it.

Mrs. Drover experiences intense fear and anxiety at the prospect of seeing her fiancé again after reading a mysterious letter. Her reaction includes a physical need to reposition herself to feel...

The settings of "The Demon Lover" are primarily in London during the early 1940s, amid the aftermath of German bombings. Mrs. Drover's neighborhood is depicted as heavily damaged, with broken...

"The Demon Lover" can be interpreted as a ghost story, based on literary techniques such as flashbacks and the creation of an eerie mood.

Details in the lovers' last meeting that foreshadow a sinister, threatening reunion include the painful way the button on the soldier-lover's uniform cuts into Kathleen's hand and his ominous words...

Elizabeth Bowen illustrates that Mrs. Drover's house has been vacant for some time through vivid descriptions in "The Demon Lover." She mentions boarded-up windows, dust-covered objects, and the...

The story is set in London, 1940.

Mrs. Drover's former fiance is a war veteran who has come back from the war as an enigmatic, domineering man. He has come back to his country and his love after more than twenty five years, but he is...

The idea of interacting with the taxi driver, a "solid" and decidedly non-ghostly man, makes Mrs. Drover feel better after leaving the house.

The Drover family left London due to the dangers and instability caused by World War II. They sought safety from the bombings and the overall chaos of the city, prompting their move to a more secure...

The letter's appearance in Mrs. Drover's house is unexpected because the house has been deserted, with all mail redirected to the countryside, and the caretaker, who had the only other key, was on...

The setting of war adds a sense of unreality to Katherine's life and surroundings. Everything is dark, shut off, and unfamiliar because she and her family left the house to avoid the Blitz. This...

Kathleen's clearest memory of bidding farewell to her soldier is when she cut her hand on the breast button of his uniform. This painful encounter left a lasting scar, symbolizing the sinister nature...