Mythological Archetypal Criticism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mythological Archetypal Criticism - Essay Example In â€Å"The Horse-Dealer’s Daughter†, the use of the third-person point of view is generally predicated on the author’s sense of detachment; Lawrence seems to have decided that it is far better to allow the readers themselves to interpret the vicissitudes of the storyline, rather than pass some judgments or at least to provide a characters’ background. This in itself makes the narration rather complicated, yet, at the same time enables the reader to better understand the motivations and aspirations of the characters in question. Mabel’s brothers are depicted in the way that might be familiar to the readers of Lawrence’s â€Å"Nathaniel Hawthorne and the Scarlet Letter†. They are superficially strong and confident, looking disdainfully upon their apparently uncomely and awkward sister. Nonetheless, in the course of further narration it is revealed that they are indeed weak and, in the words of the author himself, ‘ineffectual’. Despite their boisterous appearance and haughtiness, they are in fact insecure and cannot even conceive how their situation may be ameliorated. Their supposed association with ‘regal horses’ is a false one, as they are in fact closer to the dogs that try to snatch the food out of their table. The animal imagery, in general, plays a great role in the narrative. Just in the beginning of the story, the appearance of great draught-horses, with their servile readiness to follow their masters’ orders, is a direct parallel to the characters’ meek acceptance of their fate. The image of the dog (a ‘bull-dog’, in Mabel’s case) may, in its turn, be construed as a symbol for fear before the unknown fate. It is characteristic that it is no longer associated with Mabel, as she is depicted to be more resolute in the late parts of the story. Nevertheless, it is the rebirth/resurrection mythological archetype that is most significant here. Mabel and Ferguson are