Harvest

by

Jim Crace

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on Harvest makes teaching easy.

Master Beldam/Young Man/Husband Character Analysis

Mistress Beldam’s husband, a mysterious stranger who builds a shack on the village fringes at the beginning of the novel. As punishment for allegedly stealing Master Kent’s birds and burning his dovecote, Master Beldam spends most of the week during which the novel takes place shackled in the pillory. Here, he appears as a sort of Christ figure, suffering public punishment for a crime he didn’t commit. When Walter is left alone in the village, he frees Master Beldam and provides him with food, hoping they can band together to face the frightening dissolution of the village. However, Master and Mistress Beldam burn down the cottages and leave the village without Walter, showing that his ideals of community have no place in the new world created by the enclosure movement.

Master Beldam/Young Man/Husband Quotes in Harvest

The Harvest quotes below are all either spoken by Master Beldam/Young Man/Husband or refer to Master Beldam/Young Man/Husband. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Renewal and Decay Theme Icon
).
Chapter 9 Quotes

Our church ground has been desecrated by our surliness. Our usual scriptures are abused. This body on the cross is not the one that’s promised us. Yet, once again, it’s Mr. Quill who teaches us our shortcomings. It’s Mr. Quill who’s intimate and kind. It’s Mr. Quill who’s valiant. It will not make him popular.

Related Characters: Walter Thirsk (speaker), Philip Earle/Mr. Quill, Edmund Jordan, Master Beldam/Young Man/Husband
Related Symbols: The Pillory
Page Number: 132
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 14 Quotes

It is a warning–among country folk, at least–that life should be allowed to proceed in its natural and logical order. In other words, you do not eat before you cook, you do not weave before you shear, you do not attempt to light the fire until you have the kindling…

Related Characters: Walter Thirsk (speaker), Master Beldam/Young Man/Husband
Page Number: 201
Explanation and Analysis:

The plowing’s done. The seed is spread. The weather is reminding me that, rain or shine, the earth abides, the land endures, the soil will persevere forever and a day. Its smell is pungent and high-seasoned. This is happiness.

Related Characters: Walter Thirsk (speaker), Edmund Jordan, Mistress Beldam/Stranger Woman, Master Beldam/Young Man/Husband
Page Number: 207
Explanation and Analysis:
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Harvest PDF

Master Beldam/Young Man/Husband Quotes in Harvest

The Harvest quotes below are all either spoken by Master Beldam/Young Man/Husband or refer to Master Beldam/Young Man/Husband. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Renewal and Decay Theme Icon
).
Chapter 9 Quotes

Our church ground has been desecrated by our surliness. Our usual scriptures are abused. This body on the cross is not the one that’s promised us. Yet, once again, it’s Mr. Quill who teaches us our shortcomings. It’s Mr. Quill who’s intimate and kind. It’s Mr. Quill who’s valiant. It will not make him popular.

Related Characters: Walter Thirsk (speaker), Philip Earle/Mr. Quill, Edmund Jordan, Master Beldam/Young Man/Husband
Related Symbols: The Pillory
Page Number: 132
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 14 Quotes

It is a warning–among country folk, at least–that life should be allowed to proceed in its natural and logical order. In other words, you do not eat before you cook, you do not weave before you shear, you do not attempt to light the fire until you have the kindling…

Related Characters: Walter Thirsk (speaker), Master Beldam/Young Man/Husband
Page Number: 201
Explanation and Analysis:

The plowing’s done. The seed is spread. The weather is reminding me that, rain or shine, the earth abides, the land endures, the soil will persevere forever and a day. Its smell is pungent and high-seasoned. This is happiness.

Related Characters: Walter Thirsk (speaker), Edmund Jordan, Mistress Beldam/Stranger Woman, Master Beldam/Young Man/Husband
Page Number: 207
Explanation and Analysis: