Headless Horseman, whose protagonists are the subject of this review, is a famous work of the English writer M. Reed, written by him in 1865. This work is one of the most famous in the work of the author, it occupies a prominent place in world literature and was filmed by the Soviet film studio in 1973.
Characteristics of the main character
At the very beginning, the writer acquaints the reader with several characters in his story at once. The story begins with a description of the move of the wealthy planter Woodley Poyndekster and his family to a new residence. On the way, a small detachment got lost, but was saved by a courageous mustanger, whose name was Maurice Gerald. This is a courageous, strong and handsome young man, a native of Ireland. In America, he held a very modest social position, as he was engaged in hunting wild horses. However, in his homeland, he bore the title of baronet. This person immediately made a big impression on travelers.
The work "The Headless Horseman", whose main characters have vivid and memorable characters, has a dynamic plot that captures the reader from the very first pages. So, already at the very beginning, a conflict is brewing between the brave mustanger and the planter's nephew - Cassius Kolhaun.
Villain description
This character is the antagonist of the protagonist of the novel. He immediately disliked his new acquaintance out of jealousy: he was in love with his cousin Louise, the daughter of a planter, and wanted to marry her, but she fell in love with Maurice at first glance. Cassius was a retired military man with a very bad reputation. Moreover, he is cowardly and arrogant, that is, he is the exact opposite of the hunter, which further enhances the conflict between them.
Louise Poindexter
The novel "Headless Horseman", the main characters of which are written by a writer with the skill of a real psychologist, is interesting because in it elements of an action-packed action are intertwined with a detective line. Beloved Maurice played a decisive role in the intrigue. A quarrel between the hunter and her cousin, who was terribly jealous of her, arose over her. Louise is a brave and determined girl. She has a strong-willed character, she is courageous, reasonable, but at the same time jealous, and sometimes can be quick-tempered. Nevertheless, it attracts the reader with courage, dexterity, responsiveness and devotion.
Woodley Poindexter and his son
The work "The Headless Horseman", the main characters of which are distinguished by their integrity and expressiveness of characters, gives a fairly detailed and reliable picture of the situation in America in the mid-nineteenth century. Woodley is a typical representative of a class of ruined landowner planters who were numerous in American society on the eve of the Civil War. This man is noble in his own way: so he, despite the difference in his position with the status of Maurice, immediately imbued him with respect. He received him as a guest, and kept on an equal footing with him. He is a loving father and caring owner.
One of the most famous English writers is Mine Reed. The Headless Horseman is his most famous work in which he reproduced his adventures in America. Another minor character in the work is Louise's brother, Henry. This is a hot young man who quarreled with Maurice for his misfortune over his sister, which in many respects predetermined his fate, because Cassius, taking advantage of the quarrel, decided to kill the hunter and put all the blame on his cousin. However, he confused him with his rival and mistakenly killed Henry, whose corpse scared the locals.
Other minor characters
The true master of prose is Mine Reed. "The Headless Horseman" is a work in which he skillfully combined drama, detective and love line. One of the most colorful secondary supporting characters is Maurice's friend Zeb Stump. He is courageous, honest and noble. It was he who saved the protagonist from certain death (lynching) and proved that he was not guilty of killing Henry.
Another heroine of the work is Isidora. This very hot and hot-tempered woman who is in love with Maurice. Upon learning that she has a happy rival, she tries in every possible way to quarrel the lovers. At the same time, she deceives Diaz, who is in love with her, a jealous Mexican who, out of jealousy, kills her at the end of the work, for which he is immediately lynched. So, to get a general idea of the work of Reed allows an overview of his most famous novel and his brief retelling. Headless Horseman is a work that is a true classic of American literature.