“The Hundredth Dove” Literary Analyses

            What would you do for your king?  Would you kill an innocent creature?  This is what Hugh the fowler did for his master, the king in the short story “The Hundredth Dove”.  The bird he killed was not any bird, but a slim and neat and fair bird.  The bird told him to let him go, but Hugh refused.  He wouldn’t because his “servo” oath.  Then the dove speaks and says;

“Master fowler, free this dove,

The queen will be your own true love.”

After this he realizes there is a ring on the bird’s foot.  He starts to treble and goes off with his servo oath and kills the dove right there on the spot.  He brings the one hundred birds to the king’s kitchen, but there is no wedding.  These events all point to one thing, that this short story is a tragedy.

            A big clue to find the mode of literature is the characteristics.  Although there are only two for a tragedy they still are a big part of finding the mood of literature.  The first of the two is that the short story is realistic.  This story is very realistic; it is the situation of an everyday worker.  The last one is that the main character is in control.  I believe Hugh is in control the whole time because he catches all the birds and brings them to the wedding. 

            While characteristics are important, the plotline is equally important also.  The first part of the plotline is that the world is in conflict for the M.C. (Main Character).  The fouler has to catch one hundred birds for the king’s wedding.  The next one is rise to power.  Hugh catches all one hundred birds and the slim, neat, and fair dove.  Third is tragic flaw.  Hugh cannot break his promise to the king, and let the bird go.  Finally is the tragic fall and death.  He couldn’t control himself and he killed the bird.

            Although characteristics the plotline are good.  There’s one that is key to finding the mode of literature.  Purpose, purpose of this short story is to learn a moral lesson and to learn from our mistakes.  In “The Hundredth Dove” we can look at it and see what we have done wrong and make a positive learning experience from it.

            I hope now that you agree with me that “The Hundredth Dove” is a tragedy.  All the characteristics, purposes, and the plotline all point that this is a tragedy.