Genre
A short story
Setting and Context
The time of the story is the time of life of the author – presumably the second part of the XIX century; the place is not mentioned,
Narrator and Point of View
The story is told from the first-person of view, the narrator is a money-lender, a former officer
Tone and Mood
The tone is intense and sad and the narrator tells about his wife’s suicide and the events before the tragic moment.
Protagonist and Antagonist
The protagonist is the narrator, but at the same time he is an antagonist hinself as well, as it is he who became a reason his wife has committed suicide.
Major Conflict
Though being a short one, the story reveals the problems as very urgent and serious. The main conflict is the place of pride in the life of a person, and how people destroy their own lives being proud and arrogant.
Climax
The climax comes when the Gentle One throws herself from the window.
Foreshadowing
N/A
Understatement
The wife’s position and thoughts are understated as the story is told by her husband, and we do not know her side of the story.
Allusions
The short story alludes to Goethe's Faust, to the scene where Mephistopheles introduces himself to Faust with the words: “I am part of that part of the Whole that seeks to do ill, but does good . . . .” These words the narrator says to the girl when she is offered a favor.
Imagery
Imagery is used to create the images of social realities of the time, knowledge of psychology and other situations that have crucial meaning in the understanding of the story.
Paradox
The paradox is that a woman who is considered to have happy future nevertheless commits suicide.
Parallelism
The events of past and present are told in parallel.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
The “name” of the heroine is a metonymy – Gentle is named after the traits of her character.
Personification
N/A
