Genre
A paradoxical play
Language
English
Setting and Context
Written in the context of police's immorality during the recruitment
Narrator and Point of View
Third-person narrative
Tone and Mood
The tone is conciliatory, and the mood is whimsical.
Protagonist and Antagonist
The central character is Captain Plume.
Major Conflict
There is a conflict between Captain Plume and Sergeant Kite. For instance, Captain Plume insists that Sergeant Kite adopt Molly’s son.
Climax
The climax comes when Plume discovers that Sylvia was sent to the village by Balance after getting a letter from Melinda.
Foreshadowing
The dark dealings of the police foreshadow the disappearance of the recruit.
Understatement
Fraud and immorality in police recruitment are understated.
Allusions
The story alludes to romantic escapades and the dark secrets of police.
Imagery
The images of the shores of the Severn depict sight imagery.
Paradox
The main paradox is that Melinda thinks that Captain Brazen is coming to see her, not knowing that he is seeing her maid secretly.
Parallelism
N/A
Personification
The chatterbox is incarnated.
Use of Dramatic Devices
N/A