Men of Iron

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 1891

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-9

Chapters 10-17

Chapters 18-26

Chapters 27-35

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Themes

The Chivalrous Knight as an Ideal

Myles Falworth encompasses the ideals of a perfect knight and gentleman. Men of Iron was written during a period in English and American culture wherein young men were encouraged to demonstrate the traits of chivalrous knights, who had become widely admired in the decades before the novel’s publication. The novel is intended to enthrall and educate; the trials that Myles endures provide young male readers with an example of how they might navigate the complexities associated with coming of age and finding their place in the world. In crafting Myles’s origins, Howard Pyle places him in isolation, where he is exposed to little conflict, but wherein he is educated by monks—considered the ultimate moral compass—giving him a strong sense of self. This creates a purity of heart that he carries with him to Devlen Castle.

These traits give Myles the courage to stand up to the bachelors, advocate for himself even in disagreements with superiors, and defend his father and his own decisions even when he is forced to stand alone in so doing. American culture in particular, during the Victorian and subsequent Edwardian Period, emphasized the virtues of individuality, self-respect, and ambition, and Myles emulates these values as he develops strong bonds with his peers, pursues his opportunity to achieve knighthood with tenacity, and demands respect and accountability from those who hold power and sway over his fate.

Characters who act as foils to Myles—Walter Blunt, the Sieur de la Montaigne, and the Earl of Alban—reinforce his virtues with their contrasting, dishonorable behavior. Blunt, the Sieur, and Alban all engage in lying either to protect their reputation and pride, or to slander another for revenge or personal gain. All three do not hesitate to cheat in combat, make excuses, or alter the rules when it becomes clear that they are at a disadvantage. All three are defeated by Myles, reinforcing the message that behaving with integrity and honesty can lead to success.

Even aspects of Myles’s character that could be considered unfavorable (his insubordination) serve to elevate him as someone to model oneself after, because he is acting out of desire for fairness and accountability. Myles learns as he matures that he can integrate patience and restraint, conducting himself as more of a gentleman than a boy, and still remain consistent in his refusal to compromise with injustice. Through Myles’s story, Pyle gradually reveals a blueprint for how a righteous boy can elegantly transition into a virtuous man.

Coming of Age Through Truth

In this coming-of-age novel, Pyle uses the gradual reveal of Myles’s family history to explore the almost universal experience of young people understanding and appreciating the complications which characterize adult life, and the roles their caregivers have played. Myles vividly remembers the night Sir John Dale was killed in front of him, causing his family to flee Falworth Castle for St. Anne’s Priory. What Myles does not understand until meeting Sir James Lee and the Earl of Mackworth is the series of events that led to that fateful night—that his father’s exile is essential to the family’s safety. Myles’s father fails to fully impress upon his son how dangerous their situation is when he sends him to Devlen Castle, so Myles is understandably upset when the Earl of Mackworth feigns ignorance of Lord Falworth.

When Myles learns that the Earl of Mackworth is secretly loyal to his father, he resents him for trying to maintain the King’s favor and continuing to live a lavish lifestyle (while his father suffers). Sir James and the Earl are strategic in what they reveal to Myles and when; they reserve revealing the identity of the Earl of Alban as Lord Falworth’s sworn enemy until Myles is on the eve of his knighthood. Whenever Myles receives new information, his vague recollection of his childhood improves, and he begins to empathize with the adults around him and reconsider the choices they made.

Acknowledging one’s past actions as reckless and considering consequences are signs of maturity. Sir James helps Myles understand that, while it may be difficult to stand by in the face of injustice, it is better to emerge vindicated and victorious than to act before the moment is right. Myles’s relationship with the Earl of Mackworth is complicated, because the latter encourages him to protect himself by not speaking of his father (in whom both take pride). Moreover, the Earl has much to gain from the defeat of the Earl of Alban, essentially making Myles his pawn: While Myles may be rewarded if he is victorious, so will the Earl, and should Myles succumb to the risk, the Earl will remain unaffected. By the time the Earl of Mackworth issues the challenge to the Earl of Alban, Myles has accepted his role as the inheritor of the previous generation’s conflict—with the truth as his guide.

Integrity Born of Love, Loyalty, and Courage

While the antagonists of Men of Iron embody the vices of dishonesty, greed, and abuse of power, Myles and the secondary protagonists exemplify attributes considered the most virtuous of the period. What most sets these two groups apart, as particularly evident in the relationship between Myles and Gascoyne, is their love, loyalty, and willingness to make sacrifices for each other. Knighthood is, in essence, supposed to comprise a bonded fraternity, but in the dormitory at Devlen Castle—amidst the animosity of the bachelors and the inaction of the other squires—Myles does not find the sense of brotherhood he yearns for. In inaugurating the Knights of the Rose, Myles creates a protective alliance between himself and those he trusts, and it is Gascoyne whom he consults in his thought process. While the other Knights are hesitant to stand up against the bachelors, and Gascoyne himself is reluctant, Gascoyne is always the first to help Myles when the need arises.

It is also Gascoyne who, when the bachelors lie or conspire to sabotage Myles, speaks up despite his timidity. When Myles rises to the rank of Head Squire and Chief Bachelor once occupied by Walter Blunt, he acts with love and loyalty toward the young squires in his charge, perpetuating the values present in his relationship with Gascoyne. Myles and Gascoyne often express their deep love for each other; they often refer to each other as brothers and pledge that they will remain loyal to each other for life. Chivalric knights should strive for glory and recognition through their deeds, but they should also support and advocate for their fellow knights. When Myles is knighted, he is reluctant to accept Gascoyne as his squire, because he does not want Gascoyne to miss out on the opportunity to pursue the rank of knight for himself; however, Gascoyne is so committed to Myles’s cause that he is willing to sacrifice his own advancement to help him achieve justice. Though Sir James implored Myles not to tell a soul about his father’s identity and precarious position as the sworn enemy of one of the King’s most powerful nobles, Myles does not hesitate to divulge the truth to his best friend. Gascoyne fully accepts Myles and the dangers of their association, confident in the righteousness of his friend’s mission.

As further evidence of his loyalty, Gascoyne never speaks a word of Myles’s secret to anyone, and when he is accepted as Myles’s squire, he provides not only the physical assistance required—such as the maintenance of Myles’s armor and assisting him on the battlefield—but moral support as Myles’s stakes grow ever higher. Gascoyne knows that by volunteering as Myles’s squire, he is signing up to go to war in France; when Gascoyne accompanies Myles before the battle against the Earl of Alban, he maintains his strength and composure, though he knows his best friend might die. Gascoyne is just as emblematic of chivalry as Myles is; through their differences, Pyle shows that more than one kind of man can achieve virtuousness. When Gascoyne is knighted Sir Francis at the end of the novel, and comes to serve at Falworth Castle under Myles’s newfound prosperity, it is framed as a reward for having been the knightliest of squires for so long.