Protagonist

Character Role Analysis

Elizabeth Bates

Although the narration initially refers to her simply as "a woman" and fails to give her a name until several paragraphs after her character is introduced, Elizabeth is definitely the protagonist of the tale. The narration revolves around her private thoughts and actions, and we become invested in her marital problems/quest to find her hubby. When all that ends in tragedy, we are privy to Elizabeth's internal struggles to figure out her next steps. She's not exactly a heroic figure like some protagonists, but her journey drives the drama in this story.