full title The Black Prince
author Iris Murdoch
type of work Novel
genre Modernist Novel
language English
time and place written England, 1972
date of first publication 1973
publisher Viking Press
narrator Bradley Pearson
point of view First Person
tone Ironic
tense Past tense
setting (time) Early 1970s
setting (place) London, England
protagonist Bradley Pearson
major conflict Bradley's need to break out of his writing block
rising action Arnold Baffin's fight with his wife; Tutorials of Julian; Date at the opera with Julian Rachel's attempted seduction
climax Arnold Baffin's murder
falling action Bradley's trial and conviction; Bradley's writing of his novel; Bradley's death
themes Art and Truth; Eros; Randomness of Life
motifs Marriage; Hamlet; Boots and Feet
symbols Kites; Priscilla's jewels; Der Rosenkavalier
foreshadowing Arnold's initial call to Bradley; Rachel's prediction of her fire; Bradley's threatening note to Arnold; Der Rosenkavalier; Bradley's destruction of Arnold's books
