SuitabookThe Dragon and the Raven
G. A. Henty
- Reading
- Consider reading together or checking in after sections involving conflict. You could pause to distinguish what Edmund witnesses from the preface’s broader claims about Alfred and the Saxons.
- Themes
- Alfred and leadership: The preface presents Alfred as wise, brave, pious and devoted to his people, and says he is merciful towards conquered enemies. The introduction clearly admires Alfred’s leadership and character.
- Saxons and Danes: The story depicts Saxon communities under attack by Danish invaders; the preface calls the Danes barbarians and describes their violence. The introduction frames the conflict from the perspective of Saxon suffering; how fully the story complicates that framing is unclear.
- Worth knowing
- The conflict includes slaughter, plunder, destruction and the misery of conquered communities. These are substantial features of the setting; the degree of detail in the scenes themselves is not established.