Men of Iron

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 1891

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Download PDF

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

Character Analysis

Myles Falworth

Myles Falworth is the protagonist of Men of Iron, a young nobleman born at the turn of the 14th century who defies his unfortunate circumstances and becomes a great knight, avenge his father’s honor, and restore his family’s holdings. As a boy of eight years old, Myles and his family are forced into hiding when his father is declared an enemy of the King. Myles grows up in the safety of St. Mary’s Priory, where he is educated. At age 14, Myles is sent to Devlen Castle to become a squire. There, Myles develops deep and lasting friendships, and distinguishes himself as a young man of unwavering morals and considerable skill in weapons training and horsemanship. Along the way, Myles learns that his father’s sworn enemy remains intent on killing him, and that his position at Devlen Castle was arranged in anticipation of the day he achieves knighthood and avenges his father’s reputation.

Myles is described as uncommonly handsome, often compared to Sir Galahad, with great physical strength and dexterity. By the close of the novel, he is approximately 20 years old, a conditioned warrior in prime physical condition, with a skillset unmatched among his peers and many seasoned knights alike. When the novel opens, he is adventurous, impulsive, and opinionated, committed to standing up against those who would abuse their power. Myles demonstrates innocence in his expectation that others share his commitment to chivalry. Even as a squire, he gains a loyal following for his courage and unwavering morals. He inspires admiration in those around him, whether they be his peers, his mentors, or the two young ladies of the household he comes to know. Throughout the novel, Myles shows significant growth in maturity, but never abandons his concrete sense of right and wrong, as modeled after the code of chivalry.

Francis Gascoyne

Francis Gascoyne is a young squire at Devlen Castle when Myles Falworth arrives to be inducted into the squirehood. Gascoyne is the first person to introduce himself to Myles, and the two become friends almost immediately. Like Myles, Gascoyne is an excellent example of the code of chivalry. While he is sometimes hesitant to dive into the fray with the same zeal as his best friend, Gascoyne never abandons Myles to face danger alone. Gascoyne often cautions Myles against hasty action, not because he disagrees with Myles, but because he wants to protect his friend. He is expressive in his love for his best friend; his opinion of Myles does not change when he reveals his father is an outlaw, nor does he reveal this secret. More than anyone in the novel, Gascoyne believes in and remains by Myles’s side, first as a fellow squire, and then placing his own path to knighthood on hold to serve Myles as a personal squire.

Sir James Lee

Sir James Lee is an experienced knight who begrudgingly serves as the head of all knights at Devlen Castle. Having been blinded in one eye by a battle wound, Sir James no longer serves as a chevalier, and somewhat resents the role he occupies, which he feels is akin to babysitting. Sir James is an ally to Myles from the beginning of the novel, expressing his affection for and loyalty to Lord Falworth. Early on, Sir James identifies himself as a friend to Myles, and over years of Myles’s training, becomes a trusted mentor and advisor. Sir James is not overly demonstrative in his affection for Myles, preferring to take on a gruff, reserved tone, but when Myles is successful, he is eager to praise him and treat him as if he were his own son. It is Sir James who oversees Myles’s training in the three years he prepares for knighthood, and supports his efforts to exonerate Lord Falworth.

The Earl of Mackworth

The Earl of Mackworth, Lord of Devlen Castle, is an ally of House Falworth who often frustrates Myles with his countenance as a fair-weather friend. In the time since Lord Falworth’s exile, the Earl, once one of Lord Falworth’s closest friends, does nothing to defend the former’s reputation—preferring to remain in the King’s favor and avoid his vengeful temper. When Myles arrives at Devlen Castle, the Earl makes a show of pretending he barely remembers Lord Falworth, but secretly watches Myles’s progress with intrigue. The Earl shares a common enemy with Lord Falworth, and orchestrates Myles’s ascendency to knighthood to prepare him to fight this enemy. Myles believes the Earl is self-serving in his plotting: If Myles should emerge victorious, the Earl stands to gain the destruction of an enemy, but if Myles fails, the Earl will likely not suffer much, while Myles’s father could be imprisoned or executed. The Earl extends kindness and leniency toward Myles, but running through his seemingly good deeds is the current of personal advancement.