Evangeline: Analysis of Major Characters
"Evangeline: Analysis of Major Characters" delves into the complex relationships and fates of key figures in the narrative of Evangeline, a poignant tale set against the backdrop of Acadian deportation. The central character, Evangeline Bellefontaine, embodies unwavering love and perseverance as she searches for her betrothed, Gabriel Lajeunesse, who is forcibly exiled by the British. Her journey takes her across diverse landscapes in North America, highlighting her resilience and deep emotional connection to Gabriel, who ultimately succumbs to yellow fever in an almshouse in Philadelphia.
Supporting characters such as Benedict Bellefontaine, Evangeline’s father, represent the tragedy of lost homes and lives due to war, while Father Felician provides spiritual guidance during their times of despair. Gabriel's father, Basil Lajeunesse, illustrates the challenges of familial bonds strained by separation and circumstance. Additionally, the narrative introduces a cast of secondary figures, including Baptiste Leblanc, who remains devoted to Evangeline despite unrequited love, and a Shawnee Indian woman who enriches the story with cultural legends, further illustrating the intersection of different lives and cultures. Overall, this analysis offers insights into themes of love, loss, and the enduring human spirit within the historical context of Acadian struggles.
Evangeline: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
First published: 1847
Genre: Poetry
Locale: French Canada and the United States
Plot: Pastoral
Time: Mid-eighteenth century
Benedict Bellefontaine (behl-fon-TEHN), a farmer of Grand-Pré, in French Canada, who dies after the British fleet captures and burns his village.
Evangeline Bellefontaine (ay-vahn-zheh-LEEN), his lovely daughter, betrothed to Gabriel Lajeunesse. After he is exiled by the British, she roams the United States from Louisiana to the Ozark Mountains and Michigan in search of him. Finally, she becomes a Sister of Mercy in Philadelphia, and there she finds him dying. Soon afterward, she dies and is buried beside him.
Gabriel Lajeunesse (ga-bree-EHL lah-zhew-NEHS), Evangeline's sweetheart, deported from Acadia by the British. After years of hunting and trapping, he ends up in Philadelphia. There, he is struck down by yellow fever and dies in an almshouse. Evangeline finds him in time to comfort him in his dying moments.
Basil Lajeunesse (bah-ZEEL), Gabriel's father, a blacksmith who becomes prosperous in his new home but is unable to keep track of Gabriel.
Father Felician (fay-lee-SYAHN), the priest at Grand-Pré who buries Benedict and comforts Evangeline.
Baptiste Leblanc (bahpt-TEEST leh-BLAHN), the son of a notary. Unable to persuade Evangeline to marry him, he loyally follows her in her search for Gabriel.
A Shawnee Indian woman, who tells tribal legends to Evangeline.
Mowis, a legendary Indian bridegroom made of snow who dissolves in the sunshine.
Lilinau, another legendary Indian, who follows her phantom sweetheart into the woods and disappears forever.