“When you call me that, smile.” -The Virginian

The Virginian was published in 1902 by Owen Wister (1860-1938). The novel received critical acclaim and was a huge bestseller, eventually spawning five films, a hit play, and a television series. An instant hit, it sold over 20,000 copies in the first month, a staggering number for the time. It continued to sell more than 200,000 thousand copies in the first year, and more than a million and a half before Wister’s death. This little classic has never been out of print. Beyond the many works that bear his name, The Virginian has inspired hundreds of stories about the Old West. What made this novel so attractive?

Critics credit The Virginian with establishing the legendary stories of the Old West and the stereotypical characters of the genre. The famous protagonist of Sergio Leone did not have a name, nor is the name of the Virginian mentioned. He is a laconic cowboy who lives by his own code and is extremely capable in all endeavors, including fighting, with fists, weapons, or words. The book’s lament for a dying lifestyle has been told endlessly. Like Lonesome Dove’s character Jake Spoon, the Virginian hangs up his friend after he becomes an outlaw. The build-up of the climate shooting has been repeated countless times.

Can the uninterrupted popularity of the book be attributed solely to being the first? There were a lot of dime novels before The Virginian, but they were pretty bad. Wister produced the first literary example of the genre. A new story is a new story, and this certainly helped generate notable sales in the early 20th century, but it took more involvement for decent sales to span over a century and for the story to be told on stage. . in theaters and on television.

There are three qualities that make The Virginian timeless. It’s a classic fish out of water tale, appealing to both genders and realistically portraying life on the frontier.

The narrator, Wister himself, is a resident of the city of Philadelphia, on an adventure in the Wild West. The love interest, a school teacher from the East, cannot understand the Code of the West. Even the Virginian is a transplant. Not only is it a new story, but it is told by new eyes, wide open and in awe of everything around it. This austere new world is described by people from another part of the planet, a part with civilization, comfortable social norms, and an order imposed by the police. The Virginian is partly autobiographical, and Wister uses his contemporary diaries to inject a sense of wonder into the story. Wister liked the Old West, and he makes us, his readers, like it too.

Runaway bestsellers are read by both genders. Virginian’s main plot follows classic western lines, which attracts men. More importantly, Wister describes the camaraderie of men in a male-dominated culture. Pranks, good natured banter, displays of athletic prowess, and rude language will be recognized by any man who has played team sports or served in the military – at least those who participated before women invaded these previously exclusive male domains. For men, the world of Virginia feels familiar and comfortable.

Wister also features two storylines that appeal to women. Molly Stark Wood, the heroine of Vermont, struggles in a foreign land and culture. She comes from a solid family that prides itself on her upbringing, and is horrified by random violence and vigilantism. The way she overcomes her fears to discipline her corner of a stark frontier shows the bravery of a woman rarely found in ordinary westerns. In most of these minor stories, the women need a brave knight to keep them safe. Molly can get along on her own, thank you very much. The way it is worn adds flavor to The Virginian.

Also, The Virginian is a love story. The hero does not ride into the sunset, he marries the heroine. And he goes to Vermont to meet his family. The clash of cultures is turned upside down when the Virginian drinks tea and jokes with bewildered Oriental ladies.

Wister wrote fiction, but he experienced the Old West of the 19th century and wrote from personal experience. Many incidents in the book come from his diaries. This gives the story an air of authenticity that is lacking in minor works. Probably only Mark Twain’s The Virginian and Roughing It give us real descriptions of Wild West watchers. The lifestyle, implements, and ethics of the time ring true in both books, albeit a bit exaggerated (again, in both books) for entertainment purposes. When we read historical fiction, realism allows us to live in another era.

The Virginian is more complicated than being the first of a race. It’s a good story, well told, with sophisticated subplots. The century-old literary style can make The Virginian somewhat difficult, but once you’re in the plot, you forget the more formal writing style. This is a novel that will still be sold in the 22nd century.