The Mines of King Solomon, in its opening pages, poses the question: “What is a gentleman?” (10). Men and masculinity are at the heart of the novel. It is both for and about men, and consciously so: Haggard assures his readers that there are no women in the novel, or "at least... no petticoats" (10 ). The feminine is either marginalized or simplified and used only functionally to counterbalance the masculine. Critic Anne McClintock and I approach the novel differently: she uses the text historically and politically; I do not draw general, external conclusions but focus directly on the concerns of Haggard's novel. Our articles are therefore fundamentally different, but not mutually exclusive. I have extracted what is implicit in his writing to explain the novel holistically: a sense of masculine moral obligation permeates the novel and influences the way in which events and the actions of its characters are presented. King Solomon's Mines is an ode to masculine moral duty. It is the force behind the actions of these men that the novel glorifies; a true “gentleman” is one who lives and dies by this moral code. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay In King Solomon's Mines, the protection and benevolent alteration of the feminine are essential elements of the English's notion of masculine moral duty—which is indicative of their desire to control the feminine, McClintock suggests. She sees this preoccupation with guarding and reorganizing it in masculine terms as a form of male domination, a method by which “paterfamilial restoration” (240) could be undertaken. The English are interested in women on two distinct levels, the largest of which is Kakuanaland. This heavenly and preserved Eden is itself a feminine entity: virginal, fertile, voluptuous. The physical landscape is not subtly reminiscent of the female form: the mountains marking the entrance to Kakuanaland are considered "Sheba's Breasts", two colossal forms "perfectly round and smooth" (66) with a small hill at the top of each " corresponding exactly to the nipple of the female breast” (66); beyond the mountains lies a fertile and generous middle part; and a triumvirate of mountains – the “Three Witches” – form a pubic triangle, within which are numerous dark, impenetrable caves (their relationship to the female body being obvious). This landscape evokes women not only by its shape, but also by its form. character – feminine character as perceived by Victorian men, at least: the earth, although beautiful, is also vulnerable. It fell under the illegitimate control of Gagool and Twala. Good, Quatermain, Sir Henry, and some of the noblest leaders of Kakuana are repulsed by the degradation of Kakuanaland by this injustice: “The earth cries out against Twala” (127), says Infadoos. The ensuing war for the throne of Kakuana amounts to a symbolic redress of the feminine corrupted by masculine power – war. With the triumph of the Ignosi, the English, the tribal leaders and their armies, the land is purged of its ancient injustice. The Foulata is another representation of the idealized feminine in Africa – a manifestation in many ways of the Victorian feminine ideal; like Kakuanaland, it is also vulnerable. She is chosen as a sacrifice to the Kakuana gods and will be killed if no intervention is made. The "cosmic sign" of the English, their eclipse, simultaneously prevents the death of Foultata and proves to the leaders of Kakuana their status as star divinities, guaranteeing the loyalty of theleaders towards Ignosi and paving the way for a war for the throne of Kakuana – and therefore a restoration of the throne of Kakuana. justice, a restoration of the corrupt feminine – will ensue. Their duty, however, goes beyond simply reestablishing the right line of royal succession in Kakuanaland. Quatermain, Good, and Sir Henry request that once Ignosi claims his rightful place as king of Kakuanaland, he implement certain preventative rules; indeed, they are calling for law and order the British way. Ignosi promises “to govern with justice, to respect the law; and not to put anyone to death without cause” (222). Thus, thanks to the intervention of the English and their protégés, Kakuanaland is purged of evil and protected against further harm. McClintock interprets this feminization of the land coupled with the reorganization of it by the English as proof of patriarchal domination. My reading is a distillation of his, an attempt to separate it from his broad historical perspective and find a more purely textual understanding. The female country is changed – the traditions of the land are changed once Ignosi takes the throne – because the protagonists believe that such changes are justified and that it is the noble calling of a gentleman to lend his strength to rectify and protect the feminine. McClintock sees it, combines it with external data, and draws historical conclusions. However, his argument that the paternal control exercised by the protagonists is linked to my idea that their interest in reorganizing Kakuanaland is based on an instinctive duty to justice as they understand it. The differences in arguments simply demonstrate our divergent approaches. However, the obligation of the characters in King Solomon's Mines to one another—a man's duty to his brother, to his master, to his friend—is central to the novel's exploration of manhood. The characters' devotion is part of the canon of particular masculine morality developed in the novel and exists in conjunction with the obligation of (gentle) men to protect the most vulnerable and combat injustice. The novel's central quest hinges on Sir Henry's obligation to reclaim his brother, or at least honor him in an attempt. This initial quest, the one that frames the novel and is only resolved in its final pages, sets the stage for the development of male bonds that will shape the novel. The English agree to participate intimately in a war against Twala partly because of an instinctive desire to preserve and cultivate justice, but explicitly because of their devotion to their friend Ignosi. The novel pays particular attention to war and the glory of fighters who display their masculine prowess, marveling at the beauty of men putting their abilities at the service of masculine virtues: love for their friend Ignosi in the case of the English and dedication. to their leader Ignosi in the case of the soldiers. In “An Elephant Hunt,” a chapter seemingly detached from the bulk of the novel, Haggard offers a succinct exploration of a facet of masculine dynamics that serves to illuminate the novel's overall conceptions. Khiva, an African in the service of the English during their voyage, saves Captain Good from being trampled by an elephant, knowing full well that he will die in doing so. His death is the climactic moment of the chapter, his final words affirming Khiva's virility, his courtesy: "'Ah, well,' [Umbopa] said just now, 'he is dead, but he is dead like a man’” (50). . To be a man is therefore to submit fully to the extent of this masculine moral duty, the perfection of which for Khiva was death in the service of one's master. Foulata also dies protecting the English, but his death is..