Rupert of Hentzall - Character of The Novel ( The Prisoner of Zenda )

Rupert of Hentzall

Introduction: 

   Rupert of Henzall is an important character of the novel. He is one of the six hirelings of the Duke-Michael. He is the most ferocious, reckless and dangerous of them all. He is a rider and an expert swordsman.

Physical Appearance: 

    Rupert is a young man of about twenty five years old. He is very handsome person.

A Very Talkative Fellow: 

     Rupert is a man of very sharp tongue. He knows well how to hurt the feelings of others by his talk. He humiliates lady Mauban severely while talking about woman. When Russendyll challenges him to fight in the forest, he points to a peasant girl and refuses of fight in her presence. In this way the teases Rassendyll. Again, when the Duke Michael finds him alone in Mauban's room and asks him the reason, he promptly replies that he is apologizing to the lady for his long absence. And when Madam De Mauban shoots at him, he replies that he cannot fire at a lady when he has Kissed. 
A Bad Character Fellow: 
      Rupert is a treacherous person. He disrespects his mother by bringing a mistress into her house. He is a flirt and has deceived many woman. He is rough through and through and deceives even his master. He is so vulgar that he always talks nonsense. He knows that Michael wants to become a king and to marry Fla via. But he is also ready to get Michael Killed for his own purposes. Thus he meets Rassendyll in a street of Zenda and suggests that they should kill the king and Michael. He thinks that he can get De Mauban in this way. Thus he opposes his own master. On the other hand he satisfies Michael and tires to kill Rassendyll on different occasions. At last for his own benefit he kills his own master, Michael.
Brave And Daring: 
        Rupert is a dare devil. He is not afraid of any danger and nothing can frighten him. Among the Duke's cut-throats, he is the only great and constant threat to Rassendyll's life. He is an excellent swordsman and saves himself in the encounter with Rassendyll. He is very much reckless and quite  careless about the consequences. Once he tries to kill Rassendyll in bright day light and manages to escape unhunt. Having Murdered Michael, he comes to draw bridge with blood stained sword and stands in the middle of the bridge, fearlessly and bravely. Madam Mauban shoots at him but does not respond to the bullet of Mauban because it was below his dignity to shoot at a woman when he had kissed.
Conclusion: 
            From the study of Rupert's character we come to know that he is a stranger mixture of contradictions. He is grateful and graceless at the some time. His manners make him a detestable character and he plays the role of a villain in the novel to Black Michael.