New Hampshire · Character
Arthur Amy
One of the named New Hampshire friends the narrator counts against Massachusetts, a local presence folded into the state's stubborn, unglamorous character.
supporting
Also known as Art, The Arthur Amy
First appearance: the census taker
As a supporting figure in New Hampshire, Arthur Amy is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
Referenced in 'The Pauper Witch of Grafton' as the woman's husband, who courted her by accusing her of witchcraft and later embraced her witch identity.
Arthur Amy belongs to the roll of Windham, Atkinson, Raymond, and Derry men the speaker invokes as proof that New Hampshire, whatever its little men, gave him friends he never found elsewhere. He stands among the glorious bards' targets — the people Massachusetts poets want to make over — and the narrator's refusal to improve them is a refusal to improve him. His presence anchors the poem's argument that art might almost wish such people worse rather than better.
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Character Web
3 connectionsA slice of how Arthur Amy sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Other
Character groups
- Composite and narrative figures
- Generic and elderly locals
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Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
The emotional peak occurs when the speaker, overwhelmed by the "fated night" and the "hissing" snow, nearly su…
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Arthur Amy appears across 2 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for Arthur Amy unlock in the free preview.
See Arthur Amy in the census taker