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The Dead Letter · Character

Mr. Argyll

A prosperous lawyer and indulgent father whose comfortable household becomes the stage for a murder investigation that will shatter his family's peace.

supporting

Also known as Argyll, young Argyll

First appearance: part i i the letter

As a supporting figure in The Dead Letter, Mr. Argyll is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Father of Eleanor; Richard's mentor; deeply concerned for Eleanor after the murder.
In the storyEvents of a NightOpen this moment free

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Mr. Argyll presides over a warm, well-ordered home where his law student Richard Redfield is treated almost as a son, and where his nephew James lounges in uneasy idleness. His indulgent affection for his daughters and…

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The fuller portrait of Mr. Argyll sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Mr. Argyll in part i i the letter

Character Web

12 connections

A slice of how Mr. Argyll sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

MBMr. BurtonEAEleanor ArgyllRRRichard RedfieldJAJames ArgyllGTGeorge ThorleyMAMr. Argyll

Relationship types

  • Other

Character groups

  • Central mystery characters
  • Protagonist

+7 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

SetupAftermathClimax
  • Setup
  • Escalation
  • Breaking point
  • Aftermath
  • Closing

This is the story's dramatic climax because the narrator experiences an intense emotional and psychological pe…

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In the story

Mr. Argyll appears across 4 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Chapter companion notes

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See Mr. Argyll in part i i the letter