Barquentine (Gormenghast)
Encyclopedia
Barquentine is a character in the first two books in the Gormenghast series
, (Titus Groan
and Gormenghast
). He is the son of Sourdust, the Master of Ritual of Gormenghast castle. At first he lives a hermit
ic existence in an obscure tract of the castle. When he appears in the book he is 74 years old. He is a one-legged, hunchback
ed dwarf
with a bitter, vicious personality. He never washes and dresses in filthy rags; his hair and beard are long, tangled and dirty. He is frequently taunted by the castle's children, who sing "Rotten leg, rotten spine - ya! ya! Barquentine!"
Barquentine takes on the hereditary office following the death of his father in the first book. He takes Steerpike
on as his assistant at the end of the first novel. In the second book, Steerpike murders him, and takes over the post of Master of Ritual.
Gormenghast (series)
The Gormenghast series comprises three novels by Mervyn Peake, featuring Castle Gormenghast, and Titus Groan, the title character of the first book.-Works in the series:...
, (Titus Groan
Titus Groan (novel)
Titus Groan is a novel by Mervyn Peake. It is the first novel in the Gormenghast series.-Plot introduction:The book is set in the huge castle of Gormenghast, a vast landscape of crumbling towers and ivy-filled quadrangles that has for centuries been the hereditary residence of the Groan family and...
and Gormenghast
Gormenghast (novel)
Gormenghast, by Mervyn Peake, is the second novel in his Gormenghast series. It is the story of Titus Groan, 77th Earl of Groan and Lord of Gormenghast Castle, from age 7 to 17. As the story opens, Titus dreads the pre-ordained life of ritual that stretches before him...
). He is the son of Sourdust, the Master of Ritual of Gormenghast castle. At first he lives a hermit
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
ic existence in an obscure tract of the castle. When he appears in the book he is 74 years old. He is a one-legged, hunchback
Hunchback
Hunchback may refer to one of the following.*A derogatory term for a person who has severe kyphosis*The Hunchback of Notre Dame*Hunchback , an arcade and computer game from the 1980s*The Hunchback, a 1914 film featuring Lillian Gish...
ed dwarf
Dwarfism
Dwarfism is short stature resulting from a medical condition. It is sometimes defined as an adult height of less than 4 feet 10 inches , although this definition is problematic because short stature in itself is not a disorder....
with a bitter, vicious personality. He never washes and dresses in filthy rags; his hair and beard are long, tangled and dirty. He is frequently taunted by the castle's children, who sing "Rotten leg, rotten spine - ya! ya! Barquentine!"
Barquentine takes on the hereditary office following the death of his father in the first book. He takes Steerpike
Steerpike
Steerpike is a character in Mervyn Peake's novels Titus Groan and Gormenghast.In 2000 Irish actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers portrayed Steerpike in the BBC miniseries Gormenghast.-Character:...
on as his assistant at the end of the first novel. In the second book, Steerpike murders him, and takes over the post of Master of Ritual.