Who Hildred Castaigne is
Hildred Castaigne lives in an imagined future New York, where the city appears prosperous, orderly and calm. He says he has recovered from a head injury caused by a fall from his horse. He has also read the mysterious play The King in Yellow and insists that it has not harmed him.
What Hildred Castaigne wants
Hildred believes he belongs to the Imperial Dynasty of America and expects to claim what he considers his rightful throne. His secret plans reveal a world very different from the quiet city around him. As his account unfolds, his certainty gives readers reasons to question how much they can trust his view.
Hildred Castaigne and the others in the story
Mr. Wilde, a shopkeeper who keeps records on people, acts as Hildred's guide and encourages his dreams of power. Hildred visits him often, accepting encouragement from a man who claims he can repair or destroy reputations. His cousin Louis stands in the way of the throne Hildred imagines as his own.
Questions
Who is Hildred Castaigne?
Hildred Castaigne is the young New Yorker who tells The Repairer of Reputations.
What does Hildred Castaigne want?
He wants to rule a hidden empire, believing that a royal inheritance entitles him to power.
Is Hildred Castaigne a reliable narrator?
His account is unreliable, despite the confidence with which he tells it. Chambers lets readers notice doubts that Hildred himself does not acknowledge.
