Travel Essays · Chapter
I Have a Goad explained
The narrator describes his stay at the humble auberge of Bouchet St.
What happens
The narrator describes his stay at the humble auberge of Bouchet St. Nicolas, detailing the rustic accommodations, the friendly innkeeper and his sharp wife, and his awkward night sharing a room with a cooper and his family. The next morning, the innkeeper presents him with a goad, which transforms his journey by making Modestine obedient. He travels through bleak, wintry landscapes toward Pradelles and Langogne, reflecting on the legendary Beast of Gévaudan and crossing into the county of Gévaudan.
Themes in this chapter
Travel and Discovery
The chapter focuses on the narrator's journey through the French highlands, encountering local customs, landscapes, and the transformative tool of the goad.
Nature and the Sublime
Descriptions of the bleak, wintry morning, the purplish shadows over the mountains, and the legend of the Beast evoke the sublime power of nature.
Human Connection and Community
The narrator's interactions with the innkeeper and his wife, the cooper and his family, and the local farmers highlight the warmth and simplicity of rural hospitality.
Characters to notice
- Modestine
The narrator's donkey, now controlled with a goad after previous struggles.
- The Priest
Not directly present; the narrator mentions the legendary Beast of Gévaudan, but no priest character appears in this chapter.
Key passages
“The auberge of Bouchet St. Nicolas was among the least pretentious I have ever visited; but I saw many more of the like upon my journey.”
The inn at Bouchet St. Nicolas was one of the simplest I've ever stayed in, though I encountered many similar ones on my trip.
Sets the tone for the humble accommodations typical of the region.
“Blessed be the man who invented goads! Blessed the innkeeper of Bouchet St. Nicolas, who introduced me to their use!”
I am grateful to whoever invented goads and to the innkeeper who gave me one.
Highlights the narrator's relief and newfound control over Modestine.
“For this was the land of the ever-memorable Beast , the Napoleon Bonaparte of wolves.”
This region was home to the famous Beast of Gévaudan, a wolf-like creature of legendary ferocity.
Introduces the historical legend that adds a sense of adventure and danger.