The Alloy of Law

As the protagonist of the novel, Lord Waxillium Ladrian is a dynamic and round character whose internal conflict drives the central narrative. His journey explores the theme of Reconciling Personal Identity With Social Duty, as he tries to reconcile the uncompromising lawman he became in the Roughs with the polite, calculating aristocrat he is expected to be in Elendel. After 20 years as a celebrated lawman, he is summoned back to the city to save his financially ruined noble house. This forces him to confront a past he abandoned and a future he never wanted, creating a profound tension between his authentic self and his inherited obligations.

One of Wax’s defining traits is his deep-seated sense of duty. He willingly sets aside the life he built to answer the call of his house, aware that many people’s livelihoods depend on him. His initial attempt to resolve his identity crisis is to compartmentalize, symbolized by the moment he locks away his mistcoat and guns. He tells his butler, “I won’t be needing it” (28), a declaration of his intent to fully embrace the role of Lord Ladrian.