The Blue Sword

Angharad Crewe, better known as Harry, is the protagonist of The Blue Sword. Following the death of her father, she is sent to the Residency in the borderland between her Homeland and Damar. She has no profession, no family other than a distant brother, and no defined role in the new society she finds herself in. She is described as being “taller than all the women, taller than most of the men” (6), and her name itself sets her apart from conventional expectations of femininity, reflecting the text’s feminist focus. 

Early on in the story, Harry’s alienation is not just social but also internal. She is restless and full of longing; she feels out of place but is not sure what she wants or where she truly belongs. As revealed toward the novel’s conclusion, the restlessness stems from a part of her heritage her brother has kept from her: Her great-grandmother was from Damar. The land is a part of her, and is a significant part of what she is missing.

Harry’s journey truly begins when Corlath takes her. This act initiates the first major turning point in her arc. What starts as a seeming abduction quickly transforms into a rite of passage.