The White Company
What is The White Company about?
It is the Middle Ages, and the Hundred Years War rages on in England and France. Alleyne Edricson, the son of an English landowner, is training as a novice at an abbey. As his training draws to a close, he’s called upon to spend a year in the outside world to decide if he really wants to devote his life to prayer and contemplation. He quickly meets Hordle John, a fellow novice expelled for misbehavior, and Aylward, a French archer traveling to meet the famous knight Sir Nigel Loring and join his band of archers, the titular White Company. The three decide to travel together, and embark on a series of action-packed adventures across England, France, and Spain. Doyle was inspired to write about the time period after attending a lecture on the subject. He spent years researching the era, and his careful research is evident in the novel’s detail: period-correct words and names add a flavor of verisimilitude, and nearly all of the people and places in the tale really did exist—and are moreover depicted to a great degree of historical accuracy.
How the Black Sheep Came Forth from the Fold
How Alleyne Edricson Came Out Into the World
How Hordle John Cozened the Fuller of Lymington
How the Bailiff of Southampton Slew the Two Masterless Men
How a Strange Company Gathered at the Pied Merlin
Main themes in The White Company
Medieval chivalry
The White Company thoughtfully explores medieval chivalry through its central conflicts.
Military brotherhood
In The White Company, military brotherhood provides a lens for understanding the story's core message.
Coming of age
Coming of age emerges as a defining element in The White Company, shaping character development.
Honor and valor
The theme of honor and valor weaves through The White Company, adding depth to its narrative.
Why The White Company is still relevant today
The White Company showcases Doyle's ambitions beyond detective fiction. His careful historical research and admiration for medieval chivalry produced a novel that, while overshadowed by Holmes, influenced later historical adventure fiction. The novel remains valuable for its vivid evocation of medieval England and the Hundred Years' War. Readers interested in historical fiction or Doyle's broader work will find it rewarding.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is The White Company about?
The White Company follows a young man who joins a band of English archers during the Hundred Years' War, experiencing medieval adventure, chivalry, and warfare.
Did Doyle prefer this to Holmes?
Yes, Doyle considered The White Company and its prequel his best work, hoping to be remembered as a historical novelist rather than the creator of Sherlock Holmes.
Is The White Company historically accurate?
Doyle researched the period extensively, and the novel is praised for its vivid, accurate depiction of medieval life, warfare, and the Hundred Years' War.
What is the White Company?
The White Company is a band of English archers and soldiers led by Sir Nigel Loring, based on the historical free companies that fought during the Hundred Years' War.
Should I read this if I like Holmes?
The White Company is very different from Holmes—historical adventure rather than detective fiction. Readers interested in Doyle's range or medieval history will enjoy it.