The Blue Hotel

by

Stephen Crane

The Barkeeper (Henry) Character Analysis

Henry, the barkeeper, serves the Swede alcohol when he arrives in the saloon after leaving the Palace Hotel. When tensions rise between the Swede and the other saloon patrons, Henry is obviously on the side of his customers, including the gambler, but tries to calm everyone nonetheless. After the Gambler stabs the Swede, Henry leaves the Swede's body in the bar to find help “and company,” indicating Henry's status as an insider in Romper, unlike the alienated Swede.
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The Barkeeper (Henry) Character Timeline in The Blue Hotel

The timeline below shows where the character The Barkeeper (Henry) appears in The Blue Hotel. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Section 8
Fate, Free Will, and Moral Responsibility Theme Icon
...Swede comes in and orders a class of whiskey, which he drinks in one gulp. The bartender asks him if he's had a bad night, because of the blood on his face.... (full context)
Fate, Free Will, and Moral Responsibility Theme Icon
Judgment and Deception Theme Icon
The other men run out of the bar, and the bartender looks shocked. The gambler cleans his knife and calmly tells the bartender to tell the... (full context)
Section 9
Fate, Free Will, and Moral Responsibility Theme Icon
Vulnerability and Violence Theme Icon
Judgment and Deception Theme Icon
...“a good deal of sympathy for him in Romper.” The cowboy asserts that if only the bartender had been “good” he “would have gone in and cracked that there Dutchman on the... (full context)