Micah Clarke

Micah Clarke by Arthur Conan Doyle is an historical adventure novel set during the Monmouth Rebellion of 1685 in England.

The book follows the exploits of Conan Doyle's fictional character Micah Clarke. It is a bildungsroman whose protagonist begins as a boy seeking adventure in a rather romantic and naive way, falls under the influence of an older and vastly experienced, world-weary soldier of fortune, and becomes a grown up after numerous experiences, some of them very harrowing. In the process the book also records much of the history of the Monmouth Rebellion, but from the point of view of someone living in 17th century England. Much of the focus is upon the religious dimension of the conflict. The Rebellion was prompted by the desire of many to replace the Catholic King James with a Protestant rival. Micah Clarke is the son of a committed Protestant father who sends of Micah to fight in the same cause which he himself had fought in during the English Civil War. Much is made of the role of Protestant ministers in recruiting the rebel army and in motivating its soldiers. Micah Clarke himself becomes increasingly disillusioned with religious extremism and ultimately expresses the view that toleration is a great good. Arthur Conan Doyle had himself been brought up as a Catholic and it is likely that Micah expresses his own thoughts on the subject.