The Tenth of January

The Cobbler

Asenath's father, known to us readers, simply as Martyn, is a character that the narrator and the protagonist, Asenath, overlook. He is introduced to the reader by way of Asenath snapping at him when he comments on her being "put out" that Dick wasn't joining them for dinner. We quickly learn that Martyn is a shoe cobbler by trade, since he is working on a boot in his debut scene. At first glance, Martyn is a static character, a dependable father with no thoughts of his own, or if he has them they are of little consequence. The author does something interesting however, she gives Martyn a sense of humor. His conditions are so bad that his young and frail daughter is forced to work in a mill, and factories were dangerous at this time. Not to mention he is a widow to a woman who abused their daughter, and most likely him as well, and yet at the same time he can smile in the face of adversity. An instance of this is when he says, "and not a mouthful have you eaten! Find your old father dull company hey? Well, well!” (Phelps) Asenath is getting married soon, and she is no longer the little girl he knew, but he still loves her like she is.

Martyn plays an important role later on in the story when Asenath comes to him for forgiveness and in some sense absolution, she begs him to place his hands on her head and tell her, "God bless you, child, and show you how." Martyn has no religious training, and yet he does as he is told, hoping for the best for his daughter. And in some ways this laying on of the hands, was like a last rite for Asenath, though no one knew this at the time. The story ends with Martyn about to sacrifice his life for his daughter and enter the burning collapsed mill, but he is held back and he gets the last word of the story, "Sene! little Sene!"