Outcast (Sutcliff novel) facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | Rosemary Sutcliff |
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| Cover artist | Richard Kennedy |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Historical novel |
| Publisher | OUP |
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Publication date
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1955 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback) |
Outcast is an exciting historical novel for young readers, written by Rosemary Sutcliff. It was first published in 1955.
The story is set in Roman Britain, a time when the Roman Empire ruled parts of Britain. It follows the journey of an orphaned Roman boy who gets shipwrecked. He lands on the coast of Dumnonia, a part of Britain controlled by the Celts, not the Romans. The boy is adopted by a childless couple and grows up with the tribe. Later, he leaves to rejoin Roman society. His adventures take him all the way to Rome and eventually back to Britain. Like many of Sutcliff's books, this story is about the main character trying to find out who he is and where he belongs. He often feels like an "outcast" in the different cultures he encounters.
Contents
Beric's Early Life in Celtic Britain
The main character of the story is a boy named Beric. He is raised by the Dumnonii, a Celtic tribe in Britain. As he grows up and reaches a certain age, his place within the tribe becomes uncertain. The village Bard (a poet and storyteller) accepts him, but the village Druid (a religious leader) does not.
After a bad harvest, the Druid blames Beric for the tribe's troubles. The tribe's superstitious beliefs lead them to agree with the Druid. Because of this, Beric is forced to leave the tribe and is exiled.
Journey to Roman Lands and Slavery
Beric travels to Isca Dumnoniorum, a Roman town. There, he meets a Greek slave trader. The trader tricks Beric and takes him as a slave. Beric is then bought by Publius Pio, an important Roman official called a Magistrate. He becomes part of Pio's wealthy family, who live on the Viminal Hill in Rome.
Beric soon makes an enemy of Glaucus, Publius Pio's son. Beric accidentally embarrasses Glaucus during a dinner party. This party was celebrating Pio's election to a new office called Aedile. A Centurion named Justinius sees this happen. As a result, Beric is sent to work in the salt mines, which was a very harsh punishment.
Escape and Life as a Galley Slave
Beric manages to escape from Pio's house. He hides in an old temple dedicated to Sylvan Pan, a Roman god of the wild. He then starts heading north on the Via Flaminia, a major Roman road, hoping to walk all the way back to Britain.
However, he is caught in the Roman countryside. He is accused of being a bandit (a robber) and is sentenced to live his life as a galley slave. This means he has to row a large ship called a galley. He works for many years on a galley named Alcestis, which is part of the Rhenus Fleet. This fleet is based in Colonia Agrippina (modern-day Cologne, Germany).
Return to Britain and Finding Belonging
Eventually, Beric's galley is sent to Britain. During a terrible storm, Beric is thrown overboard and believed to be dead. But he washes ashore for the second time in his life! This time, he is rescued by the household of Centurion Justinius, the same Roman officer who saw him in Rome. Justinius had returned to his duty station in Roman Britain.
Beric then joins the work on the Rhee Wall in Romney Marsh. Here, the Romans, led by Justinius, are working to reclaim land from the sea. A huge storm threatens the progress of the Rhee Wall and the lives of the workers. During this storm, Beric forms strong bonds with his new comrades. After the storm, he finally feels like he has found a place and people where he truly belongs.
Main Ideas of the Story
Like many of Rosemary Sutcliff's novels, Outcast explores the idea of finding your place in the world. Beric struggles to feel accepted as he moves between different societies. Sometimes he is welcomed, and other times he faces discrimination.
Another common theme in Sutcliff's books is the presence of a dog. In Outcast, Beric's journey is shown through his relationship with dogs. At the beginning, he gives up his native Celtic dog. Later, he adopts a mixed-breed dog near the Roman camp. He finally feels accepted when this second dog brings her newborn puppy to him.
About the Book's Art
The cover of Outcast was created by Richard Kennedy and is in color. Inside the novel, there are black-and-white charcoal drawings that illustrate the story.
