Richard Hannay

Richard Hannay is the protagonist of the book, and it is through his eyes and ears that we experience the adventure. Hannay bears a classically British "stiff upper lip," and is stoic and even witty in the face of imminent danger. His identity is a bit confused: he is an expatriate Scot, new to London, who just lived in Rhodesia, a contemporary British colony in Africa. As a "colonial," Hannay has a cosmopolitan demeanor, along with a Renaissance Man-like knowledge and resourcefulness. Backed into a corner by Scudder's death, he considers it his duty, both to Scudder and to the United Kingdom, to make a go of it and try to notify the proper authorities before the anarchists can pull off their scheme. He is fond of disguises and adept at "becoming" another person, and while he himself admits he falls short of Sherlock Holmes, he displays...