Harriet or Hugh M’Kail: Pullman Car Hiawatha and the Scottish Covenanter Martyrs

Abstract

The goal of this article is to provide strong evidence that Thornton Wilder intentionally adapted Harriet’s character and farewell speech in Pullman Car Hiawatha from the story and speech of Hugh M’Kail. After surveying historical records of M’Kail’s life, death, and farewell, the article compares these features with the portrayal of Harriet by Wilder. Numerous parallels are found such as both figures’ talks with unseen angels, trips to heaven, sense of shame, sickly nature, and many more. After establishing this internal parallelism, a survey of the literary and theological context of Pullman Car Hiawatha demonstrates an external continuity between the play and the Scottish Covenanter theological and literary tradition. This is not surprising given the relationship between Puritans and Covenanters and Wilder’s own probable familiarity with the Covenanters. In the historic context of the writing of Pullman Car Hiawatha shortly after the sharp critique of Michael Gold, who disparagingly compared Thornton Wilder to Sir Walter Scott, it becomes apparent that Wilder purposefully adapted Hugh M’Kail as Harriet in part to respond to Gold.