The Blackthorn Key

Master Benedict’s wisdom and knowledge characterize him early in the narrative. An excellent teacher, he has worked to instill both specific knowledge, such as the meaning of codes, in Christopher, as well as greater lessons about how to apply this knowledge. This wisdom is further apparent in his reputation as an apothecary. While other apothecaries, such as Stubb, seem driven by profit and little else, Master Benedict shows a genuine appreciation of the power in his hands as a healer and a desire to use it for good.

Nevertheless, as the action builds in the novel, Master Benedict is revealed to have had great ambitions for himself. Notably, he sought the Prima Materia and searched for ways to tame it. This takes a certain amount of hubris, which Master Benedict realizes too late, after Hugh dies in an accident related to the Archangel’s Fire. While Master Benedict is shown to be wise, Sands also depicts him as fallible; he does not have all the answers, no matter how hard he has strived to reach them.

As Christopher learns more about the Archangel’s Fire, Master Benedict’s fallibility seems understandable. The substance enticed many apothecaries, leading to their downfall, and Master Benedict is no different. However, Master Benedict differs from these others in a key way: the responsibility he takes for passing on the knowledge, and the trust he shows in Christopher’s ability to both discover and handle the Archangel’s Fire appropriately. Here again, his larger wisdom comes into play. Master Benedict sees himself as part of a greater web of people and knows that he has a duty to pass his knowledge on to someone trustworthy. This is a profound responsibility that he carries out after his death.

Tom is Christopher’s closest friend. Also 14 years old, he serves as a foil to Christopher in important ways. He is thoughtful when Christopher is reckless, slow when Christopher is fast, but as loyal and curious as his friend. Tom comes from a large, close family. Although not wealthy, his father makes a good living as a baker. This provides a greater understanding of London society at this time, showing what everyday family life was like and contrasting it with the extraordinary events taking place around the apothecary shop. 

Tom’s relationship to his father highlights one of his own primary characteristics: loyalty. Although not a primary antagonist of the novel, Tom’s father illustrates traditional attitudes toward wealth and status that are unfavorable toward Christopher. He is sufficiently concerned with his family’s money and position that keeping Christopher, particularly when he is wanted by the law, is unappealing to him. Tom insists as much as he can. When Tom’s father throws Christopher out of the house, Tom finds Christopher a new place to stay, enlisting Tom’s sisters to help him. Even though Christopher begs him to save himself, Tom stays by his friend’s side throughout the book. In the end, Tom even defeats Wat by hitting him with a rolling pin. Although Tom and Christopher’s characters diverge in important ways, they are united in their loyalty toward each other.

As the primary antagonist of the novel, Oswyn initially seems good to both Christopher and the reader. A Puritan, he holds different religious beliefs than the current king, which puts him in a vulnerable position. Nevertheless, he has used the power available to him as a member of the Apothecaries’ Guild to seek out disadvantaged children, such as Christopher, who might make good apprentices. This, combined with his seeming appreciation for Christopher’s gifts and willingness to help him solve his master’s murder, makes Oswyn a sympathetic character.

It is not until the book’s climax that the reader realizes that Oswyn is the primary antagonist—one step behind Christopher. Christopher has realized that Oswyn and Wat know each other as master and apprentice, leading him to conclude that Oswyn is behind the murders. Indeed, he is. He believes that the king loves pleasure too much, and that a revolution needs to happen—hence his desire for the Archangel’s Fire. He is blinded by his desire for political change and does not realize the trap that Christopher has set for him. Although deceptive and dangerous, Oswyn has his own motivations for seeking the Archangel’s Fire. Despite his evil actions, he shows an appreciation for Christopher and his talents.

Initially, Lord Ashcombe seems like one of two primary antagonists (the other, Stubb, dies early in the novel). He comes to investigate Master Benedict’s murder, and Christopher feels the need to hide the ledger page even from him. As the king’s agent, Lord Ashcombe has an enormous amount of power. His early encounters with Christopher show that he is both strict and clever. However, this strictness becomes a liability for Christopher as the action rises and Christopher becomes a suspect. Lord Ashcombe is not above shaking Tom and hurting him to get information about Christopher’s whereabouts (though he is unsuccessful). His position with the king allows him to do this, and he does not hesitate to use his power.

Nevertheless, Lord Ashcombe proves to be helpful as Christopher’s search for the murderer continues. He comes to the mausoleum when Christopher summons him and attempts to fight against Oswyn’s men, showing a level of bravery. As the action falls, he helps restore Christopher to his position and ensure his professional future. 

In a sense, Lord Ashcombe serves as a foil for Oswyn. Oswyn seems good at first then turns out to be evil; Lord Ashcombe seems at first evil then turns out to be good. However, Sands is careful to leave shades of gray in both characters. In the end, Christopher refuses to give Lord Ashcombe the recipe for the Archangel’s Fire out of fear he would use it for military purposes. This demonstrates that, even though Lord Ashcombe is an ally, this alliance is necessarily limited due to his position in the government.

The three apprentices working in conjunction with Oswyn—Wat, the Elephant, and Martin—are both antagonists to and foils for Christopher. Throughout the novel, they work for Oswyn, killing Master Benedict and other apothecaries and attempting to kill Christopher. In some ways, they have a great deal of loyalty for Oswyn, darkly mirroring the loyalty that Christopher shows to Master Benedict. However, the key difference is that Oswyn has not earned this loyalty through wisdom and kindness, as Master Benedict has. Instead, he has entrapped them with his power and ambition. 

Although the apprentices antagonize, threaten, and endanger Christopher, they are not presented as complex characters. Instead, they are extensions of Oswyn and his desires. This emphasizes the social role of apprentices in English society at this time; they “belonged” to their masters.